Keya Wingfield never planned to start a snack company. A pastry chef by trade, she found herself pivoting during the pandemic when customers couldn't stop asking for one unexpected item: her Bombay spice potato chips. That simple side offering became Keya's Snacks, a brand introducing authentic Indian flavors to mainstream grocery shelves across the country.

In this episode of Shelf Talkers, Adam sits down with Keya to talk about building a CPG brand without a traditional CPG background, scaling from handmade production to thousands of retail stores, and why authenticity, not watered-down global flavors, is at the heart of everything her company creates.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How a pandemic pivot unexpectedly launched Keya's Snacks
• Why authentic flavor can become a competitive advantage
• Lessons from scaling from 12 stores to more than 2,000
• Building a memorable brand through intentional packaging and positioning
• The operational realities of growing a young CPG company
• Advice for founders navigating uncertainty and rapid growth

Guest Links

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keya-wingfield/
• Website: https://keyassnacks.com

Learn More

See how Avidity helps emerging CPG brands create packaging that earns attention at shelf and drives sales.

https://aviditycreative.com

What does it take to launch a food brand, earn your first customers, and scale into stores across the country in just over a year?

In this episode of Shelf Talkers, Adam Feller sits down with Katherine Horvath, Co-Founder and CMO of Teddy’s Tallow Chips, to discuss the remarkable story behind one of the fastest-growing emerging snack brands in the better-for-you space.

Katherine shares how a mission-driven family business turned into a national brand, the early decisions that helped them gain traction, and the lessons they've learned while growing at an incredible pace. She also offers practical advice for founders looking to build momentum in today's competitive CPG landscape.

Katherine is the Co-Founder, Co-Owner, and Chief Marketing Officer of Teddy’s Tallow Chips, a rapidly growing better-for-you snack brand focused on traditional ingredients and exceptional quality.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The origin story behind Teddy’s Tallow Chips
• How they found and won their first customers
• What fueled their rapid growth and nationwide expansion
• Building a brand and package design without an agency
• The decisions that made the biggest impact early on
• Lessons and advice for founders building CPG brands today
• How brand evolution can support the next stage of growth

Guest Links:

• LinkedIn
• Website

Learn More:

See how Avidity can improve your shelf impact at aviditycreative.com.

In this episode of Shelf Talkers, host Adam Feller sits down with Abby June Richards, founder of The CPG CFO, to talk about one of the most important parts of building a sustainable CPG business: understanding your numbers.

Abby shares how she found her way into the finance side of CPG, why she started The CPG CFO, and how she helps emerging brands get more clarity around cash flow, pricing, margins, and growth.

A big focus of the conversation is The CPG CFO’s CASH FIGHT framework, a practical tool designed to help founders understand how cash moves through their business. During the episode, Abby walks through the C.A.S.H. portion of the framework, including conversion cycle, alert level, shelf pricing, and shipping and fulfillment.

The conversation covers why sales growth does not always mean a business is financially healthy, how cash can get tied up in inventory or delayed payments, and why founders need to understand the real costs behind each sales channel. Abby also explains why strong pricing, regular cash flow reviews, and better financial visibility can help founders make smarter decisions before cash gets tight.

This episode is a helpful listen for CPG founders who want to build a stronger financial foundation, avoid common cash flow surprises, and understand what their numbers are really telling them.

In this episode we cover:

• How Abby got into CPG finance and started The CPG CFO

• Why “knowing your numbers” matters for emerging brands

• What the CASH FIGHT framework helps founders understand

• Why cash flow issues can happen even when sales are growing

• How pricing, payment cycles, and fulfillment costs impact profitability

• Why founders should regularly review their cash position and channel performance

About Abby June Richards

Abby June Richards is the founder of The CPG CFO, where she provides fractional CFO services for emerging CPG brands. Her work helps founders better understand their numbers, manage cash flow, and build more sustainable businesses.

Before starting her own firm in 2023, Abby spent years working in operations, accounting, audit, outsourced accounting, and technology implementation. Today, she focuses specifically on helping CPG founders build financially healthier companies.

Links

Connect with Abby June Richards on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbyjuner/
Learn more about The CPG CFO: https://www.thecpgcfo.com
Download The CPG CFO’s 13-week cash flow template: https://www.thecpgcfo.com/cashflowforecast

Work with Avidity Creative

At Avidity Creative, we help food and beverage brands build stronger brand identities, packaging, and sales materials that are designed to perform on shelf and support growth.

Learn more at: https://www.aviditycreative.com

This week, Adam sits down with Michael Fisher, founder of Rotten, a better-for-you candy brand that’s shaking up the confectionery aisle. With black packaging, wild 1980s-inspired characters, and unapologetic attitude, Rotten is proving that healthier candy doesn’t have to look healthy to win over shoppers.

Michael shares the story of how he built the brand from scratch — literally starting in his kitchen — and why his design and marketing choices intentionally break the mold of typical “clean” brands. From DIY product formulation to clever guerrilla tactics that got him in a little trouble at trade shows, this conversation is packed with lessons for founders who want to stand out, not blend in.

🧠 What We Covered:

• How Michael’s frustration with existing “healthy” candies led to the creation of Rotten

• Why the brand’s grungy 80s cartoon aesthetic helps it stand apart from typical wellness brands

• The home kitchen experiments that shaped Rotten’s first formulations before going commercial

• How Michael approaches trade shows as opportunities to introduce his products to new audiences

• The strategic decision to lead with fun and indulgence on packaging, and let the “low sugar” message come second

• The guerrilla marketing stunt that got Rotten noticed (and maybe a few stern looks from show organizers)

🧃 About Rotten:

Rotten is a better-for-you candy brand that proves you don’t have to sacrifice fun for flavor. With low sugar, bold packaging, and nostalgic characters, Rotten brings rebellion back to the candy aisle.
👉 Learn more at eatrotten.com

🎧 About Shelf Talkers

Shelf Talkers is hosted by Adam Feller, founder and creative director of Avidity Creative — a branding and design agency that helps food and beverage brands level up through strategy, identity, and packaging that sells.

