the Joshua Schall Audio Experience

Is any CPG brand truly "untouchable" anymore? In this episode, I'm breaking down the explosive, high-stakes corporate war between Kroger and Red Bull. Red Bull is a beverage brand commanding over a third of the U.S. energy drink market and generating $10 billion in annual retail sales, yet it has been completely pulled from 2,700+ Kroger stores and fuel centers. If a category captain this massive can have its wings clipped, it’s a stark warning to the entire CPG industry: no brand is safe. I'll dive deep into the exact catalysts that pushed Kroger over the edge, including Red Bull slashing its second-half 2026 trade spend by nearly half, raising prices by up to 10%, and reportedly offering a much more favorable deal to a rival retailer. I'm also examining at the driving force behind Kroger's ruthless strategy: newly appointed CEO Greg Foran. Bringing his uncompromising Walmart "Everyday Low Price" playbook to Kroger, Foran is leveraging the grocer's massive scale to force margin compression right back up the…

Did you know that only six percent of sports science studies focus exclusively on women? Think about that for a second longer…as nearly all modern hydration, recovery, and performance nutrition protocols are built entirely on male physiological data. So, almost zero data on women's needs across life stages and critical moments, including the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and perimenopause. But Gatorade just flipped the script. They’re investing millions into a “multi-year global research commitment that advances the science of women’s hydration and nutrition.” Yes, this is an obvious corporate citizenship win for PepsiCo, but more importantly this research helps Gatorade restore its status as an undisputed clinical authority. And since we cannot ever totally look past the possible financial motivations, I’m sure Gatorade is fully aware that female consumers form fierce brand affinity with companies that actively invest in their long-neglected biological needs. Regardless, this might be the smartest legacy CPG…

Calm is the new energy, or at least that’s what Walmart emphatically declare when it recently began rolling out a brand new "Mood & Mind" merchandising section across 1,000 stores. And honestly, I love this decision for a few reasons. I’ll start off a bit selfishly here, but Walmart just validated the cultural drivers and contextual demand spaces I’ve been shouting about like a broken record for the last decade. Also, Walmart evolved beyond the legacy merchandising strategy, instead organizing strictly by consumer need states and emotional occasions (ranging from focus and productivity to relaxation and evening wind-downs). Why? For younger shoppers, mental wellness and emotional regulation are the new daily hygiene. In fact, SPINS reported that mood support is now the fastest-growing functional benefit in beverage. Lastly, the game theory behind Walmart’s decision was genius. Whether it’s changing the rules of category accessibility by leveraging a first-mover advantage or by offering slotting preference to…

The energy drink marketing playbook is officially being rewritten. Historically, the approximately $29 billion U.S. energy drink market has run on a high-octane formula engineered around the fast-paced, anti-establishment ethos of extreme sports and hip-hop culture. But as the category matures from a niche youth subculture into a gender-balanced, multi-generational household staple, the cultural engines powering these brands have to evolve too. In this episode, I'm breaking down the seismic strategic shift currently taking place across the consumer packaged goods (CPG) landscape: why major energy drink giants are trading "hip-hop hype" for "country comfort". Using the explosive, retail-shattering rollout of BUM Energy’s partnership with country star Ella Langley as our primary case study, we deconstruct how they utilized a "simple yet sophisticated" formula, custom roots-based flavor profile, and digital scarcity funnel to achieve the number two velocity single-serve spot in the entire category. I’ll also…

Forget real estate. The Trump family is officially taking over the beverage aisle. Donald Trump’s eldest granddaughter, Kai, recently partnered with Accelerator Active Energy to launch her very own flavor called Blue Raz Slush, which is directly inspired by her childhood love for movie theater slushies. Unlike her uncle Barron, who keeps a low profile with his new yerba mate brand, Kai Trump is using her massive social media presence to heavily promote her brand partnership. With Donald Trump reportedly drinking upwards of twelve Diet Cokes daily, it appears the beverage business is pumping through the family bloodline. So, which Gen Z Trump will be the next to launch a beverage venture?

Stop watching trends. Start engineering markets. In this episode, I've adapted from my educational session at the inaugural Future Nutra Innovation Summit, and I'm breaking down why traditional market research is broken and show you how to use Predictive Market Engineering to map the math of human behavior. Linear thinking looks at a cultural movement like "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) and a pharmaceutical shift like GLP-1 drugs and sees a flat contradiction. Systems thinking connects the variables to explain how a brand like David Protein scales to a $2.25 Billion valuation in the middle of it. If you want to spot consumer behavior shifts early, model the true drivers of demand, and sequence market variables with insane accuracy, you need to master the three pillars of my Forecasting Matrix: The Cultural Baseline: Why true market engineers treat culture like geology (tectonic shifts), not weather (fleeting trends). Contextual Demand Space: Moving past demographics to map the highly fragmented,…

I usually roll my eyes at wild conspiracy theories, but did you hear the one about the “macho” meat snacks era? For decades, meat snacks were marketed almost exclusively to young males and road-trippers. Although today, the almost $7 billion U.S. meat snacks market is being driven by suburban soccer moms, wellness shoppers, and the Ozempic effect. So, what caused this drastic marketplace shift? In May 2011, the iconic face of Slim Jim, Macho Man Randy Savage, tragically passed away. And what do you know…a year later, the challenger brand Chomps was born. Not only will Chomps bypass Slim Jim to become the market leader sometime in 2027, but it will do so with women accounting for roughly 70% of its customer base. Without a doubt, the era of aggressively marketed beef sticks is officially over…but with cattle supplies shrinking fast (thus causing input cost inflation), the entire meat snacks industry must quietly diversify further into chicken or risk getting hit with a “Flying Elbow Drop.”

