Every now and then you meet someone who is a complete expert in CPG and also somehow the most humble, supportive person to work with. Paul Beaupre perfectly embodies this unicorn description.
He spent over two decades building global brands at Coca Cola's venture group and then went on to other successes like Advising Tip Top Cocktails, Mentoring at SKU, and starting his own consulting business Bo Pray LLC.
I am honored to learn from him and was lucky enough to collect some of his latest wisdom/finds for you all. Here are some of his musings...
We recently talked about BevNET and the exciting talks/events that came from that-- was there a particular trend or topic that kept coming up?
A few things come to mind:
- The need for most early-stage businesses to focus on bottom-line rather than driving top-line growth as had been encouraged and supported for the ~7-8 years leading up to 2023.
- The growth of spirit-based prepared cocktails (RTD & RTS). Convenient options with amazing taste and engaging branding seem to be key.
- Alt adult beverages supporting more Mindful Drinking is becoming the fastest growing category in beverage albeit on a small base. There are so many factors supporting and driving this and I agree it’s just the early stages of a long-term growth trend where there will be many winners.
Are there founders that you've met recently or you're particularly excited about?
Just like the brands, I have several more founders I hope to share on future CPGD newsletters. Some that come to mind immediately are:
- Julia Streuli- CEO of Ful Foods, a mission-based (human + planet health) female led nutrition company. With impressive co-founders, she has a clear vision, noble cause, an amazing global team, great soft & hard skills, is a consummate learner/ ambassador, and someone I really respect. Try their reformulated Blu Water. (LA/ Amsterdam)
- Lily Geiger- CEO of Figlia- mission-driven (mindful drinking, addiction, environment). Great product, impressive young, female team with coherent and integrated brand + go-to-market + financial strategies. Lilly is super curious, very coachable and a bit fearless. Both her RTD cans and RTS Fiore bottle are delicious. (NYC)
- Lars Oltmanns- CEO of Up To Good- upcycled products leading with a cascara energy soda. He is an experienced, global business leader with impressive GM talents and super composed. He is a very clear thinker with great ability to screen emotional factors that often distract others’ decision making. Recent reformulations at WFM in SE are really well done. (ATL)
- Cygne, George, and Evan- Co-founders of Hiyo are doing some very impressive and rare things in a hot category.. They formulated great drinks, are creating a strong brand with unique positioning, and are executing an aggressive growth strategy with a lean team.
From your vast experience working in beverage, what are the main factors that seem to drive a brand's long-term chance of success?
- Determined, resilient, learning founders who adapt, rally a diverse team behind a bold vision and offer authentic, market-ready solutions.
- Cohesive strategies that make the parts of the company work together in an advantaged way… culture is a critical part.
- A healthy dose of good luck
