Interview with Larissa Russell – Co-Founder and CEO of Pod Foods

“We looked into what it would take for us to work with one of the incumbent wholesale traditional distributors that are dominating the space for Natural Foods distribution and CPG. It was just a nightmare ahead of us. There was no transparency, everybody we talked to said it was a necessary evil if we wanted to scale nationally, but they're going to squeeze you for every dollar that you're worth.”I am thrilled to be joined by Larissa Russell, Co-Founder and CEO of Pod Foods, on this episode of The Irresistible Factor. Larissa and her Kickstarter cookie company were among hundreds of thousands of emerging brands that were trying to reach their consumers in retail, but had hit a major roadblock – it was obvious that the wholesale distribution system was not set up for brands like hers and many others.So instead of pursuing their original brand, Larissa and her Co-Founder set off to create something entirely different, a new model for distribution – Pod Foods. Pod Foods facilitates retail management for smaller brands by getting rid of the middle man and providing an online platform for the B2B marketplace, allowing small businesses to have more control over their distribution. You’ll hear how Pod Foods manages a brand's position in the marketplace, helps with end-to-end logistics, and provides radical transparency to help brands make decisions while cultivating good relationships. Growing a CPG business is no easy feat but  Pod Foods aims to make it easier, smoother, and maybe even  more enjoyable!   Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with Co-Founder and CEO of Pod Foods, Larissa Russell.  Here’s what you won’t want to miss from our conversation: 

• Why the wholesale distribution system is not set up to support emerging brands
• The retailer stores Pod Food works with (both regional and national)
• Managing inventory risk: how Pod Foods has created an ‘infinite warehouse’ 
• The importance of developing and establishing good relationships with the retailers

 Links mentioned in this episode:  Larissa Russell on LinkedIn Pod Foods The Irresistible Factor Podcast  Sawtooth Group