Joshua Schall, MBA’s Post

This "fake it until you make it" mindset has become an epidemic... And the craziest thing is that this terrible fucking advice given to younger professionals with self-confidence issues (around lacking capabilities) has also become pervasive amongst "business leaders." And you know who I'm talking about...they're usually the ones exaggerating every business deal, sensationalizing every small win, and/or blabbing about "big things coming!" But what boggles my mind more than anything is that no one seems to notice it...and instead feeds into this insanity. When did this inauthentic and scam-like culture become normalized? Wouldn't we be better off if we spent less time pretending to each other that we have it all figured out...and more time forging genuine connections and creation? But maybe I'm just ignorant to what it takes to win in today's "attention economy" world... #strategy #trends #markets #bestadvice #personalbranding #fmcg #cpg #food #beverages #sportsnutrition #supplements #leadership #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship

Did you hear that after 35 years of dominating grade school cafeteria lunchtime, those yellow boxes filled with hyperpalatable food is getting “remixed” by the creator packaged goods movement? And to be completely honest, Lunchly is a pretty wild move by PRIME and Feastables...as it creates a pseudo JV that moves both CPG brands into a (1) more perishable product and (2) new grocery retail section. So, then the question likely turns to why? And maybe the obvious (and not so obvious) answer can be found by retracing the history of Lunchables... Additionally, my latest first principles thinking content will explore: ▪️ forgotten period where U.S. food companies were owned by tobacco giants ▪️ masterful NPD and strategic marketing by Phillip Morris (now Altria) ▪️ how hyperpalatable foods are now approved within the National School Lunch Program 😯 #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #food #beverages #wellness #nutrition #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship https://lnkd.in/ge-v4ygW

CELSIUS Holdings, Inc. might still have ample sales and marketing levers to pull...and its core energy drinks continue to resonate with buyers, but I still can't shake this feeling I got when walking the expo floor at last year's The NACS Show... "CELSIUS has transcended the energy drinks category." But what could that mean for CELSIUS? My assumption is that internally, that insight would manifested itself in John Fieldly making this strategic decision: ▪️ we should extend the CELSIUS brand into additional adjacent product categories I'm certain that the executive leadership team has pondered how far the CELSIUS brand could stretch, but I’d caution utilizing a “branded house” or some other more singular brand architecture. Instead, I’d recommend CELSIUS Holdings indirectly leveraging my insight above...and become a “house of brands” that separates the consumer benefit platforms. Protein = Before looking at an outside M&A, I'd start retesting the FAST brand it already owns. Hydration = Since November 2023, I've suggested they buy Vita Coco. Regardless, I don’t expect huge portfolio changes anytime super soon…but this is something to watch on an ongoing basis. #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #beverages #energydrinks #sportsnutrition #supplements #mergersandacquisitions #wellness #nutrition #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship Kyle Watson Jarrod Langhans

If you haven't seen it by now...images started popping up on social media platforms earlier this week showing Starbucks in-store signage that announced an option of ordering AG1 greens powder “nutritional blends." And while that strategic partnership didn’t seem far-fetched at all to me…it did have many people in the comments questioning if the images were simply an AI-generated hoax. Maybe that's just a “sign of the times” where you can’t trust anything you see on the internet, but also likely because of some deeper stuff... Regardless, AG1 CEO Kat Cole did confirm the strategic partnership was real and provided details on it's test market locations (and drink selections). That being said, I believe this bold collaborative move with Starbucks (even if its only a test right now) confirms that AG1 intimately understands its most impactful strategic levers. So, my latest first principles thinking content will analyze a few AG1 partnership strategies involving... ▪️ popular health/fitness wearable WHOOP ▪️ influencer/creators/athletes ▪️ podcasts (i.e. Andrew Huberman) ...and obviously more of my strategic commentary why I'm bullish on the Starbucks announcement. And then for this final portion, I'll breakdown the competitive (but still very much nascent ) greens supplement market and how it's recent evolution/maturation could impact the next moves by AG1... #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #sportsnutrition #supplements #beverages #coffee #starbucks #wellness #nutrition #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship Chris Ashenden Brian Niccol

We live in the “Age of the Endless Aisle,” where there are more options in every CPG category than any other time in history. But the psychological phenomenon of "over choice" is real, so too many choice (and too much information noise) means you must be exceptional in today’s CPG market to have any meaningful chance of being materially successful. There has been a recent barrage of new variants/flavors/ingredients within the "functional hydration" space, but here's just a current list of the Gatorade offerings: ▪️ OG Gatorade ▪️ Gatorade Zero ▪️ Endurance Gatorade ▪️ Gatorlyte ▪️ Fast Twitch ▪️ Propel ▪️ Propel Immune And now we Gatorade Hydration Booster... But let's not "throw the baby out with the bathwater here" because the PepsiCo team in-charge of the Gatorade brand (and performance nutrition category overall) has been making many sound strategic decisions to hold off the competitive landscape. In fact, I even lauded their moves in a recent financial news byline...stating that "PepsiCo’s Gatorade has [correctly] launched a number of new electrolyte-infused products, shifting assets, and marketing strategies to stay nimble and cover a wide swath of this evolved marketplace." But that doesn't mean every Gatorade product innovation will surely rock the "functional hydration" space! Because even Jayson Tatum misses jumpers, Josh Allen throws incomplete passes, and Julio Rodriquez strikes out... #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #sportsnutrition #supplements #beverages #hydration #sports #wellness #nutrition #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship

