Unpackaged Goods
Spilling the real stories behind CPG brands. Host Jonathan Deeter unpacks founder journeys, industry news, and what it really takes to build consumer brands.
Presented by Deet's Eats Media, a Pickle Advisors company.
Unpackaged Goods
$10M for Alcoholic Gatorade + Michael Zabar's Coffee Shop Revolution
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This week in CPG was absolute chaos. Tom Brady's selling protein powder, Beyond Meat launched beverages, and someone raised $10 million for alcoholic sports drinks that taste like Gatorade. Categories officially don't exist anymore.
In this episode:
[0:00-25:00] This Week's CPG Madness
- SpikedAde's brilliant $10M sports drink cocktail thesis
- Tom Brady and Mike Repole's NOBULL nutrition expansion
- Beyond Meat's desperate beverage pivot
- $110M+ in M&A deals including Kroger's strategic acquisitions
- AG1's Vitamin Shoppe conquest and Target's premium food acceleration
- Why category convergence is accelerating exponentially
[25:00-60:00] Michael Zabar Interview - Building Motif
- From Zabar family legacy to coffee innovation
- Why coffee shops are stuck with terrible syrup options
- The strategic four-flavor launch (Pistachio, Cinnamon Babka, Vanilla, Chocolate)
- Competing against International Delight and Torani giants
- Plans for retail expansion beyond the coffee shop channel
- Building naturally flavored products in an artificial world
Key Takeaway: Whether you're making coffee syrups or sports drink cocktails, follow customer behavior, not category definitions.
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