The ‘Overnight’ Success Story of Yai’s Thai with Co-Founder Leland Copenhagen A lot of ingredients go into making a winning brand in today’s burgeoning food industry — a consumer-focused strategy, an analytic mindset, and of course a standout product. Yai’s Thai is a seemingly overnight success story, although Co-Founder Leland Copenhagen knows it takes a lot of grit, aptitude, and thoughtfulness to drive long-term success. We […] CATEGORIES Food PUBLISHED May 29, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
Michelle Beauchamp Michelle Beauchamp has been named Chief Marketing Officer at E11EVEN Vodka. She had been Vice President of Marketing at Vero Water. CATEGORIES Beverage PUBLISHED May 27, 2022 AUTHOR ForceBrands
Janis Nieves Janis Nieves has been named Client Success Manager at Foodie Card. She had been Social Media / Operations Coordinator at Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP. CATEGORIES Food PUBLISHED May 27, 2022 AUTHOR ForceBrands
CPG Accelerator ‘SKU Elevate’ Announces Second Cohort for Diverse Founders SKU, the nation’s first consumer packaged goods (CPG) accelerator, has selected the second cohort of SKU Elevate for June 2022. The six companies were chosen from more than 250 applications and were selected from brands across the country. This groundbreaking program was created to foster a more inclusive community in the CPG industry. SKU Elevate […] CATEGORIES ForceBrands PUBLISHED May 26, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
What’s Ahead for the ‘Most In-Demand College Graduates’ in Years The road to graduation hasn’t been an easy one for the class of 2022. Campus quarantines, Covid testing, and Zoom classes have largely defined their college experience. And while the past four years were difficult to navigate, the future looks promising for today’s students graduating amid a pandemic. Today’s candidate-driven job market means that opportunities […] CATEGORIES ForceBrands PUBLISHED May 22, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
Accelerating Brands: Go Behind the Scenes of Tend Prenatal In the premiere episode of Accelerating Brands — a new video series from ForceBrands in partnership with SKU — we go behind the scenes of Tend Prenatal with Co-Founder Behzad Varamini, Ph.D. as he shares the story behind the company, advice for fellow founders, and how he’s leveraging data to empower business decisions. Read the […] CATEGORIES Food PUBLISHED May 19, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
How Stephen Zieminski Is Redefining Clean Supplements with Naked Nutrition When it comes to fueling up before and after workouts, athletes know best. Former cross country and track All-American Stephen Zieminski was inspired to create Naked Nutrition after discovering that many of the health supplements on the market were comprised of unnecessary added ingredients that provided no nutritional value. Launched in 2014, Naked Nutrition was […] CATEGORIES Food PUBLISHED May 16, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
How Summit Junto Helps High-Octane Doers ‘Find Their People’ Even in a world of hyper-connectivity, it can be difficult to find your people — those who are like-minded and share your same energy and enthusiasm for leveling up. That’s where Summit Junto comes in. Bringing people together in highly curated personal advisory boards, Summit Junto is a leadership community unlike any other. We caught […] CATEGORIES ForceBrands PUBLISHED May 15, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
Zack Wierenga Zack Wierenga has been named Sr. Manager Trade Marketing at Waterloo Sparkling Water. He had been Trade Marketing Manager at The Wonderful Company. CATEGORIES Beverage PUBLISHED May 15, 2022 AUTHOR ForceBrands
These Are the Best States for Working Moms As if being a working mother didn’t come with enough responsibilities, the pandemic ushered in a new set of challenges. Lack of childcare and the adjustment to homeschooling and remote working have led many moms to reconsider their professional lives. As a result, nearly 2.3 million women have left the workforce since the start of […] CATEGORIES ForceBrands PUBLISHED May 11, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
Celebrate Mother’s Day with These 4 Mom-Approved Food Brands It may only come around once a year but we like to celebrate mothers all year long. To honor all moms and the often unsung work that they do each and every day, we’re highlighting a few of our favorite child-inspired food brands. From organic, allergen prevention oatmeal for babies to reimagined childhood favorites with […] CATEGORIES Food PUBLISHED May 4, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
