After raising institutional money, founder Justin Gold recruited an experienced executive to take the CEO role. Recognizing his own limitations in scaling a large company, he willingly stepped into a founder-focused role, acknowledging the need for professional leadership.
The squeeze pack, designed for athletes, failed in the energy bar aisle. It succeeded only when moved next to the jars, where consumers saw it as a trial-size version for the core product or a portion-control tool, ultimately driving sales for the larger jars.
Needing a larger kitchen for his squeeze pack machine but unable to afford it alone, Justin Gold partnered with another local CPG brand, Bobo's Oat Bars. They shared the facility, employees, and costs, manufacturing their products on alternating days to scale affordably.
To win over retail buyers, Justin Gold kept a detailed notebook with their names, physical descriptions, and personal details. Before entering a store, he would memorize these facts to create a powerful personal connection that made buyers want to help him succeed.
To figure out production for his nut butter, Justin Gold studied salsa companies. He reasoned that they used similar glass jars, labels, and fillers. This adjacent-category thinking helped him identify suppliers and manufacturing processes when direct industry information was scarce.
When the only FDA-certified kitchen with the right equipment was fully booked, founder Justin Gold successfully negotiated to use the facility during its off-hours. This creative hustle allowed him to start production by working through the night when the space was empty.
When the distributor UNFI required a 30-40 store minimum, Justin Gold bypassed them by offering direct delivery and shelf-stocking services to a single Whole Foods store. This "do things that don't scale" approach got his foot in the door at a key retailer.
Despite not being a student, Justin Gold leveraged the local university's business school library. He used their "encyclopedia of business plans" and connected with professors for free advice, demonstrating how founders can tap into academic resources without being enrolled.
Founder Justin Gold's strategy was to differentiate with flavored nut butters. However, customer requests for a simple, everyday option led him to create a "Classic" version. This plain peanut butter, which he initially resisted creating, quickly became his bestselling product.
When contract manufacturers rejected making his nut butter squeeze packs due to allergy liability, Justin Gold saw an opportunity. He realized this barrier to entry meant that if he could build the manufacturing capability himself, he would face little to no competition.
At farmers markets, Justin Gold received conflicting feedback—some customers found his peanut butter too sweet, others not sweet enough. He learned that he couldn't satisfy everyone and needed to define the product's flavor profile rather than constantly tweaking it to please all.
When raising institutional capital, Justin Gold prioritized partnership over price. He accepted an offer from VMG, a firm with a proven track record of scaling CPG brands like Kind Bar, believing their expertise was more valuable than a higher valuation from a less experienced investor.