Daniel Goetz

16 sentences of wisdom from bond trader turned restaurateur, Sean Feeney, that will make you a better person, friend, and leader. 1. The most important ingredient is the one that’s left out. 2. The greatest gift is courage. Give someone the courage to be themselves. 3. Success is doing something every day for the rest of your life, happy to do it. 4. Everyone has genius inside them. 5. Truly showing belief in others will buy them a ticket to someplace they never knew. 6. Hospitality is creativity plus compassion. 7. “That’s just the way it is,” tells you there’s money to be made. 8. It is tempting to have something for everyone but there is preciousness in not filling demand. 9. Create a brand that people chase, don’t chase people with your brand. 10. Make others feel a part of something. 11. You are one of us, whether you work with us or you're dining with us. 12. Treating others well is good for business. 13. Finish the day, asking, “How did I impact someone in a positive way?” 14. Know what works and be honest with what doesn't and don't do that. 15. Block out all the noise and keep it simple. 16. Believe every day is a good day. But don’t think it’ll be easy.

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Only 27% of cannabis businesses are profitable, down from 42% in 2022. When it comes to minority owned businesses only 17.5% are profitable. According to The US Chamber of commerce, 65.3% of all small businesses in the U.S. are profitable. There is no easy fix, but starting at the local level is really important and a lot of times overlooked. Very restrictive zoning, creates an artificial shortage of available real estate. Real estate is usually the biggest cost and because of limited supply landlord charge outrageous rent. A lot of local governments charge predatory permitting fees and have very lengthy process to get permitted. We are less then three months away from the presidential election. This is time to hold your local officials accountable. Thank you Tony Lange from Cannabis Business Times for the economic update. https://lnkd.in/gcy2igMF

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Even with regulatory risk, beverage brands are securing new investment, distribution, & retail partners. We have to look at the amendments as an opportunity to establish sensible regulation. Stay tuned for the Cannabis Beverage Association's Code of Conduct and a formal announcement of a new federal coalition to support adult beverage alternatives. DM me for more information. "As we work to pave the way for the hemp beverage category, it's crucial to seize opportunities arising from industry and regulatory developments. The recent federal committee vote on the Farm Bill amendment offers a chance to integrate the hemp beverage segment into the alcohol industry. With the existing infrastructure in the alcohol industry, we can effectively regulate hemp beverages. The CBA will continue collaborating with stakeholders to establish responsible regulations, ensuring our beverages meet strict standards and gain approval for sale." And shout out to PAMOS BEVERAGE CO. on their recent expansion! https://lnkd.in/e2H7wntB #drinkcannabis #regulation #beverageindustry #beverage #adultbeverage #hemp

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💰The Siete Foods foods news is a clear lesson that if your goal is to be acquired, build a business to be bought not sold. The businesses that get the highest valuation are ones that have buyers seeking to purchase them NOT the ones that founders look to sell. #cpg #foodandbeverage

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Sorel: The ULTIMATE Modifier I'm about to say The Quiet Part Out Loud: the liquor industry has a problem nobody talks about: Alcohol (in its pure form) doesn't taste good. This is because the sense of taste is designed to detect poison. Over the millennia, the knowledge that alcohol is poison has dismayed humans, little. As a species we've spent thousands of years trying to figure out how to enjoy the effects of alcohol, without dying. There's a reason why alcohol is a controlled substance; why every bottle comes with a warning. The ancient Egyptians added botanicals to alcohol, creating tinctures. The Celts are credited with beginning the practice of aging alcohol in casks, to absorb the flavor of the wood. Over the centuries the methods of making alcohol more potable has become increasingly sophisticated. Big liquor's solution to this problem is to take vast amounts of GNS and simply add flavor. This is why we have blueberry flavored vodka, cinnamon flavored whisky, and jalapeño flavored tequila. Sorel Liqueur reverses the logic. Everyone else takes alcohol and adds flavor. We take flavor, and add alcohol. The difference in this methodology is what makes Sorel the most versatile modifier on the planet. Sorel does one thing better than any other modifier, in that it masks the taste of ethanol, while pushing flavor forward. Add Sorel to gin, and you'll get more floral notes. Add it to an aged spirit (whisky or rum) and you'll get more barrel notes. Add it to an agave base (tequila or mezcal) and you'll get more fruit and smoke. Add it to other liqueurs and you'll get pure flavor. Don't believe me? Try adding equal parts Sorel and Chartreuse. Or equal parts Sorel and Skrewball Peanut Butter whisky. With hundreds of possible flavor combinations to play with, and how its flavor changes based on temperature, the possibilities with Sorel are endless. We're honored to be included among this list of fine liqueurs. With thanks to SevenFifty Daily and Susannah Skiver Barton https://lnkd.in/ebPgM3Vg #DrinkSorel #BlackOwned #ForTheCulture #Caribbean #Brooklyn