How GOOD PLANeT Foods’ Founder David Israel Is Leading By Example David Israel approaches team building in the same way he seeks out new business opportunities: through a forward-leaning, progressive lens. From innovating vegan cheese with GOOD PLANeT Foods to championing young generations to assume leadership roles, Israel is truly leading by example. We caught up with the founder and CEO to learn more about innovations […] CATEGORIES Food PUBLISHED May 1, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
Allison Bowers Allison Bowers has been named Co-Founder at Willow PR. She had been a Consultant at Allison Bowers LLC. CATEGORIES ForceBrands PUBLISHED April 29, 2022 AUTHOR ForceBrands
Molly Williamson Molly Williamson has been named Co-Founder at Willow PR. She had been Vice President at Finn Partners. CATEGORIES ForceBrands PUBLISHED April 29, 2022 AUTHOR ForceBrands
3 Hidden Mental Health Hurdles That Hinder Productivity You’ve gotten used to working from home, back in the office, or a bit of both. You’ve emerged from the pandemic with a renewed perspective of what matters most to you in your career. You’ve likely adapted to changes in your routine that have now become normal. So, now what? We’ve talked a lot about […] CATEGORIES ForceBrands PUBLISHED April 24, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
5 Sustainable, Emerging Consumer Brands to Celebrate On Earth Day The theme of this year’s Earth Day is #InvestInOurPlanet because “a green future is a prosperous future,” the organization cites on its website. Since 1970, Earth Day has engaged nearly 200 countries and mobilized one billion individuals to take action. This year, the global movement is igniting change with its Earth Day Climate Action Summit that’s focusing on offering […] CATEGORIES ForceBrands PUBLISHED April 22, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
How Dia Simms Is Making the Industry More Equitable By ‘Building a Bigger Table’ with Lobos 1707 ‘Hire hard and manage light’ is Dia Simms‘s philosophy on building winning teams. As an entrepreneur, a seasoned executive, and the leader of Lobos 1707 Tequila and Mezcal‘s ‘wolfpack,’ Simms is creating a commercial case for why diversity works in the spirits industry and beyond. We caught up with her to learn more about her […] CATEGORIES Beverage PUBLISHED April 21, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
How Carinne Chambers-Saini Is Revolutionizing Women’s Wellness with DivaCup Menstrual health has been somewhat of an enigma in the consumer products world. Often misunderstood and rarely talked about — especially among older generations — few products have come along that have truly revolutionized the category. Diva is a first-of-its-kind women’s wellness brand that’s setting a new standard in a male-dominated industry. Offering eco-friendly menstrual […] CATEGORIES Beauty PUBLISHED April 17, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
Mishka Aminov Mishka Aminov has been named Director of Business Development at Gold Coast Distributors. He had been Director of Sales and Marketing at Monfefo. CATEGORIES Beverage PUBLISHED April 14, 2022 AUTHOR ForceBrands
Kyle Harman Kyle Harman has been named Sales Director, Northeast at Next Century Spirits. He had been Trade Development Director at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits of NY. CATEGORIES Beverage PUBLISHED April 14, 2022 AUTHOR ForceBrands
Applications Open for SKU Dallas 2022 SKU, the nation’s first accelerator for CPG companies, is accepting applications from consumer brands around the country for the third cohort of SKU Dallas 2022. Ideal candidates are market-validated companies with compelling founders and innovative products in hot categories. Brands can be from a wide range of areas in CPG, including food, beverage, apparel, personal […] CATEGORIES Food PUBLISHED April 14, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
LinkedIn’s Top 50 Companies to Work for in 2022 LinkedIn released their top companies of 2022 that are investing in their talent and helping people build careers for long-term success. These 50 U.S. workplaces were named the best companies for professionals to grow their careers. From global e-commerce giant Amazon to financial services leader J.P. Morgan, these employers are investing in their people and […] CATEGORIES ForceBrands PUBLISHED April 13, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
Pandemic Career Pivots: Reimagining Our Careers for the Post-Pandemic World The Great Resignation. The Great Reshuffle. And now, the Great Reimagination. The workforce has indeed undergone major shifts during the course of the past few years. Career pivots have been a popular topic of conversation since, well, the start of the pandemic. The transition from offices to virtual workspaces prompted many employees to revisit their […] CATEGORIES ForceBrands PUBLISHED April 10, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