Roughly 32,000 convenience store locations have spoken, and they shared some interesting opinions about the growing energy drinks category. And even if you aren’t familiar with every insight regarding this beverage category, I’m sure you intuitively recognize that convenience is the most important sales channel (by sales dollars) for energy drinks in the U.S. market. But here are my top “categorical” takeaways from the most recent Goldman Sachs Beverage Bytes survey. Firstly, 69% of c-stores stated promotional activity has increased…noting stronger consumer response to multi-buy offers as shoppers seek greater value. However, categorical price increases aren’t disappearing, as almost all c-stores expect energy drinks to raise prices once again before the end of the year. Finally, the biggest expected categorical beneficiaries of additional shelf allocations are Monster Energy, Alani Nu, and Bloom.

Kombucha is at a crossroads. U.S. retail sales are stalling, yet the “sense-maxxing” revolution could be powerful enough to change everything! For years, kombucha was the king of gut health beverages. But now? Those trendier, cheaper prebiotic sodas (like Olipop) are stealing the crown…and kombucha household penetration is stuck at around 20 percent. Enter “sense-maxxing,” the quiet consumer rebellion against muted minimalism. It’s all about sharper sours, louder crunches, brighter packaging, and aromas that demand attention. With cold-filtration keeping probiotics alive and flavors getting wilder, kombucha is making a comeback…ditching the health tonic vibe to become the ultimate non-alcoholic social drink. So, what do you think…is the “sour brew” finally ready for the mainstream?

Multi-level marketing (MLM) supplement companies are facing a massive double-threat: the rise of GLP-1 weight loss medications like Ozempic and an existential trust crisis caused by Generative AI. In this episode, I'm breaking down the secret playbooks legacy giants like Herbalife, Amway, and USANA are using to survive, along with how smaller brands can fight back.For decades, MLM wellness CPG brands held a massive competitive advantage over traditional e-commerce: a trusted, authentic human conversation. That high-touch connection historically justified premium pricing for ordinary products. But as distributors increasingly turn to "synthetic social selling," using AI to auto-generate direct messages, social captions, and check-ins, consumers are detecting the algorithmic insincerity, causing trust to collapse. This is happening right as GLP-1s force a massive shift toward clinical-grade companion supplements for lean muscle preservation and gut health. If untrained reps use generic AI to pitch medical…

Here’s what CPG industry leaders won’t tell you about sustainability. While many food and beverage brands dream of fully compostable packaging solutions, the reality is often stalled by these massive hurdles…a lack of vendors meeting precise technical specifications, prohibitive costs during the scaling phase, and/or maintaining product shelf life without traditional plastics. Although instead of waiting for a perfect solution that doesn't exist, I’d argue real sustainability improvements can be achieved if (especially) Big CPG placed earlier calculated bets on more viable, scalable alternatives…helping prove concepts that the rest of the industry can follow.

Why is Pepsi fighting a Supreme Court battle over an energy drink brand they already discontinued? Well, because this is no longer just about Mountain Dew Rise Energy. In 2021, a relatively small, canned nitro cold brew coffee brand (Rise Brewing) sued PepsiCo for copying their trademarked name. PepsiCo fought back, calling the word "Rise" too weak for protection. Now, the U.S. Supreme Court is stepping in…and their ruling could change the CPG landscape forever. Should a trademark's "inherent strength" be decided by a judge as a matter of law, or by a jury as a question of fact? If Rise Brewing wins, trademark lawsuits would automatically become much harder to dismiss early in the legal process. If PepsiCo wins, judges can dismiss trademark lawsuits early if a brand name uses a common or "suggestive" word. Essentially, Big CPG could more easily launch copycat names…knowing startups likely couldn’t afford to fight back. The case is scheduled for the October 2026 session.

The Adult Non-Alcoholic (ANA) Market & Evolving Consumer Behavior Shifts. Today, we are cracking open the data behind one of the most explosive shifts in modern beverage history…the meteoric rise of the adult non-alcoholic market. No longer a niche corner of the grocery store, adult non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits have officially crossed the staggering milestone of $1 billion in U.S. retail sales. But if you think this boom is being driven entirely by a sudden wave of absolute sobriety, think again. The real story is far more fascinating. In fact, 94% of non-alcoholic beverage buyers are still actively purchasing alcohol. We are living in the era of the "both-and" consumer…where a generation of drinkers are rewriting the rules of brand loyalty, focusing on mindful moderation, and anchoring consumption to intentional, occasion-based choices. Joining me to dissect these underlying behavioral shifts is Kaleigh Theriault, the Director of Beverage Alcohol Thought Leadership at NielsenIQ. Kaleigh is the…

