If you’ve ever stood in the grocery aisle staring at a wall of “clean,” “natural” or “better-for-you” labels and wondered what any of it actually means, you’re not alone.
In this episode of Retail Remix, host Nicole Silberstein speaks with Anna Vocino — actor, comic, cookbook author and founder of Eat Happy Kitchen — about what it really takes to build a clean-label CPG brand in a market dominated by food giants.
Anna shares how her celiac diagnosis set her on a hunt for better-for-you foods that has evolved into a thriving food business and why breaking into grocery requires far more than a great-tasting product (although that matters). From label confusion and ingredient trickery to slotting pressure, promo costs and the realities of wholesale expansion, this conversation offers a candid look at what it takes to build a mission-driven food brand from the ground up.
Key Takeaways
- How Anna turned her personal health journey into cookbooks, a podcast and the growing CPG brand Eat Happy Kitchen;
- Why building a clean-label food brand means constantly pushing back against misleading ingredient claims and grocery aisle “trickery”;
- How to navigate the challenge of not just getting on shelves but staying there by driving trial and managing margin pressure;
- Why Anna’s direct-to-consumer community remains essential for the brand even as it expands to more than 1,300 retail doors; and
- What Anna’s background in acting and comedy has taught her about pitching, negotiating and surviving the “Walmart wince.”
- PLUS…Stick around to the end to hear the voice Anna would give one of her best-selling products.
Related Links
What is Retail Remix?
The rules of retail are constantly changing. Today, we're in an exciting new era where brands can differentiate through experience and use technology to connect with customers in new and exciting ways. Retail Remix is a new podcast series brought to you by Retail TouchPoints, the industry's leading source for news, insights and research for all things customer experience. Every week, we sit down with someone who is helping put a new spin on the retail experience. Hear from the top practitioners, analysts and innovators in retail, and see what new engagement opportunities await.