You, Me & CPG by Haines
Welcome to You, Me & CPG, the podcast that cuts through the noise to
make sense of some of the biggest shifts reshaping the CPG industry.
Your host, Jamie Holtum, will take you beyond the label to focus on the
topics that matter - the meaty, useful and relevant issues that are keeping
CPG leaders up at night.
Our ambition is simple. We want you to leave with genuine real-world
implications you can take back to your team. Ideas that unlock growth,
challenge assumptions and reframe some of the ways your business thinks
or does things.
Brought to you by Haines, a dedicated CPG growth partner working non-
stop on the future of food, drink and wellbeing, You, Me & CPG uncovers
the conversations behind the briefs, where strategy meets reality and big
decisions are made.
Whether you’re a global giant or insurgent upstart, if you want to make an
impact – this podcast if for you.
Learn more and follow the journey at: https://www.haines.partners/
Episodes
30 episodes
How Tenzing Are Taking On Red Bull & Monster With The Good Energy Revolution, Ft. Huib van Bockel #29
The energy drinks category has grown year-on-year for three decades. Red Bull and Monster have dictated play; their high-octane branding has written the rulebook for how energy drinks show up on shelf and in culture.But there’s a new wav...
How NICE are Crushing Wine Category Codes with Co-Founder, Lucy Busk #28
Only a few years ago, if you wanted wine on-the-go your options were limited to the semi-palatable 187ml PET plastic bottle or its unhelpful sibling, the pseudo-wine glass with a foil lid. Neither have a great OTG consumption experience and whe...
How Double Dutch are Making Mixers the Main Character with Raissa De Haas #27
Tonic water is the classic challenger brand case study, and now it’s going through a second wave of disruption.Two decades ago, the category was unloved - lacking vibrancy, cultural resonance and innovation.Then Fever Tree came al...
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The Fightback: Is 2026 the Year Alcohol Roars Back? With Paul Thomas, Rob Wallis & Tristram Coates #26
Is 2026 The Year Alcohol Roars Back?The headlines spell the end for booze: Executive departures, decline, doom.The true story? It’s much more nuanced. In pockets, alc is flying. Gen Z participation is up. Spend is up. ...
What is The Future of Drinking? Designing Drinks in a World Where Experience Trumps ABV #25
What does it mean to ‘go for a drink’ in 2025, and what’s at stake for those vying for a place in everyone’s glass?Gone are the days of the binary option. ‘Alcohol vs 0% beer’ has been replaced by functional beverages, ashwagandha, CBD a...
“Nothing Tastes as Good as Skinny Feels”: How to Prepare for GLP-1's Radical Impact on Food & Drink with Unilever, Carlsberg Britvic and Mintel #24
GLP-1s. Miracle weight-loss drugs. They’re the single most disruptive force that CPG has faced in decades. They shrink appetites, and if you’re not paying attention, could shrink your category too…It's forecast to be a $150 billion indus...
How to Disrupt Dusty Categories – The Pip & Nut Playbook with Pippa Murray #23
Pip & Nut’s ascendence from fledgling brand to exemplary B Corp has proven a stale industry wrong; joy, quality and ethics can live in the same jar.Pippa Murray is one of the UK’s brightest brand builders, and the impressive feat of ...
How Trip Are Outselling Red Bull, Diet Coke and Heineken By Playing A Different Game #22
Calm amid the chaos is a feeling which, if it could be bottled, is a no-brainer; Olivia Ferdi has achieved exactly that with TRIP…The CBD drinks brand has previously featured in our ‘That Will Never Work’ segment of the podcast, so we ju...
'Fall In Love With Problems, Not Solutions’ - Carlsberg CMO Yves Briantais on Regaining Iconicity, Backing Bravery, and Accelerating Creative Culture #21
The playbook for today’s guest on You, Me & CPG is bold. It’s brave. It’s divisive. But above all else, it’s memorable.As Carlsberg’s CMO, Yves Briantais intends to write the culture, not follow it. The aim is to elevate the brand to...
Puns, Protein and Perseverance - How Surreal Won Breakfast #20
Saying ‘bye’ to beige in the cereal aisle in more ways than one, ‘Surreal’ is the prime example of a brand that’s genuinely fun, and unapologetically bold.The humour that runs through ‘Surreal’ never undermines the very serious mission o...
OLIPOP: Taking On The Giants #19
David Lester’s career would be impressive enough from the past alone, but Olipop’s conquest of the US cements his efforts as a tour de force.The prebiotic, RTD soda brand is a poster child for startup success, hot off the back of a deca...
'We Were Told This Will Never Work' ROB WALLIS, Co-Founder of Moth Drinks, the UK’s No.1 Margarita On No-Fear, Raising Capital, Pivoting Format & USA Ambitions #18
It takes years to make an overnight success, and when that success is sparked by your ‘first and only good idea’, you can’t help but think it’s something truly special.Moth Drinks boldly leads its category, flying the flag for the RTD m...