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Instead of wine, let’s look at craft cannabis vs craft beer, which holds 24.7% of total US beer market share at retail! This means craft cannabis will be the same? Right? Not really… At wholesale, (where they actually make their money) craft brewers only hold 13.3% of sales. In some ways, yes, there are models in this category that could be feasible for cannabis companies to follow, (Tilray thinks so…) But that’s the point….TILRAY is the #6 ‘craft brewing’ company in the country… Simply put, ‘craft cannabis’ doesn’t equate to ‘craft beer’. “Craft Brewers” are defined by the Brewers Association as: SMALL Annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less (approximately 3 percent of U.S. annual sales). Beer production is attributed to a brewer according to rules of alternating proprietorships. INDEPENDENT Less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled by a beverage alcohol industry member that is not itself a craft brewer. So… you can own 3% of total national market share, and Anheuser Busch can own 25% of your company, and you’d still be considered a craft brewer. This includes companies like: Boston Beer Co. (2,793 employees), $2B in sales Sierra Nevada (1,050 employees), $320M in sales Tilray , (1,600 employees*), $152M in sales *includes cannabis employees One vital point being missed in the comparison between wine and beer and cannabis… we have to note that both wine and beer exist in complex supply chains, wher the grower of the grape very often may not bottle or brand (i.e.selling bulk), and where beer requires hops and barley, which are grown by farmers. So… who are the cultivators in this scenario? The brewers? Or are they barley farmers?

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Working in the spirits industry for 24 years, I've had the pleasure of being the voice that amplifies many highly desired bourbon brands. This insightful piece from Food & Wine gives more background on allocated bourbons, and also contains one of my favorite quotes ever, "Buzz doesn’t hurt either. These days, listing the technical details of a great whiskey simply is not enough,...𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗥 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲. Of course, these whiskeys are going to be great, but if bourbon influencers start to go nuts over a new product, then true demand does tend to balloon much more." 𝗜 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗘𝗘𝗡! #bourbon #publicrelations https://lnkd.in/eakiFrjY

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Exciting news from Craveworthy Brands As many of you know, I love to hint at our next big moves. Some might question this approach, but I believe it’s crucial to show my commitment to pushing our team and our dreams to new heights. Our latest acquisition is a game-changer, bringing Taim and Hot Chicken Takeover into our family! This strategic move will supercharge growth for our beloved Soom Soom and The Budlong Southern Chicken providing them an extraordinary platform to thrive. Additionally, it accelerates the expansion for Sigri Indian BBQ, offering immediate opportunities for two to three new locations. We’re also setting the stage to launch Costeño Rojo, testing a few locations to refine our concept further. But it’s not just about growth—it’s about people. We’re thrilled to collaborate with the fantastic teams at Taim and Hot Chicken Takeover. Their passion and innovation are exactly what we need to reach new heights. I’m excited to see what we can achieve together with this incredible talent. Stay tuned. We’re just getting started! #CraveworthyBrands #BusinessGrowth #Acquisition #FoodIndustry #Leadership #Innovation #RestaurantBusiness #Teamwork #Entrepreneurship #BrandExpansion

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Today, I made our first step toward getting Currently carried by 23 locations of Whole Foods Market in Florida. The process is a bit convoluted (as I'm learning many things are in wine...), but here's generally what's going to happen: -We're already an approved vendor and need to update our new Currently Wine Co. Sauvignon Blanc into the Amazon vendor portal, which I did today -This process is now vendor-led, instead of distributor led, which ensures the accuracy of the information (since I won't mess it up but distributors might) -Next steps will be to schedule meetings in October with each store manager, who my Florida distributor has relationships with and update them on our new packaging, design and brand. -Because our story has continuity around environmental cause and goes farther now with being 2x lower carbon footprint and Certified Sustainable grapes, I'm hoping that will be a differentiator -There are in-store display opportunities, and I'm going to work on having our wine setup next to the oysters and seafood. Any WFM general manager selling suggestions are welcome-- I'm new to this! #wine #founderjourney #wholefoodsmarket

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Super sad to see, but it's understandable – at the end of the day, money will always win... PepsiCo’s acquisition of Siete Foods marks another big shift in the natural foods industry. While it’s exciting to see a family-owned company like Siete gain access to greater resources, it’s also a reminder of how quickly values-driven brands can get swept up by large corporations. The challenge now is to see if Siete’s core values – health, authenticity, and family – will remain intact under new ownership. Wishing the best to the Garza family and hoping that Siete's mission continues to thrive in this new chapter.

