J. Schall Consulting’s Post

Nutrabolt wants to build the health and wellness version of Kraft Heinz (or Unilever if you label the "project" internally 😉). While some portfolio expansion might come from internal brand development, we believe most will happen because of accretive deal making that extends Nutrabolt into more key consumer-driven wellness platforms. So, Bloom Nutrition might mark Nutrabolt's first minority investment, but we don't see it being the last... JSC Featured: Check out the entire BevNET.com, Inc. article 👉 https://bit.ly/3UrIZBQ #strategy #trends #markets #supplements #wellness #nutrition #food #beverages #fmcg #cpg #energydrinks #fitness #finance #innovation #retailing #retail #grocery #merchandising #productdevelopment #tiktok #businessintelligence #business #entrepreneurship #consultants

Over the last few decades, contract manufacturers have helped ambitious supplement brands find procurement and production cost savings, increased flexibility and scalability, and reduced time to market. But what happens when one (or a few) of these ambitious supplement brands deliver breakthrough levels of success? It might seem like a dream come true, as contract manufacturers are "only as good as the brands they work with," but key customer risk can be created quickly because of the growth velocity potential within most supplement categories... We all know not to put all our eggs in one basket, but in today’s environment contract manufacturers need to also be thinking about where those proverbial baskets come from, too. There are several ways to approach customer diversification...but this was a snippet of a conversation we had with Armada Nutrition about a diversification strategy we deployed during the difficult year of 2020. #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #sportsnutrition #supplements #manufacturing #wellness #nutrition #health #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship #consultants

O-H! New York has that magic "pizza making" water pumping through its pipes (even though New Haven, CT has better pizza). Florida has all that sunshine (even though data says its the 10th sunniest State). And then Ohio has Google's second-most searched meme last year and maybe one of the most annoying chants... Oh...and a fun marketplace insight that could be useful to CPG brands testing out new products! #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #food #beverages #energydrinks #sportsnutrition #supplements #vitamins #wellness #nutrition #health #ohio #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship

There are rules that need no introduction. They're not documented in books nor authorized by law, and still, they govern our daily lives. The problem with unwritten rules is they’re unwritten…and that leads to misunderstandings, especially in a constantly changing world! But rules (even unwritten ones) are mostly made to be broken...and usually were too often used by the lazy to hide behind. Welcome to the era where children have supplement regimens that would rival their parents... #strategy #trends #markets #supplements #vitamins #nutrition #wellness #fmcg #cpg #sportsnutrition #food #beverages #kids #youthmarketing #innovation #productdevelopment #merchandising #retailing #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship #consultants

Will insurgent CPG brands capture an even greater share of category growth...as innovation by large incumbent companies remain limited and consumers seek meaningful value propositions? Said another way...does a one-legged duck swim in a circle? 🤔 What is an insurgent CPG brand anyways? Bain & Company defines them as those that... 1/ generate more than $25 million of annual revenue in tracked sales channels 2/ have growth more than 10 times the categorical average growth rate over the past five years 3/ have maintained at least 10% growth over the past two years That analytical rubric from the private equity firm recognized 97 different CPG brand names…many of which are within our wheelhouse of the emerging and intersecting categories of functional food/beverage and nutritional supplements. Congrats to the more than a handful of past/present JSC clients on this list! Who will be on the 2025 list? #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #food #beverages #supplements #wellness #health #sportsnutrition #innovation #productdevelopment #marketing #branding #merchandising #retailing #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship #consultants

It was recently hyped up that along with continued brand investments from Glanbia Performance Nutrition (GPN), the think! protein bar brand (which has regained sales momentum after the “Great Shutdown” period) will see an "exciting" licensing partnership in 2024... So, how about an update to this clip? Did think! land that major "A" licensing partner? Glanbia, Glanbia, Glanbia...and this is no hate towards Girl Scouts of the USA, but we've already seen this within the active nutrition space from GNC. But you can redeem yourself Glanbia… Let's put a truly distinct GTM strategy together that includes some amazing purpose-driven connections with the Girl Scouts development program! What do you think? #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #food #protein #snacking #sportsnutrition #supplements #wellness #nutrition #health #innovation #licensing #philanthropy #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship #consultants

I often hear two things: 1. "You have the relationships, so we should be able to get into the store ASAP, or it’s an easy win." How I feel: Having relationships is only part of the equation. You still need a great product, a gap on the shelf, category reviews, innovation, promotional plans, data, and so much more. 2. "We can go with another broker who charges a % instead of a retainer." How I feel: That’s fine. But know that brokers who charge a percentage often focus only on the top 5% of brands, manage 300-1,000 brands, offer minimal communication, don’t handle your promotional activities, and aren’t well-versed in your product. Every brand that has told me this has come back within 6 months to a year. Know your value. Quality > quantity. #cpg #founders #ceo #truth #honest #transparency -#communication #cpgbrands #cpgindustry #brands #snacks #food #beverage #supplements #nutrition

Any parent knows that their children will mimic them....from those good choices to the bad ones and even all those autopilot daily consumption decisions. But what does that mean for the largest functional CPG spaces like energy, protein, and hydration? ▪️ Protein = most children have been drinking ready-to-mix (RTM) powders from birth...with brands like Enfamil or Similac essentially being a watered-down version of vitamin/mineral-fortified meal replacements ▪️ Hydration = brands like Liquid I.V. and SOS Hydration Inc have kids-specific variants for their RTM hydration stick packs But then you have energy... Would children love to share a caffeine-free bitter morning beverage with their coffee-loving parent? #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #beverages #coffee #energydrinks #sportsnutrition #supplements #nutrition #vitamins #protein #children #startups #innovation #productdevelopment #marketing #branding #merchandising #retailing #retail #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship #consultants

In yesterday's "beverage identity crisis" content, I mentioned that despite protein powders being the dominate categorical format...several different marketplace dynamics over the last handful of years has slowed the "RTM powder to RTD beverage" disruption compared to energy and hydration... But it's coming...oh it's coming! I always say that "demand growth breeds commercialization activity” but that’s not just a way to describe the brand-side of functional CPG. If the supply capacity within aseptic low acid processing continues to materially increase...2024 and 2025 will end up being filled with impressive launches by "protein powder market leading sports nutrition brands" that have strong audiences/communities. Oh...and the best ones will take advantage of “flat-footed market incumbents” that have been gun shy on launching any new or exciting product innovations since pretty much the late-2010s. 🤔 #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #sportsnutrition #supplements #beverages #energydrinks #protein #vitamins #wellness #nutrition #health #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship

Dear PepsiCo, "I have a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my [Doritos] go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you...I will not pursue you." 🤣 I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, but not all indulgent snacks need a “better for you” makeover! But how about I offer you some FREE innovative "on-trend healthy" product development ideas in exchange for my Spicy Nacho Doritos being pardoned? 1/ enrobe Rold Gold pretzels with a sweet protein-rich icing 2/ use a micro-filtered milk in Tostitos cheese dips 3/ add Cognizin® to Smartfood to actually make smart food Truce? 😉 #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #food #supplements #sportsnutrition #health #wellness #nutrition #innovation #productdevelopment #retail #pepsico #retailing #merchandising #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship