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Emerging brand resources fill growing gap

Emerging brands resources fill growing gap
PHOTO COURTESY OF CT FOOD LAUNCHPAD
BY: Mari Rydings

Mari Rydings

KANSAS CITY, MO — All brands have an origin story. Dave’s Killer Bread, now part of Flowers Foods, got its start at the Portland, OR, Farmers Market. Tate’s Bake Shop began as literally just that … a small cookie shop in the Hamptons. It’s now part of Mondelez International’s cookie portfolio. Their success didn’t happen overnight, and it didn’t happen in a bubble. To scale their businesses, these brands’ founders tapped into resources tailored toward entrepre­neurs and connected with like-minded communities for support at every stage.

According to PMMI, the association for packaging and processing technologies, small brands accounted for 37% of new product introductions in 2023, a 17% gain compared with previous years.

“That’s a significant increase,” said Laura Thompson, VP of tradeshows for PMMI. “In addition to increasing market share, smaller brands are leading the way in innovative packaging and market­ing, helping shift the retail landscape. Smaller manufacturers are succeed­ing by staying nimble, tapping into niche markets that more prominent players might miss, and reaching out to custom­ers in new ways.”

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Two factors are driving this growth, according to Circana’s “2024 U.S. CPG Growth Leaders” report: lower barriers to entry and increasing support for emerg­ing brands. The latter addresses some of the most challenging aspects of starting a business such as creating an identity, boosting brand awareness, securing financing, finding a small-scale co-man­ufacturer, attracting buyers and under­standing how product distribution works.

Identifying resources

Connecting the dots among Connecti­cut’s food entrepreneurship ecosystem was the inspiration behind the launch of CT Food Launchpad, founded by Charles Negaro Jr. and Reed Immer, the CEO and director of sales and marketing, respectively, for New Haven, CT-based Chabaso Bakery.

“We noticed a gap in resources geared toward helping brands move from the farmers market to an in-store pilot program or the grocery store shelf,” Immer said. “Chabaso is a mid-size bakery, and we realized these brands are dealing with many of the things we were losing sleep over just a few years ago.”

“Smaller manufacturers are succeeding by staying nimble, tapping into niche markets that more prominent players might miss, and reaching out to customers in new ways.” — Laura Thompson | VP of tradeshows | PMMI

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Over time, CT Food Launchpad has evolved into a one-stop shop for Connecticut-based emerging brands in foodservice and CPG. It serves as a resource hub for brands and solutions providers and includes free access to two comprehensive directories: One compiles young brands by category and distribution level, and the other offers resources for essential services such as legal advice, graphic design, pricing and operations insight.

“With CT Food Launchpad, we’re trying to make it easy for the right folks to connect with the right folks,” Immer said. “It sets the stage for constructive conver­sations, collaborations and events, both in person and digitally.”

Startup CPG serves the early-stage brand community through digital and in-person resources on a national level. The digital platform offers free access to databases of investors, CPG financ­ing sources, retail chains, brokers, third-party logistics providers and distribu­tors; an eponymous podcast featuring conversations with buyers, brands and experts; NielsenIQ (NIQ) category data; virtual networking mixers, educational webinars; and an active Slack commu­nity with more than 25,000 users.

“When I started Startup CPG, there was no national community for early-stage brands,” said Daniel Scharff, founder and CEO. “I homed my focus on the small­est brands because it’s hard for them. Regardless of where they’re located, these brands have the same challenges, but they weren’t connected to each other.”

Building a brand

Buyers are attracted to brands with an engaging story, a clear growth strategy and a path to profitability. Developing a product is one thing; transforming it into a lasting brand is something else. Julie Pryor, founder and CEO of EmergeCPG, works with early-stage brands to build out these desirable traits.

“I partner with founders to shape strategy and work closely with them to put that strategy into action,” she said. “When you are clear on your brand’s purpose, mission and vision, everything benefits. You make decisions faster.”

That clarity is at the core of Emerge’s multi-track process, which supports early-stage brands with personalized strategy, direct access to leading CPG experts and peers, category insights from NIQ and SPINS, live workshops, one-on-one mentorship, and retail and distribution connections.

Pryor also introduces founders to mentors, specialists and solutions based on their specific needs, which can include funding, brokers, packaging, logistics, paid media and leadership development.

This story has been adapted from the 2025 New Products Annual of Commercial Baking. Read the full story in the digital edition here.

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