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-- Podcast Teaser Alert -- "If you want to lead the consumer, you need to be the consumer." - Eric Ryan At one point, Eric Ryan and I were "frienemies". Friends personally, competitors professionally. He was the co-founder and CEO of Method Products PBC, while I led Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day. ................ But in the real world, we were always on the same team. Our collective efforts, along with the team at 7th Generation, were revolutionizing the cleaning category. At Mrs. Meyer's, our mission was clear: 'Together, we dream of a world where the better way becomes THE way.' ................ Eric Ryan shares his insights on creating method products pbc, OLLY PBC, and Welly Bandages, along with his go-to-market approach. Stay tuned for the next drop of the CEO podcast. 🎙 You won't regret it. #cultureFIRSTleadership #ceoPodcast #ChiefEternalOptimist

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What are your thoughts? Is sleepy joy after your vote or big pharma money? I sat in a very interesting meeting this morning; it was all based around the rescheduling of cannabis; There is no denying the fact that we have a great distribution model in place for schedule III drugs; before all the high 5's and the dancing in the streets takes place, we might want to be cautious as to the positioning; with one clean swoop and making cannabis legal on a federal level, couldn't the cultivation and dispensing fall inline with all the other schedule III drugs; we already dispense #ketamine, #testosterone and low dose #codeine so why not #cannabis ? The pharmacy network is positioned perfectly; government could be giving you exactly what you've been screaming for; easy access to the plant, more distribution and a national footprint.. all while eliminating all the cultivators, dispensaries and state laws. It's illegal to make and or dispense schedule III drugs without the proper licenses and with the federal rescheduling the states technically would no longer have jurisdiction.. I think it's a long shot but scary to think that billions of dollars would be left unattended and or controlled by the elites that long for control in every aspect of our lives; Nothing make cannabis more special than any other schedule III drug; look what they just did to the growing peptide market.

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TECH RUINED US. You hear stories of companies doing Series after Series - it seems so glamorous to raise so much money!! But is it really? The same thing eventually happened in CPG. Easy access to money. Companies doing raise after raise after raise. Impressive... I learned the hard way that this in fact is not glamourous. Raising money is not something to really brag about no matter how great it feels. I know CPG brands that sell to MILLIONS of consumers. Yes MILLIONS. And yes its incredibly impressive to do so. But does anyone talk about what happens after? What could possibly happen when you are competing in a category where your price on shelf is $4 and under? You NEED to raise money and you NEED to have millions of customers. This is NOT tech. And those are the companies that reach that threshold. How about the ones that never get there? The story goes that you launch, raise money, spend EVERYTHING on marketing to attract customers and HOPE you get acquired. I too believed this. By the time founders get acquired they've almost completely diluted themselves anyways. I will share more on this in the weeks to come... #cpg #marketing #entrepreneurship

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I am incredibly inspired by Liquid Death. Some of the best advice about marketing I’ve gotten from Doug Winter: market trends and channels go in waves. Go where fewer competitors are. I’m ok with building a wine company that feels different than many others. I mean, I’m doing the whole “build in public” thing for a reason (bonus that it’s cathartic and connecting me with all kinds of amazing people). The wine industry, like the water industry, is commoditized, crowded and staid. I’m not scared that I haven’t operated in this space before. I’m building for a customer experience. And people love brands. #wine #brands #industryexperience

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It was perfectly predictable! Consumers are trading DOWN and OUT as the experience just isn't "worth it" anymore. Consumers reached a tipping point, and now, restaurant brands are feeling the shockwaves. Value deals are everywhere in both QSR and FSR, yet we’ve seen a channel shift that is clearly headed towards less traditional channels such as grocery and convenience stores. From my July data, of those trading down: * 32% are turning to Grocery Store Delis/Food Service Areas (36% under $50K HH income) * 18% Convenience Stores (27% under $50K HH income) * 14% All You Can Eat Buffets (17% under $50K HH income) It makes perfect sense that amid these discount wars, the real winner may not even be a restaurant at all! WHY IT MATTERS 
>>>Consumers want to go out to eat, but are carefully making choices of where to spend their dollars
 >>>Lower-income consumers are trading down even more intensively >>>While everyone is cutting prices, how will you make joy your brand differentiator? Joe Guszkowski #Restaurants #TradingDown #Grocery #Economy #Discounting

