Brandi Jarrett

Did you know that across the national market, beer sales are slowing? This is primarily due to new entries and options like seltzers that compete within the alcohol vertical. Our client, Proper Brewing, saw an untapped opportunity: the hard tea market. Teaming up with their regional distributor, we embarked on a mission to create something fresh and exciting from scratch. Inspired by the English tradition of afternoon tea but with a rebellious twist, we proudly present Proper ‘Noon Tea. This isn’t your grandmother’s tea time; this is a very NOT proper tea time. Check out the case study: https://lnkd.in/gTW_iKE5

3

Local. Food. Is. Important.

6

Juice processors see great potential in positioning juice displays near produce aisles. By doing this, grocery retailers can tap into the natural consumer association between fresh juice and produce, driving significant gains. Read more from Produce Business Magazine: https://brnw.ch/21wKTqs #FreshProduce #Retail #ConsumerInsights

4

Looking for the BEST kosher beef frank for the upcoming summer season? Check out this review from Food & Wine and learn why one will always 'reign supreme'. If you don't have our Hebrew National beef franks on your menu, reach out and we'll get you connected with our chefs to help develop the right offering for your operation. Let the summer grilling season begin! #conagrafoodservice, #foodandwine, #hebrewnational, #reignsupreme #summergrillingseason

17

I got asked one of the sillier questions from a start-up spirits company. "Whats your CAC?" That's customer acquisition cost, don't make it weird. While planning customer acquisition is important, when you first come to the market who-what-when-where changes your investment returns more than any budget bump. Are you paying for a $200 fancy-tasting company at Bubba's Shrimp and Liquor or are you doing one yourself at a Total Wine? If I give you 100 customers can you close more than a demo rep who just learned the brand exists this morning? Don't sweat the numbers on tasting investments until you've maxed out your own ability to convert first. You get more customers at good stores. You get more customers that can buy in good stores near the nicer areas. You get more customers that are excited to buy if they know its YOURS. Put in some elbow grease of your own and your CAC is cheaper. Don't worry about the dollars you haven't spent until you have some skin in the game.

7

3 Comments

📚 Excited to share my top read of the past year: Darren Hardy's "The Compound Effect"! This insightful book has profoundly influenced my approach to personal and professional growth. In the realm of large-scale food production and slicing operations, "The Compound Effect" resonates deeply. Just like in business, small, consistent actions can lead to monumental results over time. Whether it's optimizing processes in food production or streamlining operations in slicing, every incremental improvement adds up to significant gains. Hardy's emphasis on the power of consistent habits and incremental progress is directly applicable to the challenges and opportunities in the food industry. From enhancing efficiency to refining quality control measures, the principles outlined in "The Compound Effect" serve as a guiding light in navigating the complexities of large-scale operations. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to make meaningful strides in their professional endeavors, especially within the dynamic landscape of food production and slicing operations. Let's compound those efforts and achieve extraordinary results together! #TheCompoundEffect #FoodProduction #SlicingOperations #ProfessionalDevelopment

9

Several of SKU's mentors have created some of our most beloved products. Mark Crowell, for example, developed the pumpkin scone for Starbucks. Matthew OHayer disrupted the egg category with Vital Farms. And the world can thank SKU Spring '24 mentor Sean Wright assisted in the creation of the mini Reese's Peanut Butter cup. Sean, who was part of the OhhFoods mentor team, loves being impactful and helping companies grow, whether that it's deconstructing complex problems, devising strategic approaches, or hands-on execution of large scale transformations. Sean has spent his career “careening” through multiple industries, functions, and company sizes (from start-up to fully mature) driving change and scalability across a wide range of business functions and context. Sean began his career in CPG with The Hershey Company, progressing through everything from product development, manufacturing capability and business development to global supply chain strategy and margin enhancement with roles across the globe. Sean has spent the last ten years in tech with progressive roles in Apple and then ChargePoint, where he helped lead Operations and then Product Operations as the company grew from a small start-up and through IPO in 2021. Sean currently Head of the Transformation Program Office for The Hershey Company, where is is driving enterprise level changes to enable profitable, scalable, and sustainable transformation. He also runs his own executive advisory firm with a small team of industry experts, Fabrum Advisors, LLC, where he consults with a wide range of clients including start-up CPG, large tech companies, investment firms, and government entities. If you are an industry leader, successful founder, investor or subject-matter expert who would like to be a part of SKU's incredible CPG community, we currently interviewing potential mentors for the Fall '24 Track. We have a limited number of spots available. If you are interested in learning more, please fill out the SKU Mentor Interest Form: https://lnkd.in/grvpPD8e Michelle Breyer Buff Greebe Brooke Wilson Carolina Schulten Steef Schelke Brittany Charlton Christopher Cain Caroline (Cari) Kwong Dan Sorensen, CPA Ali Michel Julie Steinhagen Mathias Ihlenfeld Will Betts #accelerator #cpgaccelerator #cpg #consumerpackagedgoods #startup #cpgstartup #startups #mentoring #mentors #mentorshipmatters #innovativation #industrydisruptor #candy #candyinnovation