Are Netflix and Ferrero about to dethrone MrBeast and Feastables? 🍫✨ In this episode, I'm breaking down the hyper-gamified strategic partnership between streaming giant Netflix and the fiercely private CPG conglomerate Ferrero Group. Together, they are resurrecting the dormant Willy Wonka candy brand using a modern business playbook directly lifted from the internet's biggest creator: MrBeast. More than 50 years ago, The Quaker Oats Company tried a similar strategy with the 1971 film...and fumbled it beautifully. But today, Netflix and Ferrero are utilizing modern technology and candy innovation to capture Gen Z and Gen Alpha. I'm covering subject matter like... MrBeast Playbook: How Feastables disrupted traditional marketing and why Netflix is duplicating it. New Netflix Willy Wonka Mega-Series: A look inside Wonka’s The Golden Ticket, complete with real hidden golden tickets, high-stakes cash prizes, and a controversial AI Gene Wilder voice clone. Texture-Maxxing: How Ferrero is using the same R&D strategy…

Welcome to the American grocery store, where “Reduced Fat” is just code for “I’ve replaced your nutrients with a science experiment.” Shoppers want to eat healthier but are flying blind. And while more than half expect retailers to support their wellness journey, existing tools often oversimplify nutrition, leaving shoppers confused at the point of purchase. Nutrition transparency is quickly becoming no longer optional. However, I’m certain no one will feel bad for food retailers after hearing how this “new cost of doing business" will inevitably be transformed into its “new revenue growth engine.” Retailers don't need to stock thousands of new products each year…especially when focus is prioritized towards helping shoppers navigate the 100K food items already carried. And a recent case study confirmed significant financial impact can come from shifting consumer behavior within existing categories. 27% of shoppers swapped to a healthier product once they had a clear “nutrition” score. Shoppers were 125% more…

The tragic death of a Texas teen allegedly from an energy drink is heartbreaking (full stop). But when government officials (like Texas Attorney General) attempt to connect the dots between “bright packaging aesthetics” and energy drink brands deceptively marketing to minors…it ends up sounding downright silly. As a parent, I’m totally onboard with protecting children…but banning colorful cans won't fix a lack of consumer awareness on safe caffeine limits for developing bodies. And I don’t want to get into the energy drinks versus coffee debate, but what I will say is that at least energy drinks labeling (especially Alani Nu and CELSIUS) voluntarily lists the caffeine amount clear as day…along with carrying specific statements on age (and maturity) of the user. These serve as an example of the corporate responsibility from these beverage companies that provide a clear statement that the products aren’t to be used by children. Now, if there are specific issues, supported by data, like the need for font size…

Target is secretly turning into a scaled-up Trader Joe’s, executing the largest transition of its grocery department layout in more than a decade. Almost half of its grocery assortment has been overhauled, not to mention a huge expansion of health and wellness items. Also, Target just slashed prices on over ten thousand everyday grocery items. Plus, they spent BIG on new high-tech mega-warehouses…just to get fresh food to shelves two days faster than before. The result? In Target’s latest financial results, the retailer disclosed that food and beverage sales surged just over 7% YoY, approaching $6 billion for the quarter. And more than half of all Target shoppers now leave with groceries. So, have you purchased groceries at Target lately?

Let’s just hope the MyProtein packaging I just saw was some mistake or they’ve got some explaining to do! THG (aka the company formerly known as The Hut Group) recently updated the public markets by releasing its H1 2026 results. I’ll be utilizing all available publicly disclosed information to obviously update you on the recent performance of THG Nutrition division, which includes the world's largest online sports nutrition brand MyProtein. Additionally, due to the THG Ingenuity demerger action occurring at the end of 2024, the up-to-date THG portfolio configuration now would be described as a global, cash generative, health and wellness consumer brands group. During the first half of 2026, THG Nutrition revenue was approximately $444 million, which increased 9.2% YoY. THG Nutrition delivered its sixth consecutive quarter of revenue growth. Moreover, momentum was said to be broad-based across sales channels and categories (especially outside of the core protein range like creatine). But I'll dive into…

What if the most famous bodybuilding supplement in history was actually meant for your brain? For over 30 years, we’ve lived in a reality where creatine belongs exclusively to plastic shaker bottles, gym bro subculture, and building big muscles. But behind the scientific shadows, a parallel market universe has existed since the very beginning. In this episode, I'll dive deep into the collapsing walls between sports nutrition and cognitive longevity. From early 1990s constraints that commercially suppressed "cognitive creatine" to the modern epidemic of burnout, stress, and sleep deprivation...the macro dynamics have completely flipped. Discover how forward-thinking wellness CPG brands are leveraging new ingredient technology to charge premium prices for creatine, why combining creatine with nootropics creates a "dual-engine" for focus, and how food scientists are racing to solve the "golden goose" stability puzzle. Once unlocked, creatine is escaping the pharmacy aisle to become a baseline upgrade in…

How does a small, struggling hemp company pull off the "heist of the year" in the supplement industry? In this video, I'm breaking down the mind-blowing M&A transaction between cbdMD and the legendary legacy supplement brand Twinlab. Drowning in a staggering $148 million of debt, Twinlab was completely insolvent. But instead of entering a standard federal Chapter 11 bankruptcy, they used a rare, state-level legal maneuver called an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors (ABC). Enter cbdMD. Facing its own regulatory existential crisis in the hemp industry, cbdMD used this legal shield to scoop up Twinlab’s entire $30 million operating business for less than $4 million (completely leaving behind that massive mountain of liability). Is this a textbook distressed corporate raid masterclass that will save cbdMD, or will the cost of digesting a broken giant drag them under? Let's look under the hood of the deal.