4 Ways the Metaverse Will Reshape Our Work Lives The pandemic has forever reimagined how we think about work. Since 2020, many companies have adopted fully remote or hybrid workplaces. And while employees have adjusted to these changes, they’re also revisiting what they want from their careers. Flexible schedules and more meaningful work are among their top priorities. Employers that don’t keep up with […] CATEGORIES ForceBrands PUBLISHED April 6, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
The Future of Conversational Marketing with Vocinity’s CEO Michael Riemer How we engage with consumers is changing rapidly. In the past two years alone, brands have had to adapt to new strategies for creating compelling and effective consumer experiences. Vocinity offers a unique solution: conversational video brand assistants. We caught up with the company’s CEO Michael Riemer to learn more about how the technology works, […] CATEGORIES ForceBrands PUBLISHED April 4, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
TIME100’s Most Influential Consumer Brands of 2022 At ForceBrands we have the unique opportunity and privilege to work with some of the world’s most innovative and inspiring consumer brands. It’s no surprise then to see several of them named on TIME100’s list of Most Influential Companies of 2022. From a global cannabis leader to a craft beer revolution, these businesses are making […] CATEGORIES ForceBrands PUBLISHED April 3, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
Cannabis Industry Projections: Sales to Soar in 2022 The cannabis industry is constantly evolving. After experiencing record-breaking growth over the last few years, even during the height of the pandemic, cannabis sales and marijuana industry projections show no signs of slowing down, especially as more states move to legalize it. As newer markets emerge and drive growth, if you look at this year’s […] CATEGORIES Cannabis PUBLISHED April 1, 2022 AUTHOR ForceBrands
4 Bev Alc Trends That Will Define How We Drink This Year The past two years have proven the resiliency of the bev alc industry. Amid a global pandemic and sweeping changes in consumer habits, the sector has readily adapted to shifting market trends. Some might even say it has flourished. For a historically unchanged industry — one that’s remained largely the same since prohibition — the […] CATEGORIES Beverage PUBLISHED March 30, 2022 AUTHOR Gary Schneidkraut
Women Are Earning Larger Pay Raises Did you know that women are earning higher wages than ever before? While there are still some disparities between men’s and women’s wages, this is the smallest wage gap that has ever existed. So what is causing this change? And what can we do to continue to close the wage gap? Here are some reasons […] CATEGORIES ForceBrands PUBLISHED March 27, 2022 AUTHOR ForceBrands
How Leaf411 Is Changing the Cannabis Industry One Phone Call at a Time Cannabis is an exciting albeit challenging industry. Federal prohibition and deeply rooted stigmas mean it’s often misunderstood. This is especially true when it comes to the medicinal, healing properties of cannabis. Enter Leaf411 — a one-of-a-kind service offering cannabis education, resources, and insights, one phone call at a time. Pioneered by Katherine Golden, whose personal […] CATEGORIES Cannabis PUBLISHED March 20, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
Diana Takach Diana Takach has been named Senior Vice President Marketing at Oats Overnight. She had been Vice President Digital Marketing (eComm/Amazon) at PopSockets. CATEGORIES Food PUBLISHED March 17, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
Jeff Crump Jeff Crump has been named Head of US Sales at Mikkeller Brewing. He had been Director, On Premise at Golden Road Brewing. CATEGORIES Beverage PUBLISHED March 17, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
Mike Pellicano Mike Pellicano has been named Head of Sales at Drink Chido. He had been Director of Sales at Austin Eastciders. CATEGORIES Beverage PUBLISHED March 17, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
5 Irish Craft Beers to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day St. Patrick’s Day — though more widely celebrated among Americans than Irish people themselves — is synonymous with cold pints and lively pubs. Though we often think of more mainstream pours like Guinness and Magners Original Irish Cider (called Bulmers in Ireland) as authentically Irish, there are several great craft beers brewing on the Emerald […] CATEGORIES Beverage PUBLISHED March 17, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer
The Women Leading DTC Beauty Female entrepreneurship is on the rise and shows no signs of slowing down. Forty percent of U.S. businesses are owned by women. These 12.3 million women-owned businesses are contributing a colossal $1.8 trillion a year to the economy. In other words, there have never been more opportunities for women in business. As part of our […] CATEGORIES Beauty PUBLISHED March 16, 2022 AUTHOR Rebecca Fryer