12

1 Comment

SONIC Drive-In is well known for being a beverage-forward burger brand and as someone who specializes in the foodservice beverage space, I love watching them roll out new drink offerings. What I've noticed lately is that they're focusing more on fruit flavors. For me, the big surprise in this lineup is the Paradise Sunset, which uses a carbonated drink that is flavored as blood orange. What makes their use of blood orange so interesting is that less than 3% of QSR's have this ingredient on their menu. This is a flavor profile that is far more popular on cocktail menus in the fine dining space. This isn't the first time they've used blood orange either, in fact, they had a different blood orange beverage on the menu just this past October. Even more interesting is that they're not alone. This is a flavor that is seeing steady growth in QSR and Fast Casual concepts. It's been in Modern Market, Shake Shack, Bartaco, Panera, Biggby Coffee and more. Operators in the know might start looking at this beautiful citrus - perfect for fall and winter LTO's! #foodservice #beveragemenu #fruittrends #beveragetrends #bloodorange

13

2 Comments

The Adult Non-Alc space is fascinating. As it evolves I think we’ll see some stratification between the functional ingredient beverages and the alcoholic beverage analogs with no functional ingredients. I think the route to market and consumer demand segment will end up being very different for these two distinct categories. I think there’s a bright future for both. What do you think?

17

How to Taste a Cigar So You Can Pick Up Its Notes & Flavors 🍂 Step 1 - Use a Flavor Wheel: A cigar flavor wheel can help you identify and articulate what you’re tasting. It might include categories like wood, spices, fruits, and earth. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the taste here & practice regularly. Step 2 - Take note of what you can taste during the three phases of the cigar: First Third (The Beginning): Pay attention as the cigar begins to develop its profile. Initial flavors might be more pronounced and give you clues about the rest of the smoke. Second Third (The Heart): This is often where the most complexity shows. Allow the smoke to linger in your mouth. Try to detect different flavors – floral, earthy, spicy, nutty, or even specific tastes like chocolate, coffee, leather, or wood. Final Third (The Conclusion): As the cigar finishes, the flavors may deepen or change. This part might reveal stronger, more robust flavors. Tag a friend who can use this info! #CigarTasting #CigarLovers #FlavorJourney #CigarLife

3

🚀 Do you know how to maximize your creativity in the marketing world? You can achieve this with just one word: references. 💡 That's right! Knowing the best creative work that is moving in the field can serve as inspiration to create functional wonders that allow you to achieve that goal you have in mind. And what better place to see the best references than the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity? This year, this festival has impressed us with innovative campaigns that have redefined advertising limits. Among the outstanding winners, one of the most impressive was the Coors Light campaign: Coors Light Out. 👉 The idea for this campaign came after in a baseball game, Shohei Ohtani, one of the best players in history, hit a ball into a large digital advertisement for Coors Light, leaving a black square of fused pixels. This incident went viral, and Coors Light knew how to take advantage of the notoriety by launching a special edition of cans with the iconic black square. They also integrated this element into their outdoor campaigns and on the stadium screens during the next Angels game. A stroke of genius in creativity and opportunity! 🎨✨ Here we leave you the campaign video so you can appreciate this great idea that positioned itself as one of the outstanding campaigns of the festival. Also, if you want to see the complete list of winners, you can do so here: https://lnkd.in/eT8SrTrB. What did you think of this campaign? 🤔 Do you think it is important to take advantage of this type of situation with a brand to enhance its notoriety? Tell us in the comments! Don't forget to follow us to continue discovering incredible campaigns that will help you unleash all your creativity. #PrimitiveAgency #CannesLions #Creativity #InnovativeAdvertising #CoorsLight #ShoheiOhtani #Marketing

