Launching a food brand is never easy — but creating an entirely new category like frozen cottage cheese ice cream? That’s a different level of bold.

In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, Dan sits down with Joe Rotundo, founder of Smearcase, the first and only frozen cottage cheese dessert brand built for people who want indulgence and clean, protein-packed ingredients. From a late-night craving for a healthier dessert to landing on shelves at major retailers, Joe shares how relentless action, rapid iteration, and authentic storytelling helped turn a simple idea into a fast-growing CPG brand.

You’ll hear how Joe:

• Turned a DIY mix of cottage cheese, honey, and fruit into a brand-new product category.
• Went from idea to market testing in just a few months by prioritizing speed and feedback.
• Partnered with his sister early on to develop recipes and refine the product.
• Used real-world validation (not just friends and family) to shape flavors, branding, and positioning.
• Navigated early production, co-packing, and a 5,000-pint launch strategy.
• Leveraged trade shows like Fancy Food Show to land meetings with major retailers like Whole Foods and Sprouts.
• Built momentum through in-person demos, networking, and relationship-first outreach.
• Embraced a polarizing brand name — and why standing out mattered more than pleasing everyone.

We also get into the bigger picture:

• Why “healthy ice cream” is broken — and how Smearcase is redefining indulgence with real ingredients.
• The power of relentless execution vs. overthinking in early-stage startups.
• How founders can validate ideas quickly without overbuilding.
• Why human relationships still beat cold emails and LinkedIn pitches in CPG.
• Organic social strategy — and how to create content that actually feels authentic (even if you’re busy or camera-shy).
• The realities of launching in retail, scaling distribution, and building a brand from scratch.

🍦 Whether you’re a founder, fitness-minded foodie, or someone curious about how new food categories are born, Joe’s story is a masterclass in speed, simplicity, and showing up consistently.

Brands & Mentions:

• Smearcase
• Whole Foods
• Sprouts Farmers Market
• Fancy Food Show
• Good Culture
• HY.Q
• REI
• Dick's Sporting Goods

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Smearcase
02:00 The “healthy dessert” problem
05:30 From idea to action (June 2023 origin story)
08:45 Validating the product in the real world
12:00 Branding, flavor iteration, and feedback loops
16:20 Breaking into retail & first production run
20:00 Building relationships with buyers
23:00 Organic marketing & content strategy
26:00 Founder mindset and execution philosophy
29:00 Speed round & personal insights
31:00 What’s next for Smearcase