Spritzal Cookie Company Co-Founder Taylor Elizabeth Walker leaves no stone unturned when it comes to growing her brand. Each morning at 8AM she’s on RangeMe checking out her profile insights to see what’s trending with buyers, and also seeing which retailers are conducting reviews in her category and what immediate retail opportunities are available. She’s also a huge proponent of submitting products to relevant RangeMe and ECRM Summits, which are available to all Starter, Premium and Pro subscribers (click here to see the benefits of each RangeMe subscription tier). As a certified women-owned ..read more

Emerging brands have to support each other.  This is the way we climb mountains. None of us can do it on our own. It takes a collective interest. How can we together move the needle? The key word here is “together.”  Our founders take on big CPG brands – bringing even bigger ideas and with much smaller bank accounts (we’re often just hoping to make payroll and pay the bills, right?). We are fighting for a seat at the table. This is the magic of the emerging brand. Our founders earn a seat at the table by their nature of being a change agent. By wearing the badge of an impact driver f ..read more

It’s one thing to know that you need insurance to keep your business safe, and it’s another to know what the coverages are and how they serve you. Manufacturer insurance is like a production line: there are multiple pieces and moving parts, but everything comes together to form a final product. There are lots of different coverages you can mix and match to build the perfect plan for your business. It can be tough to know which ones are right for you.  Here’s how you can use a customized manufacturing insurance policy to strengthen your business’s risk management strategy. Protecting Your ..read more

Expo West begins today, and for the next few days many brands will experience a whirlwind of networking, handing out samples, schmoozing at after-hours events, and starting potential business deals. Once it all wraps up, though, now what? Well, then it’s time to turn that momentum into tangible success. You’ve invested time, money, and energy into the event, and now the post-trade show phase is crucial.  Let’s break down the essential steps to ensure you make the most of your trade show experience (keep in mind that this is also relevant for brands wrapping up an ECRM session as well!). C ..read more

What makes a brand story sexy? What gives the appearance of a healthy and strong business? What gives friends and family the impression that you are killing it? Distribution gains. Fast and furious.  What causes you to lose sleep at night and wake up in cold sweats? Distribution gains. Fast and furious. Let me be clear. Fast growth isn’t the enemy. That’s not what I’m saying at all. Growth that is intentional and smart is the name of the game. Know what you are getting into. Be intentional with your decisions. Run the numbers. With every opportunity, with every retailer. If the economics ..read more

One of the benefits of being a RangeMe Starter or Premium subscriber brand is the opportunity to submit products to buyers who have immediate, limited-time opportunities that take place throughout the year. During these campaigns, retailers, distributors and foodservice operators invite brands that meet specific criteria to submit their products to be considered for placement on the shelf or in a menu.  The reason why this is such a great opportunity is a matter of timing. When one of these limited-time campaigns is held, it means the buyers are actually searching for a product in their c ..read more

I always have my eyes open for dark horses, the come-from-behind winners that no one expects. I cheer for them, marvel at their grit, and hope for their victory over stronger, better-known competitors. They have always inspired me, and they challenge how I see the world. They give me hope. But why do dark horses win?  They aren’t favored to win, often for good reasons. They usually don’t have big money invested in them. They have no history of winning, and not many people have heard of them. Yet they win anyway. A few years back, I started interviewing smaller, purpose-driven companies t ..read more

In the past few columns in our CPG Marketing Magic series, we’ve embarked on an exciting journey through the realms of branding, user experience, inventory movement, and digital advertising. Now, it’s time to delve into the pivotal role of metrics in your marketing strategy. In this article, we’re diving into the world of analytics, where we unravel the intricacies of return on investment (ROI), conversions, loyalty, and how they shape the success of your CPG marketing efforts. Let’s jump in! Navigating the Challenges of Measuring ROI and Loyalty Measuring ROI and loyalty can feel like deciphe ..read more

Being a retailer is kind of like being a celebrity. You’ve got the household name people recognize, a loyal fan base of frequent shoppers, and maybe even a group of online haters. I couldn’t tell you the brand name of my bedsheets, but I can tell you I bought them from Target. That’s the power of retailer magic! Your storefront is at the forefront of the supply chain (whether you’re a brick-and-mortar or click-and-order store). This direct consumer relationship puts your business in a unique position to be hit with a variety of lawsuits, regardless if an accident was your fault.  Even if ..read more

The more we learn, the more we want to know. The ever-escalating prevalence of digital technology is feeding consumers’ thirst for knowledge – including detailed facts about the products they buy. Buyers are often searching for specific product attributes in a very cluttered marketplace. If they can’t easily access the details they are looking for, they move on. Providing extended product information has become an imperative for retail and e-commerce success. Just getting to market can depend on providing a richly populated data set to support product promotion and transparency. Sellers provid ..read more