Derya Rose

In 2013 when I started nutpods I had never: -been a Founder or CEO before -been a part of the Food & Bev industry (other than a stint at #SubShop in high school) -raised capital or even created a pitch deck -known the differences in types of Investors (angel to PE) And yes, I was a #POC and a #femalefounder which made my odds* of success a bit harder. *According to PitchBook, only 4% of #VC funding and 2% of #PE funding goes towards Female Founded Businesses (nutpods went on to be both VC and PE-backed). Entrepreneurs accept daunting odds because we believe in what we are building. We learn fast because we have to: we are usually the first and only (typically unpaid) employee of our company handling all the departments of Sales, Marketing, Operations and Finance. Cash flow. Product Formulation. Route to Market Strategy. Finding a co-packer to produce our products. These are the chief challenges. #SeattleFreeze was not among them, respectfully. I get it. I do: it is lonely at the start-up phase when it’s just yourself. And frankly, it’s lonely at times as a CEO making all the decisions even at a thriving brand. I am eternally grateful to Morgen Newman who gave me wonderful advice early on: learn how to emotionally regulate yourself for this journey. GeekWire John Cook

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Love chocolate? Did you know the industry is in crisis? Check out this first story in a series where we dive deep with Seattle Chocolate Company owner and CEO Jean Thompson on how climate change is threatening this $60B industry.

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Since COVID, we've seen an acceleration of "health as wealth" - where 82% of the US population consider wellness a top priority - and, while we did see some slower growth in the subsequent years in terms of volume and M&A post 2022, we have conviction that spend on health and wellness as a whole is again on an upward swing. In our latest benchmark report, covered by Beauty Independent, we focus on VMS and the trends that are driving volume back to the category: the growth of GLP1 and its impact, nootropics as ADHD alternatives to prescription drugs, among others. We also include some representative companies in these categories such as SoWell Health and Thesis, respectively. Thanks to the participating funds in this one: Madeline Kaplan Selva Ventures Emily Bullman JamJar Investments Odile Roujol Fab Co-Creation Studio Ventures Lerer Hippeau, and Brian Buchert of Church & Dwight Co., Inc. for a strategic perspective. More on the article linked... https://lnkd.in/ge-u7Pq5

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Retail stores and distributors making #ESG #organic and #regenerativefarming commitments need to make sure their pricing structures aren't counter-acting their other initiatives. Here's my run down of a few--I'd love to hear more examples you've seen/experienced. 1) #SproutsFarmersMarket and #WholeFoodsMarket have their own commitments to supporting #regenerative and #organicfarming. Both seem to have moved to dynamic algorithm-driven pricing that seemingly isn't reviewed or approved by the category manager. The brands aren't informed. I know of two brands sourcing organic and regen US grown ingredients that saw their shelf price increase 20% - 40% multiple times last year with 100% of the markup going to the store. Each time they reached out to the CM to ask for a price adjustment, typically after a few months of collecting data proving everyone is losing--the consumer, the brand, the store, the farmer. In the meantime, even if you get a price roll back, -- you lose customers who threw up their hands and got angry at the brand over the price increase -- the brand has already lost revenue -- sometimes the store loses revenue -- the farmer sells less because brand sales are down Question: Can Sprouts and Whole Foods look at their commitments more holistically and make sure they aren't unintentionally damaging the amount of regen and organic US crops brands can commercialize for farmers through practices like this? 2) #NewSeasonsMarket is a wonderful chain. It's launching a project with 25 brands to donate to the nonprofit Zero Foodprint to help farmers and ranchers implement regenerative farming practices. But NSM is considered one of the most expensive stores for a brand to launch products measure by discounts, freefills, demos, and ad requirements. Smaller brands are important in supporting farmers as they shift to regen practices and have smaller loads they need to commercialize. But smaller brands can't afford to launch in NSM. The standard measure from brokers is you won't see ROI at NSM until year 3. I'd love to see NSM reduce or eliminate those sell-in fees for #usgrown org/regen products. #Wegmans is able to launch new products without similar fees. 3) #UNFI has a new SSA program to charge brands 2.5% for decreases in fees for launching new products and for access to market data on sales. I'm sure this takes a bite from larger companies but I'm giving UNFI a win on this one. This program is great for smaller brands, especially those that are data-focused like my company ZEGO LLC. We really can't afford SPINS (though I've paid for it bc I'm super data focused). And we are rolling out new products to pull organic / regen crops through from US farmers to consumers. Between the two, the SSA program will save us money and give us data that is much more user friendly than a basic package with SPINS. I know brands are scared to call out stores and distributors but LinkedIN is one of the few places we can exercise a collective voice.

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After taking some time off and reflecting back on my 30 years in the food business, I've decided to start my "second career". I've always had a passion for trading equities and investing in the stock market. I spend a tremendous amount of time following the news and keeping a pulse on the market. I have decided to share this knowledge via a free weekly newsletter. The newsletter is designed to be a quick read in simple to understand terms. The target audience are individuals new to investing or curious about investing. The newsletter is informative, but also educational. Give it a try by subscribing below! After receiving the first issue, if you are not interested, simply unsubscribe. https://lnkd.in/e-M5YNAh

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🚨 Big Announcement! 🚨 I'm thrilled to finally share the launch of One Bite Foodie, a food review platform that's going to change the way we experience and celebrate food. And I’ve just dropped my very first article on the site, which tells a bit of my own ironic story—because believe it or not, I can’t taste or smell! (Thanks, COVID 😅). But that hasn’t stopped me from creating a platform where foodies can review food based on texture, salty-sweet balance, and so much more. 👉 Read my article: "I Can’t Taste or Smell—But I Launched a Food Review Platform" So why are articles on a video-focused food review platform like One Bite Foodie important? For reviewers, articles give them a way to dive deeper, share personal experiences, and offer insights that just can’t fit into a quick video. For restaurants, it’s an opportunity to get showcased in a new light, beyond just what’s on the plate—think behind-the-scenes stories, unique flavors, and what makes their spot special. And for foodies who follow reviews? It’s a richer, more immersive experience where they can learn, connect, and appreciate food on a whole new level. 🍽️ Why did I launch One Bite Foodie? I’ve been a digital nomad since 2017, tasting foods across the globe. After losing my sense of taste and smell in 2021, my focus shifted to textures and the intricate dance between salty and sweet. I wanted to create a platform where food lovers could share reviews and support local restaurants, helping businesses grow while foodies get paid to do what they love. This is just the beginning, and I invite you to follow along as I launch and grow this platform in the exciting world of Food Reviews. Check out my first article, and if you’re as passionate about food as I am (even without taste!), let’s grow this community together. 👇 https://lnkd.in/g-5UebES

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Cultivated meat: a fairly quick boom and bust seemingly in its waning days already. Although folks want to blame the market, I would suggest the challenges to cost reductions and scalability are fundamental, not simply cyclicality. Its challenges have deep roots in thermodynamics when the competition is based on free sunshine and the natural, autonomous, self replicating, self-healing technology of evolution. There will plausibly be value in IP for other applications, so maybe investors get a few pennies out for their dollars? https://lnkd.in/gd4rYET5

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