I generally hate overreaching regulations that unfairly target consumer choice. As an example, if you’re spending your own money, you should have absolute freedom to choose what you eat (or drink). But here’s my semi-controversial take…when it’s the taxpayer's dime, the rules change. If you’re receiving federal nutrition assistance (like SNAP), it’s hardly “overreach” to require that funds be spent on actual health-promoting foods and beverages. And you can stay ignorant, claiming I’m obviously whatever political party…yet I’m primarily focused on the double whammy of fiscal waste created by intersection between SNAP and Medicaid. If you weren’t aware, slightly over 75 percent of SNAP recipients are also enrolled in Medicaid. Also, over 40 cents of every American tax dollar collected is now spent on treating diet-related chronic diseases. Therefore, why are American taxpayers funding the purchase of chronic disease-linked foods with one hand, then funding the Medicaid treatments for those same diseases with…

From an early bet on Liquid Death to co-owning JAMS, here is why Pat McAfee needs to go all-in on investing into CPG brands. I mean this in the most endearing way possible, but Pat McAfee looks like the type of dude that has “elite grocery store knowledge.” And this is why I think he really needs to stop dabbling and start investing extensively in food and beverage CPG brands. If you weren’t aware, Pat McAfee was an early investor in Liquid Death…and more recently became a co-owner of JAMS (the frozen PB&J sandwich brand attempting to dethrone Uncrustables). Why would this work? Because Pat McAfee is the king of the everyday consumer. He’s relatable, authentic, and doesn’t shy away from indulging a bit. So, when Pat McAfee says a snack (or beverage) is elite…his massive, loyal audience would clear the grocery shelves. Thus, he should be backing brands like Yough frozen pizza, JaJu frozen perogies (since I’m sure he ate many perogies growing up in Alleghany County), and maybe whoever’s building a cool Jell-O…

Today, we are pulling back the curtain on CPG venture capital with Nathan Cooper, Founder and Managing Partner at Barrel Ventures. As an early backer of category-defining brands like OLIPOP, Nate shares his unique "Rules" of CPG investing in an era defined by rapid disruption. We kick things off by exploring how macroeconomic shifts, from GLP-1 lifestyle changes to wearables feedback loops, are redefining consumer habits. Nate and I explore the "Great Soda U-Turn," explaining how brands like OLIPOP successfully flipped the narrative to turn fizzy drinks from digestive villains into gut-health heroes. Although modern soda is just the beginning. In fact, we dive deep into the world of precision fermentation with pioneering companies like Helaina, analyzing how bioidentical lactoferrin bypasses traditional supply limits to disrupt the massive infant formula market (and beyond). Finally, Nate and I shed light on the explosive, high-stakes sectors of "Modern Oral" mouth pouches and the complex regulatory maze of…

Why did Nestlé just walk away from a massive dietary supplement empire generating $1.2 billion in annual revenue? In this episode, I'm breaking down the major corporate shakeup in the global dietary supplements market: Nestlé's decision to divest its mainstream "Holistic Health" vitamin platform to private equity firm Yellow Wood Partners for $1.0 billion. If you have brands like Nature's Bounty, Osteo Bi-Flex, Puritan's Pride, or Nuun in your medicine cabinet, their parent company is about to change completely. I'll dive deep into the strategic playbooks of both giants to explain why this "corporate orphan" deal is a textbook win-win for everyone involved. What I'm Covering In This Episode: $1 Billion Carve-Out: The scope of the massive transaction closing in the first half of 2027. Why Nestlé Walked Away: How commoditization, fierce retail price wars, and logistics pushed Nestlé to drop its mainstream volume lines to focus entirely on premium, science-led nutrition. Yellow Wood’s Superpower: How the PE…

Why did Walmart spend a staggering $3.3 billion on a 13-month-old startup, only to shut it down four years later? In this video, we uncover the incredible untold story of Jet.com. While many critics on Wall Street called the massive acquisition a desperate, overpriced Hail Mary, Walmart wasn’t just buying an e-commerce website. They were acquiring a radical, highly proprietary tech stack and a startup brain trust that completely transformed the retail giant's culture forever. We break down the 10 forgotten proprietary inventions and strategies pioneered by Jet.com that changed online shopping...and explain why its digital DNA still lives on in the retail apps you use every single day. What you’ll learn in this video: How founder Marc Lore inverted Walmart’s corporate culture. The math behind the "Smart Cart" dynamic pricing engine. Why "Basket-Level Logistic Transparency" changed per-item margins. How Jet.com let shoppers bypass credit card interchange fees. The genius trick behind waiving returns for direct…

Think the next massive CPG boom only centers around protein? Think again! Type “postpartum snacks” into the magical Google machine right now…and you’ll get tons of results that are total bullshit. My wife is a few weeks postpartum with our second child…and I was literally LOL’ing at these blogs providing exhausted moms with recipes that endless require scratch cooking. So instead, new moms generally survive on whatever easily accessible snacks can be eaten with one hand. And as someone with 15+ years of high-level experience within the CPG industry, it makes no sense how the “Age of the Endless Aisle” hasn’t fully reached postpartum healing. Although the “women’s health” market overall has been surging lately…which tells me that one day relatively soon, functional snacks designed to specifically support specific women’s health stages will mainstream.