“Telling The Truth Doesn’t Make You Very Popular.” PAUL THOMAS on Radical Candour & Why Honesty and Trust Are The Foundation for Commercial Success’ #17
Paul Thomas’ honesty is an unstoppable force; his truth might make for uncomfortable listening, but it’s the only way he knows.He’s amassed experience with Asahi, Guinness, Peroni and currently resides with Suntory, and has walked both ...
‘The More Creativity Makes People Feel - The More People Buy, Give, Vote, and Do!’ JOHN KEARON on Predicting Politics, The Success of System 1 & The Formula for Successful Innovation #16
The more that creativity makes people feel, the more that they’ll buy, give, vote and do.That’s the sharp insight that can only be attributed to a powerhouse like John Kearon, a creative catalyst with a grip on the industry that few amo...
‘Looking Good and Actually Feeling Good.’ - JESSICA GLOVER on the Convergence of Health & Wellbeing Categories, How to Cut Through a Cluttered Space and Tapping Into Gen Z #15
No industry is static, nor can it stand on its own - the coalescence of beauty with health proves just as much.Jess Glover remains on the forefront of such a movement, an aspirational marketer with roles formerly in Reckitt, L’Oreal, Cot...
‘Never Settle In The Pursuit Of What You Want’ JAMES DASHWOOD CHASE, Founder of Chase Distillery, on his Farming Mentality, Refusal to Settle, Embracing New Trends and Tapping into Men’s Wellness #14
There’s seldom a more admirable sight in FMCG than a relentless desire for the best; it’s a trait worth its weight in gold.James Dashwood Chase is an entrepreneur with pedigree, and his CV speaks volumes - Co-Founding Chase Distillery, ...
‘Making Tequila Your First Drink Of The Night, Not Your Last…’ JACK VEREKER on The Tequila Category, the Importance of Timing in Business and How to Spot Your Opportunities #13
Tequila is among the fastest growing and most vibrant categories, with endorsements from famous faces pervading the space.It takes a keen eye, love of the spirit, guts and an equally bold Co-Founder to find a gap in the market just as J...
‘Know What You Are Good At – It’s A Superpower.’ JASMINE WICKS-STEPHENS on Faace, her fuss-free skincare, THAT Dragons’ Den episode and juggling being a Mum & an entrepreneur #12
Entering the Dragon’s Den is often a real sink or swim moment, and under the pressure and watchful eyes of the nation, we saw Jasmine Wicks-Stephens shine.Exiting the infamous entrepreneurial amphitheatre with three Dragons’ backing, it...
The Most Valuable Podcast Episode – The Top 10 Most Listened To Pieces of Advice #11
Since You, Me & CPG’s inception we’ve played host to some incredible guests with insights from the very top of the industry. Where better to collate the very best than in one very special episode…Episode 11 looks back on the masterfu...
Brutal Simplicity Of Thought with Co-Founder of M&C Saatchi, David Kershaw #10
Few names are more synonymous with an industry as M&C Saatchi is with the advertising industry, and the power of simple, effective advertising runs in David Kershaw’s DNA.At the chaotic inception of the agency, ‘influence’ and ‘disru...
'Diversity is the Way to Ignite The Creative Explosion’ JEREMY LINDLEY with an exclusive insider view on how Diageo are unleashing creativity and commercialising design #9
The brands under Jeremy Lindley’s watch across many years are nothing short of iconic. So how do you balance the design legacy with a new age of ideas…Diversity of thought and inclusive design are at the heart of Jeremy’s ethos and Diage...
‘Don’t Just Be Curious, Act On It’ STEPHEN ROBERTSON On The Curiosity Habit That Has Led To His Success, Demanding More Consumers In The Boardroom And Predictions For 2024 #8
From Royal Wedding stunts to transforming a DIY giant, it’s safe to say that Stephen Robertson is a titan in the industry.Now a Non-Executive Director at Timpson, Stephen’s career is brimming with accolades, and in a nation of shopkeeper...
‘THIS IS THE WAY TO UNLOCK YOUR CREATIVE BEAST’ – MAU RUTABINGWA On Finding The Keys To Unleash Creativity Both Within And Beyond Work, How Companies Can Curate More Creative Environments And Tales From The Top As Head Of Spirits For Diageo #7
When you bring your whole, unfiltered self to your work, that’s where magic happens - if that’s true, then Mau Rutabingwa is a master magician.Whether through her role as Head of Spirits Innovation for Africa at Diageo, or her musical ar...
‘DON’T BE AN IDIOT’ JONATHAN STORDY On Commanding Influence & Leaving The Right Legacy #6
Jonathan Stordy’s CV reads like an industry’s greatest hits list; between Unilever, Diageo, Beam Suntory and San Miguel, we’re only scratching the surface…With so many roles across so many territories, the experiences that Jonathan share...
'I JUST WON’T LET THEM WIN’ RACHEL ROBERTS on Shattering Ceilings And Pioneering Change Within The Spirits Industry For Some Of The Coolest Brands In The World #5
Rachel Roberts has never shied away from bucking trends and swimming against the tides, and her stellar journey so far is evidence enough of her excellence.Now a global leader in premium spirits powerhouse Beam Suntory, she’s charged thr...