Episodes

After more than a decade of grinding in obscurity – including years of failed commercialization attempts and even living in his brother’s basement – Toom founder and CEO Matt Joyce is finally turning a humble garlic dip into one of the fastest-growing CPG brands in America. 

Were they flops – or just ahead of their time?In this episode, the hosts dig into one of the food and beverage industry’s most intriguing debates: whether discontinued products failed because they were poorly conceived, or because the market simply wasn’t ready.

Celebrity might open the door, but execution is what blows it wide open – and Khloud is proving it.Co-founded by Khloé Kardashian, the fast-growing functional snack brand has raced from launch to 29,000 doors in just months, secured nationwide placement in Starbucks, and expanded beyond its flagship protein popcorn with a new line of protein chips.But Khloud’s momentum isn’t just about star power.

In this Taste Radio interview, Melissa Traverse sits down with Matt Lynn of BELAY Solutions at Expo West to unpack the operational growing pains that many CPG founders face as they scale. Drawing from his experience leading inventory accounting for an outsourced accounting firm, Matt explains how brands often begin with scrappy systems like spreadsheets before encountering increasing complexity across inventory, financial reporting, and cash flow visibility.The conversation dives into the warning signs that founders need help, like chaotic books, unclear margins, and difficulty tracking true product costs. Matt emphasizes the importance of understanding unit economics, maintaining clean financials for investors, and choosing partners with CPG-specific experience, all while freeing founders to focus on growth and sales. To learn more and get started, listeners can text “taste” to 55123 for a free inventory guide from BELAY Solutions.

The hosts break down the latest wave of CPG deals, including HOP WTR’s sale to Constellation Brands and So Good So You’s acquisition by a private investment group – just two of several recent moves. They explore what’s fueling continued buyer activity and why non-alcoholic, functional, and better-for-you beverage brands remain especially attractive targets.

How did two 20-something founders turn a $7,000 investment into one of the fastest-growing brands in CPG, now selling one unit every three seconds? It started with a deceptively simple idea, relentless sampling, meticulous planning and a confident bet that protein ice cream could outshine the biggest names in the game.

Billion-dollar deals, breakout brands, and “crazy ideas” that actually worked. The hosts dive into a wave of recent CPG acquisitions and what they signal for founders. Plus, a look at brands going global, a buzzworthy Negroni-inspired sparkling water, and a conversation with industry veteran Jeff Church and “Peaky Blinders” actor Matthew Postlethwaite on their upstart protein soda brand, Proda.