Breaking news: Politicians have officially found a way to tax your muscle gains. Because of course they did! The U.S. and Canada just nuked their trade talks, and Trump slapped a massive 50% tariff on Canadian whey and milk protein. Then, not to be outdone in the competition of economic self-sabotage, Canada clapped back with their own 50% retaliatory measures on American dairy. So, while they play their high-stakes game of trade-war chicken, dairy supply chains are getting completely shredded. U.S. suppliers were already completely sold out for the year. But hey, who needs logic when you have politics? Sorry gym bros, but it’s time you got ready to pay mortgage-level prices for a basic tub of vanilla whey.

Welcome to another episode where Scott Dicker (Senior Director, Head of Research and Insights at SPINS) and I unpack shifting market dynamics impacting active nutrition. So, what’s on today’s program? We’re providing exclusive insights regarding two industry heavyweights: protein and creatine. During the first part, Scott and I discuss how underlying economics of whey protein have shifted meaningfully…as commodity inputs, supply chain capacity, and consumer demand converge to create structural disconnects that flow through to shelf price changes. Additionally, we analyze how a consumer shift toward mid-tier brands and single-serve options is transforming shelf dynamics…and whether the risk of "innovation slop" could push consumer demand to a breaking point. Then, we dive into the massive evolution of creatine. Once localized to bodybuilding circles, creatine average retail price is now surging…driven by larger pack sizes and a rapidly broadening demographic. Scott and I look at how new innovation is…

It was just announced that the Best Selling Protein Brand in the UK market, Grenade, is expanding into America with Indulgent Flavors (Including Oreo). Back in August 2024, I made the following comments about the Grenade Oreo protein bars. I’d expect more resources allocated to geographic expansion. Grenade is sold in more than 80 countries worldwide, but almost 90 percent of its total net sales come from its home market of the UK. And the key to geographic expansion might come from leaning further into its cross-pollinated product innovation. At one point in the late-2010s, Grenade had been ramping up sales activity in the U.S. market, but then seemed to almost disappear in the early-2020s. The Grenade Oreo protein bars would almost certainly do great in the U.S. market, but my guesses are that the previous successful Mondelez licensing relationship with GHOST Lifestyle might be holding up that geographic expansion right now. While I’m not certain of the licensing deal length (GHOST Oreo Whey launched just…

Did a few M&A deals change the energy drinks market forever? Between the start of Q1 2025 and the end of Q3 2025, three massive M&A transactions completely rocked the beverage industry. Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) bought a majority stake in GHOST, Celsius Holdings acquired Alani Nu for $1.8 billion, and Nutrabolt secured a majority stake in Bloom Nutrition. On the surface, these look like standard beverage cooler land grabs, but if you look deeper, you’ll find three entirely different corporate philosophies playing out. In this video, I'm breaking down... Why Alani Nu is a "breathtaking" retail juggernaut, generating $2.5 billion in annual sales. How Celsius is stripping away Alani Nu’s legacy supplement lines to focus purely on RTD beverages, and why that might cap their long-term growth. How Bloom Sparkling energy drinks became an absolute rocket ship for Nutrabolt, paving the way for an upcoming IPO. Why Keurig Dr Pepper leaving GHOST completely autonomous to launch lifestyle products like protein cereal…

Great news! The government wants you to eat “real food.” The bad news? Your bank account didn’t get the memo. According to research by consumer insights and data firm Numerator, following the new food pyramid costs an extra $1,012 per person, per year. Essentially, that’s a 32 percent “healthy eating tax.” Cut the ultra-processed junk and sugar. Eat more protein, whole fruits, and full-fat dairy. It’s pretty simple, right? Expect quality animal protein and fresh produce appear are officially the new luxury goods. In fact, almost half of shoppers say price is the only thing standing between them and that “real food” life. And it’s obviously amazing how these updated dietary guidelines are quietly reshaping what we think is healthy, but we cannot totally overlook that “eating real” is going to feel like a side hustle for most Americans until supply chains can be rebuilt around supporting a shifted demand curve. So, are the new dietary guidelines a health plan or a wealth test?