If you enjoyed this episode, follow Adam on LinkedIn for more conversations, insights, and behind-the-scenes looks at what it takes to build standout CPG brands.

Summary:
You finally did it—your product’s on the shelf. But as Alli Ball says, “that’s when the real work begins.”

In this episode, host Adam Feller talks with Alli Ball, founder and CEO of Food Biz Wiz®, about what happens afterthat big retail win. Drawing from her experience as a grocery buyer and CPG coach, Alli shares what founders need to focus on once they’re in stores — from building strong relationships with buyers to tracking store performance and driving real velocity.

You’ll learn how to avoid the “set it and forget it” trap, what to do if you lose distribution, and how to make those crucial first 30 days in-store count.

In This Episode:

• Why “getting in” isn’t the finish line — it’s the starting point.

• How to track and respond when stores underperform or drop your product.

• Strategies for getting back into lost stores (and how a new SKU can help).

• The critical role of demos and launch campaigns in your first 30 days.

• How to balance “velocity vs. doors” and find your ideal rate of movement.

• What to do if you’re being pushed to grow faster than you’re ready for.

• How to show up as the confident, strategic business owner your brand needs.

About Our Guest:
Alli Ball is the founder & CEO of Food Biz Wiz® and the creator of Retail Ready®, an online program that’s helped over 3,000 packaged food and beverage brands thrive on retail shelves. As a former grocery buyer turned wholesale consultant, Alli helps brands understand how to get on the shelf — and what it takes to stay there.

🎧 Listen to Alli’s own award-winning podcast, Food Biz Wiz®, or learn more about her programs at AlliBall.com.

Host: Adam Feller
Presented by: Shelf Talkers Podcast – conversations with the people shaping the future of food & beverage.

In this episode of Shelf Talkers, Adam sits down with Dr. James Richardson, founder of Premium Growth Solutions and author of the best-selling CPG book Ramping Your Brand. Together, they dive into what it really takes for small CPG brands to grow — and more importantly, how to know when they’re actually ready for that growth.

Dr. Richardson shares why “steady, incremental growth without really trying” is one of the biggest indicators that your brand is built for scale. He explains that if your sales are increasing without major marketing pushes — and you still don’t fully know your customers — you might be on the verge of real momentum.

They also explore the difference between brands with a cult-like following and those still building their base. As Dr. Richardson puts it, “If you’ve got fans who will buy no matter what, it’s time to get into as many stores as you can.” But if you don’t, there’s foundational work to do first.

The conversation also touches on:

• The biggest risks of over-expansion.
• Why strong shelf velocity beats store count every time.
• The importance of working capital, team alignment, and even founder mindset in scaling.
• How strategic branding fits into the growth equation — and why clarity of message always wins over flashy design.
• Common scaling myths, including the idea that you need a big team instead of the right team — as seen in RXBAR’s over-hiring lesson.

This episode is a must-listen for any founder thinking about taking their CPG brand from steady sales to sustainable scale.

🔗 Connect with Dr. James Richardson on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/premiumgrowthsolutions

Shelf Talkers is produced by Avidity Creative — a branding and packaging design agency helping food and beverage brands stand out on the shelf and scale with confidence.

In this episode of Shelf Talkers, Adam sits down with Stevie Belchak and Alexandra Watkins, two naming experts from the aptly named agency Eat My Words. Together, they unpack the creative chaos behind crafting unforgettable brand names, from the logic that drives their process to the instincts that make a name stick.

Alexandra shares her journey from copywriter to naming icon (including her claim to fame — naming Wendy’s legendary Baconator), while Stevie offers insight into how strategy and wordplay collide to shape memorable identities. Then things get lively as the trio trade off naming hits and misses, debating which brand names they love, which ones they can’t stand, and why.

If you’ve ever struggled to name your product, or wondered what makes a name good, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

🧠 Key Takeaways

• What separates a clever name from a confusing one

• Why emotional connection often beats literal meaning

• How cultural context and humor can elevate a name

• The surprising stories behind some of your favorite (and least favorite) brand names

• Why “Baconator” might be one of the best product names ever created

👥 Connect with the Guests

Stevie Belchak – LinkedIn
Alexandra Watkins – LinkedIn
Eat My Words – https://eatmywords.com

🚀 Learn More

Discover how Avidity Creative helps food and beverage brands build unforgettable identities at AvidityCreative.com

In this episode of Shelf Talkers, Adam sits down with Rachel Klein, founder of Revival, a brand that once brought craft almond butters to hundreds of shelves across the U.S. Rachel opens up about her unconventional journey into CPG, the rollercoaster of scaling into Walmart, and the difficult decision to close her company after a decade. Her story is raw, honest, and packed with lessons for every founder navigating the highs and lows of building a food brand.

Key Takeaways:

• How Rachel went from Pilates instructor to almond butter entrepreneur.

• The realities of scaling from farmers markets to 1,000 Walmart stores.

• Why working capital and investment decisions matter more than passion alone.

• The challenges of being overly reliant on one retail partner.

• The freedom—and lessons—that come with knowing when to walk away.

• LinkedIn: Rachel Klein

• Website: Revival Foods

At Avidity, we help bold food & beverage brands build strategy and packaging that stops shoppers in their tracks. Explore our work at aviditycreative.com