Insights
Strategy for brands that plan to stay on shelf.
I write about what actually moves food and beverage brands: brand strategy, retail and merchandising, and the shifting habits of the people who buy. No trend-chasing, and nothing you'll forget five seconds after you read it.
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What I write about
Three conversations worth having
CPG Brand Strategy
Positioning, innovation, and portfolio decisions, including why some beloved brands still get bypassed and what founders can do about it.
Retail & Merchandising
How buyers really think, why a shelf set is a strategy document, and what it takes to earn the next purchase order.
Non-Alc, Lifestyle & Wellness
The shifts in how people eat, drink, and live, and what those shifts mean for the brands competing for their attention.
Start here
Featured articles
A few good places to start.
Your Best Customer Is Spending Someone Else's Money
Over half of Millennials still rely on their parents financially. Here's what that changes about premiumization.
Read the article → Brand strategyStrategy vs. Planning in Food and Beverage
The two get confused constantly. One simple test tells you which one you're actually doing.
Read the article → Retail & merchandisingWhy Customers Buy
Anchoring, the halo effect, and social proof: the retail psychology behind the cart that ends up fuller than planned.
Read the article → Fractional leadershipFractional CMO or Agency: Which Does Your Brand Need?
A clear look at when senior leadership beats an outside team, and when it doesn't.
Read the article →The archive
All articles