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Blake Mitchell of Interact Brands to dissect the modern realities of CPG packaging design and strategic brand building. Rooted in old-school Rust Belt Ohio principles from our entrepreneurial fathers, Blake and I champion the timeless rule of constructing brands that solve real problems for real people. And while we’ve both eventually left Ohio, our upbringing continually provides a unique foundational perspective on bridging the gap between coastal elite trends and everyday consumers…balancing the needs of "Erewhon Moms" and "Toledo Dads" without falling into cultural echo chambers. Additionally, Blake and I explore how today’s economic landscape has created a K-shaped world, forcing consumers to constantly trade up or down. Value is no longer a demographic. Instead, it’s a rapid-fire habit requiring instant recognition on retail shelves. We also chart the evolution of product categories (like protein bars) from strict functionality to lifestyle-driven emotion,…

Why is one of the world's largest legacy beer companies quietly buying up the global dietary supplement market? In this video, I'm breaking down the radical corporate transformation of Kirin Holdings. Facing a terminal decline in Japan’s domestic beer market due to an aging population, Kirin is executing a masterful multibillion-dollar M&A playbook to pivot heavily into preventative health and functional ingredients. Discover how Kirin built its global "Health Science Triad" by acquiring dominant regional anchors like Blackmores, FANCL, and most recently, Jamieson Wellness for $1.4 billion. I'll dive into their 4-pillar corporate M&A blueprint, how they avoid rigid bureaucracy, and how they use consumer brands as a pipeline for their proprietary, high-margin ingredients like Cognizin and IMMUSE. Lastly, I'll explore if functional beverages and functional foods could be next, along with a future European expansion that would Kirin past their $3 billion Kirin Health Science International segment revenue goal…

Has the government finally admitted that feeling like you need a second mortgage just to afford the fancy cheese isn’t a vibe? Although instead of sending you a coupon, they’re launching the “Grocery Guarantee,” a strategic "risk-shifter" designed to crack the credit bottleneck for the U.S. food supply chain. By boosting federal loan guarantees, the U.S. Small Business Administration is effectively daring local banks to say "yes" to small producers, manufacturers, grocers, and associated support layers who were previously deemed too risky. And this isn’t some handout…we’re talking about a “modernization play” with 25-year terms for newer technology, smarter equipment, and bigger facilities. So, what’s the catch? While the “Grocery Guarantee” bridges the collateral gap, it doesn't erase today’s high-interest rate environment. If your small business is already underwater, a bigger debt might just be a heavier anchor. Therefore, this program will be most effective for businesses actively pivoting from "survival…

FitLife Brands just dropped its Q2 2026 earnings report, showing a massive 65% year-over-year revenue spike to $26.5 million. But behind that explosive headline number lies a much more complicated story of acquisition padding, falling legacy brand sales, and major strategic hurdles. Does FitLife Brands need a "strategic cleanse" to restore true balance? In this comprehensive breakdown, I'll dig deep past the surface-level numbers of the FitLife Brands portfolio. Based on Q2 2026 financial documents and my exclusive notes from the earnings call, I'm analyzing exactly how the company is performing after its massive August 2025 acquisition of Irwin Naturals. I divide the portfolio into Legacy FitLife and Irwin Naturals to uncover the real operational health of the business. While consolidated growth looks stellar on paper due to M&A activity, a sequential quarter-over-quarter growth rate of just 4.8% tells a very different story. Key Topics Covered: Sales Channel Shift: How FitLife has successfully lowered its…

“One day, everyone will take creatine.” Maybe that sounds crazy to you. Or maybe you’re like me and more recently came to that conclusion. But for a very (very) small group of people, that bold visionary prediction became obvious more than three decades ago. Joining us is industry pioneer Steve Jennings, one of those rare individuals…who famously helped fuel British Olympic gold medalists with creatine in secret during the 1992 Barcelona games. In this episode, we explore the enormous structural shift driving creatine from “gym culture” to household staple. However, crossing the chasm towards the mainstream brings substantial friction. Therefore, we shed light on the serious risks of a market (potentially) growing too fast, from severe supply chain vulnerabilities and concentrated chemical precursor sourcing to an imminent pricing squeeze on raw materials (which might ultimately be a good thing as Steve outlines). Furthermore, driven by a surge in consumer demand for convenient, great-tasting formats…we…

Procter & Gamble just dropped a staggering $3.8 billion to acquire Thorne, leaving mainstream financial commentators and health enthusiasts completely shocked. Why would a consumer packaged goods (CPG) titan known for Pampers, Tide, and Crest buy a premium dietary supplement brand? In this video, I'll pull back the curtain on the financial architecture and the radical corporate strategy driving this massive M&A transaction. This is far from just selling vitamins...creating a massive strategic paradigm shift into AI-powered predictive health, longevity, and data-rich consumer ecosystems. I'm breaking down the private equity wins for L Catterton, Thorne’s massive manufacturing and testing moats, and how P&G completely outmaneuvered rivals like Unilever and Haleon to dominate the healthcare practitioner market. Plus, we address the biggest question on every consumer's mind: Will P&G dilute Thorne's ingredients and destroy its scientific integrity? If you want to understand the future of proactive, personalized,…

Nestlé just dropped $523 million dollars to fully acquire the German complete nutrition brand Yfood. But don’t totally overlook this as just another simple brand acquisition. And that’s because it could become an important part of Nestle’s (mostly still disguised) global strategy to conquer the “Age of Ozempic” marketplace. Obviously, increasing household penetration of weight-loss drugs mean less food overall is being eaten, which has driven demand for hyper-concentrated, nutrient-dense meals, snacks, and liquids instead. But let’s see if Nestle begins to utilize Yfood as a gateway to drive GLP-1 patients into their new companion frozen food line…and eventually into personalized health platforms. Nevertheless, this isn’t a one-off, as Danone and Lactalis are buying up competitors too…further strengthening my long-held thesis that in the modern CPG business landscape, true power belongs to those not just feeding consumers (but fueling them).

