Matt Joyce

Most CPG founders think late supplier deliveries are a logistics problem. In reality, the issue usually starts much earlier. In my experience working with CPG brands, supplier reliability usually comes down to 3 structural decisions. → Stage Fit Many founders default to the biggest supplier they can find. I’ve seen early-stage brands wait weeks for responses from large suppliers while smaller partners respond within hours. But early-stage brands often perform better with partners who are built for companies at their size. Those suppliers are more invested, more responsive, and more motivated to grow alongside you. Scale partnerships can come later. → Communication Rhythm Supply chains change constantly, which is why strong operators stay in regular contact with their suppliers. - Bi-weekly conversations. - Ongoing updates. - Reconfirming timelines. That rhythm keeps both sides aligned before small changes become larger disruptions. → Partner Reliability One of the most underrated advantages in supply chains is simply working with partners who do what they say they will do. Finding those partners requires diligence early, such as referrals, track record, and reputation in the industry. Because once an ingredient supplier is embedded into your product specifications, switching becomes very complex. When these three elements are in place: Supplier relationships become far more predictable. And predictability is one of the most powerful advantages a growing CPG brand can build. When you think about your current suppliers, which of these three factors has had the biggest impact on your ability to scale?

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SMITHFIELD FOODS ACQUIRES ICONIC NATHAN’S FAMOUS FOR $450M Smithfield Foods will acquire Nathan's Famous, Inc. for $102/share in an all-cash deal for $450M. Nathan's Famous, founded in 1916, generated $155M TTM revenue valuing the deal at 2.9x sales and 12.4x EBITDA. Smithfield operates the largest packaged meats portfolio in the US. Nathan's acquisition strengthens Smithfield's position in packaged meats, the company's largest and most profitable segment, while capitalizing on growing consumer demand for convenient, premium proteins. Recent transactions in the food industry include: - The Campbell's Company acquiring Sovos Brands for $2.7B at 2.87x sales and 16x EBITDA - Ferrero acquiring WK Kellogg Co for $3.1B at 1.19x sales and 20x EBITDA - PepsiCo acquiring Siete Foods for $1.2B at 2.40x sales and 12x EBITDA

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Every time I suggest this I get sour looks from a lot of my colleagues, but the data don't lie. THC is not the social molecule that alcohol is, and people prefer them at home.

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I asked ChatGPT for a dinner-party wine under $50. The search results: Foillard. Lapierre. A Corpinnat sparkler. A dry Vouvray. Genuinely good picks. Two things jumped out, and they determine whether your winery ever shows up in an answer like that. First, how the machine reasoned. Every suggestion was about the occasion and the person: a host gift that doesn't obligate anyone, something generous rather than impressive, a bottle that keeps for New Year's. Not one word about tannin or extraction. It approached the question like a thoughtful gift-giver, because it was answering one. Second, every producer it named has a deep third-party reputation. Reviewed by critics. Carried by known importers. All over the sites the machine trusts. Not one small, direct-to-consumer winery leaning on its own website made the list. That's not luck. An AI builds its recommendation from what it can read and corroborate, and it corroborates you against independent sources, not your own marketing. If your winery lives only on your website, however lovely, you weren't rejected. You were invisible. Wine Business ran my full breakdown today, including how a smaller winery gets into that answer. Link in the comments.

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February beer data just dropped and it tells an interesting story. Dollar sales are up 1.6% year-to-date, but volume is basically flat. What’s working? Imports. Super-premium domestic. Hard cider. Non-alcoholic beer. What’s struggling? A lot of craft and domestic premium. The takeaway isn’t that people stopped drinking beer. It’s that consumers got selective. The brands winning right now have three things: • Velocity • A clear point of view • Absolute clarity on who they’re for If you’re trying to be everything to everyone… the shelf is going to humble you. Truthfully, Sam #beverageindustry #beerbusiness #cpg #drinkup #brandstrategy

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This is a fascinating moment for the #mood category. Two things really stood out to me: 1. Flavor remains one of the biggest drivers of beverage purchase, a reminder that functional products still need to be genuinely enjoyable. 2. As the regulatory landscape around functional ingredients continues to evolve, ingredients like Kanna are moving closer to the mainstream conversation. That intersection is where I believe things get really interesting. Consumers are increasingly looking for products that make them feel good and taste good. Not one or the other. That’s exactly the opportunity we see with Myce, bringing #Kanna into a format that feels approachable, flavorful and relevant to the way people want to enjoy beverages today. The mood category is still young. But it’s moving fast. And we’re excited to be building in it. 🌸

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