"Healthy Longevity" has become a cultural phenomenon…and that should make a certain subset of CPG entrepreneurs salivate more than all those customers combined that provide samples for DNA test kits! But did you know that more than half of Americans say it’s their goal to live to 100? Yet, becoming a centenarian wasn’t always a goal sought by most Americans…partly because of what I’ve dubbed the “Mrs. Fletcher Effect.” ▪️ early-90s = "I've fallen and I can't get up" ▪️ today = "I can do anything...because age is just a number" But it’s that simple (but massive) paradigm shift, around the image of growing older, that has created immense opportunities with U.S. consumers spending billions annually seeking to improve their “health span.” And a key aspect of why these second-order effects are so intriguing centers around the fact that Millennials and Baby Boomers have increasingly mirrored one another in adopting healthy lifestyle habits. So, with consumers of all ages (not just the older ones) looking for ways to extend the number of healthy years...it's certainly great news for CPG brands positioned within the emerging and intersecting categories of functional foods, functional beverages, and dietary supplements. In an effort to help entrepreneurs better leverage the "healthy longevity" trend, my latest first principles thinking content will cover: ▪️ top need states ▪️ key functional ingredients ▪️ often-overlooked consumer insights and marketing strategies #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #food #beverages #supplements #sportsnutrition #longevity #healthyaging #wellness #nutrition #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship Cognizin® Silvia Hodas - Ferda

Did you know you can make protein from air? 🤔 And surprisingly enough...it doesn’t even require you to subject yourself to getting a "contact high" from all those protein farts during the Mr. Olympia (or Arnold Classic) expos! 🤣 OK that was nasty, but I promise there's some education to balance out that entertaining opening... In the 1970s, NASA invented a method that allowed astronauts to use oxygen supplies to grow food. While this food technology was basically forgotten for four decades, the nascent air-fermentation-based proteins market is now rushing to scale up production and commercialize. And I’m sure you smarty pants U.S. consumers are skeptical, but let's just enjoy for a minute that bodybuilders decided take control of the Willy Wonka factory. 😉 #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #food #beverages #protein #supplements #sportsnutrition #foodtechnology #wellness #nutrition #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship

I have a theory on why food inflation has been so sticky...and it has nothing to do with politics! Instead, I'm actually placing the "blame" on consumers because of an under-the-radar inflationary reaction that's triggered by all that "choose your own adventure" grocery shopping behavior... Consider this hypothetical example week of grocery shopping: ▪️ Sunday = grab gameday snacks at Target Drive Up ▪️ Tuesday = receive weekly H-E-B grocery delivery ▪️ Friday = order some ice cream from Gopuff for movie night ▪️ Saturday = grab energy drinks at Costco Wholesale And as a consumer...you're thinking "optionality is amazing!" But what about CPG brands? What remains crucial for CPG brands to maintain consumer trust and loyalty is that they prioritize purpose, authenticity, and transparency…but those are becoming incredibly costly. And that’s because a fragmented retail landscape means CPG brands must invest in multiple channels to maintain visibility and control their strategic narrative in a world where consumers are more informed than ever from readily available information. But I'm sure that hypothesis wouldn't incite outcry like "price gouging" and placing blame on "greedy corporations" gets! 🤷♂️ #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #food #beverages #sportsnutrition #supplements #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship

I'm at odds internally with an idea...and need your help! I almost always "stay in my lane" when creating content. Despite some believing this mindset can be the enemy of creativity/curiosity/ambition, I've never personally found that to be true. But this decision to essentially "focus on my own area of expertise" likely maps back to a personal core value... "Bring value or STFU...as noise is not always music." That being said, my personal life changed drastically seven months ago. And while I still don't focus professionally much on the baby space...I've become a very active buyer! So, I'm wondering if a series of recorded conversations with pivotal business leaders in the baby space would be valuable...or should I just STFU 😏 If this content idea seems interesting, maybe you can spotlight some business leaders you'd like me to talk with [tag/comment ⬇] But based on what's currently in our pantry/fridge/cabinets/drawers/closet, a few ideas are: Once Upon a Farm - John Foraker Cerebelly Bobbie - Laura Modi Serenity Kids - Serenity Carr BioGaia USA Lalo - Gregory Davidson Owlet Baby Care - Kurt Workman Magnetic Me #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #food #beverages #baby #snacking #supplements #wellness #nutrition #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship

With the balance sheet in a great place after the recent $2B+ yogurt divestiture, I believe the timing is ideal for General Mills to reshape its brand portfolio in hopes of staying relevant in today’s "protein-ified" grocery world... And with Jeff Harmening explicitly stating those divestiture proceeds would be earmarked for acquiring smaller bolt-on assets that would enhance growth...it got me thinking about which CPG brands (focused in/around protein) could be value accretive targets? So, in my latest first principles thinking content...I'll take the investment specifics laid out by the General Mills CEO, analyze the "morning foods" and "snacks" segment gaps for opportunities to improve categorical competitiveness, and provide M&A base cases for the following CPG brands: Kodiak Cakes ALOHA IQBAR Lenny & Larry's Chomps Finally, I'll toss out a $3.5B public company target that might just be in play because its Board of Directors is led by private equity legends that likely want to taste just one more large legacy-cementing deal 🤔 #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #food #protein #snacking #breakfast #wellness #nutrition #mergersandacquisitions #finance #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship Simply Good Geoff Tanner https://lnkd.in/gmizmFFy