On the show, we have David Czinn, co-founder and president of D'Vash.
If you’re not already familiar, D’Vash’s makes a line of all-natural sweeteners which are derived from superfoods, like dates and sweet potatoes, (think “syrups" and "nectars”, except with 25% less sugar than regular honey).
While the idea of using dates to create a sweetener is pretty new in the US, date syrup has been around for a long time – as in, dating back to the biblical era.
During a trip in the Middle East, David and his best friend, Brian, tried date syrup for the first time and became obsessed. Realizing there was nothing like it sold in the US, David and Brian soon partnered up, founding what would become D'Vash.
In just a couple years, D'Vash went from two friends selling their Original Date Syrup at Farmers Markets, to now, where they're sold in over 5000 stores, and have a growing product line.
On today’s episode, David takes us through how he and his partner scaled the business up, from developing the product, to shifting to a co-packer, to landing the golden ticket of their first Walmart PO. Obviously things have been going pretty well for D'Vash, but there were certainly bug learnings in the process, which David shares in today’s episode.
Whether you’re thinking of starting your own food company, in the midst of scaling, or are trying to gain more market share, David’s interview will leave you with plenty of savvy marketing ideas applicable at almost any size company.
David's Recommended Reads:
Learn More About D’Vash at:
Food Marketing Nerds is a production of Blue Bear Creative, the Social Media Agency for CPG and Restaurants.
On the show today, we have Chas Littlefield, VP of Marketing for one of the largest spirit brands in the world: Jägermeister.
As a heavy hitter in the industry, Jägermeister is recognized across the globe, in just about every country. New product launches aside, brand awareness isn’t necessarily the main challenge at Jäger’s scale. the question instead becomes “how do you influence the way consumers think or feel about a brand they already know,” or at least think they know.
In our conversation, Chas and I discuss some of Jäger's recent campaigns and innovations, all of which bring different use cases of the product to the forefront. Jäger’s marketing team has done a great job highlighting the unique strengths of their product by identifying and leaning into how consumers are actually behaving.
We discuss the campaigns from insight to execution, how they’ve adapted the ideas to a changing wine and spirits landscape, and plenty of the learnings in between.
It’s not everyday you get to learn from a marketing legend, discussing one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Joining us out of New York, we're excited to welcome Chas Littlefield.
Recommended Reads
Learn More About Jägermeister:
Joining us on this episode, we have Michael Keplinger, Director of Strategy at Smashbrand.
Even if you’re not familiar with Michael’s agency, you’ve certainly seen their branding and packaging work on shelves, both at grocery stores or even in your own home. Smashbrand uses a research-forward process to stress-test brand strategy and packaging design, which helps them better understand what sways consumers in a given purchase decision.
Smashbrand works with brands like Kool-Aid, Yucatan Guacamole, 7-Eleven Private Label, Duracell, and even PayPal. While their brand work reaches beyond the food and beverage space, make no mistake, these people are absolutely food marketing experts.
In this episode, you’ll learn how Smashbrand uncovers the hidden insights that validate or nullify ideas around what influences purchase decisions.
If you’re in the strategy or consumer research side of marketing, I think you’ll find this conversation to be especially useful.
Learn more here:
For full interview transcripts and other valuable resources, check out FoodMarketingNerds.com. Food Marketing Nerds is a production of Blue Bear Creative, the Social Media Agency for CPG and Restaurants.