After noticing the soft drink category had remained stagnant and uninspired for decades, Olly Dixon co-founded Something & Nothing to disrupt the status quo. He saw a landscape filled with sugar-heavy, over-processed options and realized people were craving something more elevated. By blending high-end design with cleaner ingredients, Olly set out to prove that a soda could be both a sophisticated lifestyle choice and a win for the environment.

Something & Nothing is a B-Corp Certified premium soda brand that ditches added sugars and sweeteners in favor of real fruit juices, extracts, and botanicals. With award-winning flavors like Yuzu and Mango & Thai Basil, Olly has successfully navigated the brand's journey from its 2020 U.K. launch to its 2023 U.S. debut. By utilizing solar-powered production and low-carbon deliveries, Something & Nothing offers a "feel-good" experience that transports you from desk to dinner party.

Inside the Episode:

• Why Olly felt the soda aisle was stuck in the past and how he reimagined it for the modern, curious consumer.

• The strategic hurdles and triumphs of expanding a British sensation into the competitive U.S. beverage market.

• The reason Olly purposefully ignored the beverage category and instead drew inspiration from the worlds of fashion, photography, and art to build the brand's identity.

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This podcast episode was made possible by Glimpse — the AI-powered deduction management tool helping CPG brands recover lost revenue from invalid retail deductions. With in-house experts and custom-built AI, Glimpse saves founders time, money, and countless hours so they can focus on scaling. Try it free for 30 days at tryglimpse.com/trial.

From her early days as a pastry chef to her two decades at Whole Foods Market, Holly Long has spent her career championing the people behind the products. As the former Principal Forager for Whole Foods, Holly became a legendary advocate for local and emerging brands, guiding them through the complexities of market entry. Today, she brings that same passion for community to her role as the Director of Community Engagement at the Specialty Food Association (SFA).

In this episode, Holly shares how she bridges the gap between small producers and major industry players. At SFA, she leads the charge in fostering meaningful connections between members and buyers, ensuring that the specialty food community remains a space where innovation and tradition thrive together. Whether she's mentoring founders or curating spaces for collaboration, Holly's work is rooted in a lifelong commitment to building thriving, diverse food ecosystems.

Inside the Episode:

• How Holly's background as a chef and R&D specialist at Whole Foods shaped her "founder-first" approach to community building.

• Why Holly believes mastering both in-person and online networking is the most critical tool for a new founder's survival and growth.

• How the Specialty Food Association is evolving to elevate diverse voices and create networking opportunities for the next generation of makers.

Learn more about SFA & membership benefits!

This podcast episode was made possible by Glimpse — the AI-powered deduction management tool helping CPG brands recover lost revenue from invalid retail deductions. With in-house experts and custom-built AI, Glimpse saves founders time, money, and countless hours so they can focus on scaling. Try it free for 30 days at tryglimpse.com/trial.

I'm coming to you live from Natural Products Expo West with Chrissy Teigen, inside the Cravings by Chrissy Teigen booth!

Over the past year, Cravings has become one of the fastest-growing pantry brands in the category. Its non-GMO baking mixes have emerged as a major growth engine, expanding into national retailers like Kroger and Thrive Market, along with regional leaders including HEB and Raley's. The brand now reaches more than 3,000 stores nationwide, with additional retail expansion on the horizon.

Inside the Episode:

• Chrissy and I talk about the brand's recent rebrand

• Following your gut as a CPG founder

• The realities of starting and scaling a CPG food brand

• Cravings' newest launch, the Sweet & Sticky Carrot Cake Kit, inspired by Chrissy and John's wedding cake

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