3

What do you get when you combine a Chemistry degree, a restaurant with slower-than-hoped sales, and an appearance on Shark Tank ABC? The story behind Jerry Hancock's founding of Sub Zero Ice Cream is unlike any other. Check it out on episode 8 of the Restaurant Rocket Fuel podcast! #restaurants #restaurantlife #restaurantowner #restaurantmarketing

12

4 Comments

🍺 How will your beer fare this 4th of July? 🍺 According to Capital One Shopping Research, American consumers spent a staggering $15.8 billion during the Fourth of July holiday in 2023; with a significant portion going towards food and beer. Beer alone accounted for over $2.5 billion of those expenditures, underscoring its central role in summer festivities. Heading into this holiday season, beer manufacturers face evolving consumer preferences and economic pressures. Kristine Joji from Insite AI highlights key trends shaping beer purchasing decisions, including a shift towards health-conscious options like low-calorie beers and hard seltzers. Brands are also navigating challenges posed by inflation by reconsidering pack sizes and optimizing pricing strategies through predictive analytics. As we prepare to toast Independence Day, it’s clear that beer brands must innovate and adapt to meet the diverse preferences of today’s consumers. What's your favorite brew? A Peroni by the pool is mine! 🍺 #LifeWorkSearch #FourthOfJuly #BeerIndustry #ConsumerTrends #PredictiveAnalytics #SummerCelebrations

5

2 Comments

Do you know the different markets? What's the business plan and how that changes what you'll find at your local market.

2

Shout out to Food & Beverage Insider for featuring CuliNEX - Food Development Pros in their recent article on the revolution in clean label foods driving healthier eating trends. We're proud to be a part of this movement towards better food choices. At CuliNEX, we understand that clean label formulations not only benefit our health but also the environment and the overall food system. We always consider the impact of our products on sustainable ingredient sourcing and work towards strengthening the food industry as a whole. Check out the article and join us in this journey towards a healthier future. #whatsculiNEXT, #cleanlabel, #foodsystem, # https://hubs.li/Q02wwZQ20

28

1 Comment

This is an overdue post, but I've been thinking about the Specialty Food Association's Summer Fancy Food show for the last week. After finally having some time to digest (pun intended), I wanted to share some takeaways. As always, the show was overwhelming in the best way possible. It was gratifying to see food trends becoming more mainstream, with a noticeably larger plant-based pavilion and increased diversity among speakers and products, especially in the Debut District and Diversity Pavilion. Here are some trends that caught my eye (and taste buds): Functional Wellness: Adaptogens, probiotics, and prebiotics are showing up in places like candies and non-alcoholic beverages. It seems integrating wellness into everyday foods is a long-lasting trend. Seasoning Savvy: Seasonings and spices were a big focus, with artisanal salts, unique blends, and creative mixes taking center stage. Global Spice Explosion: Asian flavors (south, east, southeast, etc.) were prevalent throughout the show, not just in specific country pavilions. I especially liked seeing familiar flavors reinterpreted for a broader audience. Packaging with Personality: It seems everyone understood the assignment! Packaging is all about making a statement with bold colors, intricate designs, or a mix of both. Food packaging has become an extension of our personalities, encouraging us to create visually appealing pantries. The brands doing it right (in my humble opinion) use modern colors, bold fonts, and eye-catching patterns. Honey & Vinegar: Honey, especially Manuka honey, was a big trend, alongside beautifully packaged vinegars - balsamic ftw. Since I work in cheese, I actually skipped the cheese district this time around. Luckily, Murray's was well-represented by our amazing buying team. #winningteam I've been seeing so many great recaps of the show - for those of you who did attend, what did you think? Anything I missed? :)

25

5 Comments

Why? ⁉️ Why is always an interesting question in sales. 🤔 Why should I buy your product? 👫 Why is that going to appeal to my customers? 💭Why should I make space on my menus and why should I delist this product for yours? Why is often followed by How. 💰How are you going to help me sell this product? 🍻How are my customers and my staff going to understand your brand and core business. The Why and How of Athletic Brewing Company is what makes us so special. We get it. The UK On and Off Trade ‘No & Low Sectors’ are in growth. If you aren’t selling the best; WHY & HOW can you change that? I can help you. Watch this video to find out more about why Athletic is right for your business. Let’s start the conversation. adam.findlay@athleticbrewing.com 🍺 https://lnkd.in/eqyAhriq

14