Is your favorite tub of protein powder starting to break the bank? In this video, I'm breaking down why your protein supplements are getting "whey" more expensive...and it could all tie back to global nutrition giant Glanbia, the powerhouse owner of Optimum Nutrition (ON). Following their first-half 2026 earnings release on August 6, 2026, I'll dive deep into the financial numbers, provide my exclusive earnings call notes, and explain the supply-side shifts hitting the sports nutrition industry. From massive volume growth to the reality of commodity inflation, we explore exactly what is driving these changes and whether the market is reaching its pricing breaking point. Additionally, I'll provide insights on the following topics: Glanbia's massive $2.08 billion in group revenues and what it means for consumers How Optimum Nutrition continues to pull in nearly $1.5 billion in trailing twelve-month revenue despite mandatory global price hikes Why "protein mania" is clashing with dairy commodity inflation, and…

Has the CELSIUS growth story gone “stone cold” or are temperatures about to heat up once again? Celsius Holdings (NASDAQ: CELH) had quarterly revenue of $817.9 million, which was up 11% YoY. Excluding the Rockstar Energy acquisition-related financial impact, Celsius Holdings revenue would've only increased 1.6% YoY. CELSIUS had revenue of $387 million, which was down 11.6% YoY. Alani Nu had revenue of $364.4 million, which was up 20.9% YoY. And then lastly, Rockstar Energy had revenue of approximately $66.5 million. According to recent 13-week retail sales data, CELSIUS decreased by 2% YoY...remaining the third-largest energy drink brand in the category with a dollar share of 9.5%. Alani Nu increased retail sales 55.7% YoY and is now the dominant fourth brand in the U.S. energy drinks market with dollar share of 8.7%. And Rockstar Energy retail sales decreased 13% YoY and is still a Top-10 largest U.S. energy drink with dollar share of 1.9%. If we look at Celsius Holdings combined brand portfolio, it reached…

Remember Saturday mornings watching cartoons with a giant, sugary bowl of cereal? For most of us, that childhood staple vanished the second we got serious about fitness. But what if you didn't need to trade your favorite childhood tradition for your macro goals? Well, today’s guest did exactly that. After cutting his teeth in the sports nutrition trenches with Nutrabolt (owners of C4 Energy), Eoin Carroll took the ultimate "cereal kid" dream and turned it into a high-protein reality by co-founding TRUELY Cereal, a brand challenging the previous market expectation that all high-protein cereals include an unappealing chalky aftertaste or soggy texture. In this episode, we discuss everything from the brutal realities of self-manufacturing to scaling into retail giants like Sprouts and Costco Canada. Also, Eoin and I break down the major consumer demand drivers reshaping grocery shelves like the surging "protein-ification" of every product category and the massive market impact of GLP-1 users. Oh, and one last…

With “protein mania” pushing the macronutrient into top-of-mind status (arguably creating more purchasing impulsivity), is it finally time for Premier Protein to embrace the “single life”? BellRing Brands (NYSE: BRBR) is a portfolio that owns a collection of convenient nutrition brands like Premier Protein and Dymatize Nutrition, which was previously wholly-owned by Post Holdings. A fast-paced and busy lifestyle is pushing consumers to switch to quick and healthy meal options. This has resulted in above average categorical growth rates and increased household penetration of RTD protein shakes that promote active lifestyles. Additionally, powders are becoming more mainstream, and category proliferation has created an environment where more consumers are purchasing both every day and performance nutrition positioned protein products at grocery stores and mass retailers. Bellring Brands reported 2026 Q3 net sales of $570.4 million, which was up 4.2% YoY. Premier Protein (~85% of BellRing Brands total revenue)…

Everyone has been focused (and rightfully so) on the Electrolit growth story, but there’s another trending Mexican beverage company you shouldn’t be overlooking! For decades, Jumex was stuck in the “ethnic aisle” as a nostalgia brand for immigrants. But then, they teamed up with AriZona Beverages and went completely rogue…launching a Hard Nectar lineup that absolutely blew up on social media. Now, that iconic blue can is quietly conquering the United States…and the company is sponsoring college football, dropping energy drinks and functional hydration beverages. Grupo Jumex even revived the legacy premium juice brand Odwalla last year, proving its no longer some hidden small bodega beverage company.

