? Reflecting on an incredible few days at NOSH Live 2024! ?

As part of Springdale Ventures, I soaked in a wealth of insights from some of the brightest minds shaping the food landscape. Here's a recap of standout moments and takeaways:

??? Lessons from a Celebrity Farmer John Foraker and Jennifer Garner shared their journey of building a purpose-driven celebrity brand. Their discussion underscored the importance of authenticity, balancing focus with expansion, and staying true to brand values while scaling.

?? The State of Investing A dynamic panel with Wayne Wu (General Partner, VMG Partners ), Rachel Hirsch (Managing Partner, Wellness Growth Ventures ), and Steve Young (Managing Partner, Manna Tree ) explored what today’s investors prioritize:

• Wayne emphasized brands should be thoughtful about business fundamentals?
• Rachel highlighted the importance of meaningful sell-through performance, knowing your strategic KPIs and what later-stage funds are looking for.
• Steve shared that strategics often look for “bolt on brands” that help them build out a core platform
• Rachel recommended brands should chase funding when they have momentum behind them and Wayne added that then brands can leverage capital to open up the funnel?

The message was clear: thoughtful growth and strategic execution are key to unlocking capital and scaling sustainably.

?? Unlocking Growth Amidst Challenges Jane Strode Miller (CEO, Rudi's Rocky Mountain Bakery ) and Justin Gold (Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer, Rudi’s Rocky Mountain Bakery) emphasized the critical role of adaptability in building a successful brand.

• Pivoting with Purpose: Jane highlighted the need to take bold chances and embrace the possibility of change, while Justin stressed the importance of learning from setbacks to understand why something isn’t working. Together, they underscored that the ability to pivot is essential for uncovering new opportunities and sustaining growth.

?? Confessions of a Fast-Growing Brand

Jen Zeszut (CEO & Co-Founder, GOODLES ) and Genevieve G. Gilbreath (Co-Founder & General Partner, Springdale Ventures ) shared actionable strategies for building a brand that isn’t just fast-growing but also resilient and valuable:

• Be a Better Brand: Focus on being topline accretive (driving growth) and bottom-line accretive (enhancing profitability), making the brand more attractive for diversified acquisition opportunities.
• Innovate with Purpose: Build a clear innovation roadmap supported by strong brand architecture to sustainably extend into new categories.
• Prove It at Retail: Retail proof points are essential—success in-market provides the validation needed to anticipate what matters most to potential partners.
• Sustainable Growth: “Grow profitably at a pace you can self-sustain,” ensuring flexibility and resilience in a dynamic market.
• Get in the Right Rooms: Jen emphasized the importance of participating in ecosystems like NOSH and similar events, where networking and shared learning can open doors to opportunities and partnerships.
• Structure Fun Into Your Journey: “You should have fun,” Jen reminded the audience. Building a brand is challenging, but intentionally weaving fun and creativity into the process can keep teams motivated and inspired.

?? Permission to Platform: Optimizing Brand Adjacencies Jing Gao (CEO & Founder, FLY BY JING ) and Loren (Brill) Castle (CEO & Founder, Sweet Loren's ) offered valuable insights into building successful brands through strategic expansion:

• Start with a Simple, Profitable Machine: Loren emphasized the importance of ensuring your core business is efficient, profitable, and working seamlessly before considering category expansion.
• Prepare for Innovation: Innovation should be grounded in readiness—confidence in retailers, alignment with consumer demand, and strong internal research that identifies clear white space for new products.
• Research and Strategize: Loren highlighted the need to thoroughly research and validate the next product launches, ensuring they align with both market opportunities and your brand’s capabilities.
• Channel-Specific Strategies: Jing shared how different channels, such as DTC, require unique approaches, including fresh product offerings to generate organic buzz and capitalize on bestsellers.

Together, Jing and Loren underscored the importance of strategic timing, rigorous preparation, and consumer alignment in driving sustainable brand growth.

?? Huge thanks to Nosh.com Monica Watrous Jeff Klineman Ray Latif Jacqui Brugliera for creating a space for entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders to exchange ideas, learn, and connect. The shared wisdom and passion were contagious, and we’re excited to take these lessons into 2025 to support bold founders building the next wave of iconic brands.

#NOSHLive #SpringdaleVentures #BrandBuilding #FoodAndBeverage #Investing #Leadership