Keeping inventory fresh. Finding new customers. Dealing with ever-changing shipping demands.
Building up a consumer product business is a constant balancing act, requiring agility, innovation, and strategic thinking to stay competitive in an evolving market.
To get a better sense of how CPG (consumer-packaged goods) companies stand out, we reached out to industry leaders across the Southeast and asked them all one question:
What is one piece of advice you’d share with someone looking to build a CPG (consumer packaged goods) space?
Here are what CPG leaders told us:
Aubrey Lenyard, Founder of AubSauce, Community Engagement Manager at ATDC and the GT Food and Beverage Accelerator (GFBA)
Lenyard is a staple of the Atlanta startup community with his work at ATDC. On top of building his own CPG brand, he is working to build up the local food and beverage innovation scene.
Lenyard’s Advice: “Customer discovery is crucial when building a CPG brand because it ensures you’re creating a product that truly meets what the market is telling you it actually wants and needs. I tell many food founders, ‘just because your momma likes it doesn’t mean you have a great product. You’ve got to talk to potential customers.’ Understanding your customers’ preferences and pain points early on, you can refine your product, minimize risks, and build a loyal customer base from the start.”
Sue Hrib, CEO and President Boss Babe Brands Inc
Hrib is the creator behind BIATCH Tequila, a fun and memorable women-owned liquor brand building in Atlanta.
Hrib’s Advice: “I think everyone knows the obvious answer of branding and “great packaging” but I think a major piece of the puzzle is supply chain management. In packaged goods there are so many minutia details, like in my BIATCH Tequila bottle, we have the bottle, the cap, the painting of the label, the decorative accents, assembly and all of these component are not necessarily done in the same place. You need to have a tight system to track these components to make sure they are all scheduled and completed on time. Then the next would be the shipping… but that may be for a whole other conversation.”
Matthew Tesvich, Co-Founder & CEO of Skunk Skin
With a memorable name, Skunk Skin is on a mission to change the sock game by bringing odorless socks to the market.
Tesvich’s Advice: “Brand MATTERS – it’s an experience for the customer. Think about your favorite product – where does it transport you? A great product is important, but we’ve found that customers buy something because of the way that the product makes you FEEL. Our first go-round, we built an exceptional product. It took off FAST… but, it just had a use case, there was no brand around it. Through hundreds of hours of customer discovery, looking at the data, & speaking with other leaders in the space, we learned that we needed to create an EXPERIENCE for the customer. How did they feel they first heard about us? What was the experience like opening the package? Was there something share-able about the product? WHO is wearing it? All of the little things matter and make up the best CPG brands that you see today.”
Woosik Chung, CEO of NutriVend Inc.
NutriVend Inc. is a tech startup that solves social media incurred relative deprivation and mental health issues through positive body image and improved physical wellness based on personalized fitness regimen. Chung is a Georgia Tech graduate who was part of Create-X in 2022.
Chung’s Advice: “Are you a customer of the product yourself? I’d advise to think from the customer’s perspective.”
Stacy Martin, Founder of Chattanooga-based Seahorse Snacks
Seahorse Snacks are made from premium, all natural ingredients and only using whole nuts. No fillers or preservatives, just nutty goodness.