Much like golf, which Arnold Palmer once said, “is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated,” launching a beverage brand looks easy from the outside, but day-to-day execution is deeply complex. But then, what happens when you combine both? Well, in this episode, we sit down with Luc Bohunicky, the first-time CPG founder behind COURSE RECORD, a functional beverage custom-built to combat the dreaded "back-nine fade." In this conversation, Luc shares his firsthand experiences navigating fragmented alternative sales channels (like golf courses and country clubs), fighting the "category curse" of large retailers, and managing diverse expansion opportunities as RTD beverage with less than two years in-market. Plus, we’re talking through how a generation of YouTube content creators is giving the sport an enthusiastic facelift and how golf-focused functional nutrition brands (like COURSE RECORD) should be thanking the “Tiger Effect” for successfully helping move the needle from mere “snacking” to intentional…

The global dietary supplement market just witnessed a massive $1.2 billion acquisition. In this deep dive, I'm breaking down how the family-owned Vitabiotics Group caught the eye of private equity giant Bain Capital. From fleeing geopolitical adversity during the 1947 Partition of India to achieving prime-time television fame on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den, the story of Vitabiotics is anything but ordinary. But behind the celebrity endorsements and household name recognition lies a brilliant corporate strategy. So, I'll analyze the mechanics of Bain Capital's massive buyout, the powerful supply chain cost-arbitrage moat fueling their valuation, and what this means for the future of the global supplement industry. Is Bain preparing for a massive horizontal roll-up maybe by syncing Vitabiotics with its 1440 Foods active nutrition brands? Let's look at the strategic playbook.

The U.S. energy drink market is a brutal, $28.5 billion battlefield where loyalty between brands and DSD distributors rarely exist. After helping build massive energy drink brands like GHOST, CELSIUS, Alani Nu, and C4, independent beer distributors watched PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) strip the volume right off their trucks. Enter Phorm Energy...the powerhouse joint venture between Anheuser-Busch, sports nutrition brand 1st Phorm, and combat sports mogul Dana White. In this video, I'm doing a year-one "heat check" on Phorm Energy. Learn how this unique partnership bypasses traditional beverage startup growing pains, solves the independent distributor loyalty crisis, and leverages a fierce, blue-collar fitness community to challenge the beverage industry's biggest giants. I'll be breaking down the latest retail sales data, compare their trajectory to the previous AB InBev & GHOST Energy joint venture, and reveal the strategic "playbook" needed if they plan to crash the Top 10.

According to the latest Keurig Dr Pepper “State of Beverages” Trend Report, the “Go-To” drink era is officially over. And the packaged beverage giant is blaming Gen Z and Gen Alpha for completely rewriting the rules of what we sip. For us old farts, wellness meant restriction. No sugar, no fun. But for younger consumers…wellness is a vibe check. They don't have one favorite drink anymore. Instead, they rotate through SIX different beverage categories weekly. Every choice is a personal statement, an emotional support beverage…with Gen Z and Gen Alpha 58% more likely than Millennials to choose drinks based on mood or occasion and 25% more likely to switch beverages based on their current activity. So, what do the drinks in your refrigerator say about you?

The sports drinks (and functional hydration market) is undergoing a massive structural shift, driven by corporate price wars, format innovations, and a literal beverage “real estate crisis” happening inside your local convenience store. In this market breakdown, I'll analyze the aggressive defense strategies of legacy CPG titans and the rapid rise of format-disrupting (and cross-category) insurgents. While early viral sensations like PRIME face historic post-hype cycle collapses, incumbent leader Gatorade (PepsiCo) has reversed its pricing strategy to aggressively capture volume growth, forcing Coca-Cola’s BodyArmor and Powerade to defend higher price points. Also, I'll dive deeper into the operational and distribution mechanics behind the market's newest giants: How Electrolit leveraged a Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) partnership to cross $750M in annual sales How Unilever’s Liquid I.V. bypassed traditional bottling constraints to scale a $1B powder supplement empire. Why convenience store category managers are…

Dolly Parton spent decades living on a tour bus. Now, she’s using that wisdom to take down Buc-ee’s. So, if you weren’t aware, the “Queen of Country” just launched Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop. Instead of just walls of beef jerky, Dolly’s has live music stages, sit-down southern cafés, and a little sparkle of Dolly Parton magic that’ll make even a beaver blush. And while Buc-ee’s famously bans all semi-trucks, Dolly Parton plans to make the road feel like home for truck drivers. In fact, her massive travel centers feature elite trucker lounges, high-flow fuel lanes, and private showers to win over the millions of drivers Buc-ee's locks out. Since I’m located in Buc-ee’s backyard, with a massive location literally in our subdivision…there’s probably no chance I’m swapping my Beaver Nuggets for a “Cup of Ambition,” but you let me know where you’re stopping!

Let me tell you a little secret about me. There’s almost nothing in this world I love more than a four-scoop sampler from my Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream. And if you’re thinking I’m just being another melodramatic “content creator” seeking attention…think again! My now wife (then girlfriend) literally joked early in our relationship about “if I loved her more than Handel’s” because that was such a high measuring stick. But all joking aside, the biggest issue is that my lactose-intolerant wife and my first love (aka Handel’s) you know since I grew up in Youngstown, Ohio haven’t gotten along! Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream is beautifully old school in the most indulgent way possible…and unfortunately that meant lacking delicious non-dairy options. Well, to my surprise…I just read about Handel’s partnering with Oatly, utilizing their full fat Oatmilk in three new indulgent non-dairy ice cream flavors this summer. So, I guess now my only problem is that I live in Southeast Houston…and the closest Handel’s location…