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One year ago today, we launched Shameless Foods into the grocery channel. Since that launch, we have: 💫 Launched into KeHE Distributors, UNFI, Nassau Candy Distributors, Inc., Muscle Foods USA, Europa Sports Partners, and more distributors- 💫 Launched into United Supermarkets, LLC 💫 Launched into Haggen, Inc. 💫 Launched into Yokes Foods 💫 Launched into Coborn's, Inc. 💫 Launched into Lowes Foods 💫 Launched into Giant Eagle, Inc. 💫 Launched into Gold's Gym 💫 Launched into Big Y World Class Market 💫 Launched into Gristedes/Red Apple Group 💫 Launched into Foodtown 💫 Launched into OTG Management 💫 Launched into Hy-Vee, Inc. 💫 Launched into Northwest Grocers 💫 Launching into Southeastern Grocers right now 💫 Launching into Super 1 Foods right now 💫 Launched into iHerb, LLC 💫 Launched into BariatricPal 💫 Launched into Town & Country Markets 💫 Launched into GreenAcres Market ⭐️ Launched into over 2,000 Sports nutrition stores, gyms, etc. & SO much more. We are currently in review with multiple accounts and are waiting for results. This has been like growing a baby; we could not be happier with this GROWTH process. Most brokering companies won't take on a company when it is day one for them in retail. We have turned down accounts that did not make sense for our 1st year of JSC or growth as well. It has been a year, and this has taken so much time, but we appreciate all of our buyers and the relationships we hold for Shameless Foods! We are so happy to sign them on for another year 🥂 Jade Street Consulting Inc. David Kugielsky Mike Ponzillo Giancarlo Maniaci #partnership #results #grocery #retail #growth #candy #betterforyou #cpg #cpgbrands #cpgindustry #food #snacks #innovation

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👉 This is the #1 thing you need to run a successful CPG business. Its seriously so simple it’s completely obvious, but most people don’t have it. The #1 thing is to “Have a product that people want.” Duh, of course Jordan, why would you even tell me that? Well… because there are so many products out here on the market that people DONT WANT. I fell for this too. When I made TeaSquares I thought I was being incredibly innovation for creating a “Tea Infused Energy Snack”. You know who wanted these? Literally no one went into the store thinking “I’m here to buy a tea infused energy snack” not even me. Yes we sold some, but I had to convince most customers to try it through our demos, sales, and marketing. And guess what? There are thousands of products on the shelf that few people actually want. If you have to spend money to “educate” customers, then you’ve already lost. So does your product have an existing group of customers currently seeking out what you’re selling? Or do you have to drag each customer to your brand one at a time? #cpg #foodandbeverage

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The Future of Food: Simpler, Healthier, and Transparent Over the past week we have witnessed the star power of CPG launches. Yet, the ingredient list ... is ... well ... garbage. At best, it's not even close to what our bodies need from true healthy ingredients. Start with fueling yourself with real nourishment from nature. MY PREDICTION: The next 3 years will see a major shift toward simpler food and beverages. Consumers are more informed than ever, and the demand for clean, understandable ingredients is rising fast. 📈 This isn’t a new trend, but the problem is ... ... true options are still scarce in the CPG world. HOWEVER ... What’s new is that people are getting smarter about the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of what they consume. As the demand grows, “Big Food” will have to respond. Reality Check (from Anthony Vennare's post below):    - Nearly 60% of the calories Americans consume come from ultra-processed foods like soft drinks and snacks.   - 86% of products from major US food manufacturers are ultra-processed.   - 95% of advisors for the 2022–2025 US dietary guidelines have conflicts of interest with food or pharma. With 70% of Americans overweight or obese, it’s time to rethink our food choices. The future is clear: true food that nourishes and sustains. Let's do better. Let's be better. #yeswecan (Attaching a powerful repost here that dives deeper into this issue.)

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Cali Cannabis Brands May Take Over but Maybe Not Cali Firms Californian (and BC) weed brands have a well-earned image and mojo – which will soon come under serious attack.  The foe is in plain sight:  shrewd MSOs & LPs who will use marketing precepts to beat the West Coasters at their own game.     In cannabis few brand values count more than pedigree, exclusivity, and authenticity. West coast brands have this in spades backed up by plenty of expertise and genetics. However, right now any MSO or LP can freely copy (with slight modifications) or create their own ‘Cali’ style brands.  As I type, I can sense the outrage and pushback by some.  Read on. Yes, true authenticity and community is not easily replicable to a connoisseur.  But for much of the current market as well as most future consumers, it’s a different story.  According to research, they care far less about the 'real thing' if their other needs are being satisfied.    The producer payoffs are great if you get it right.  To wit, the supply of Louis Vuitton handbags is small and exclusive.  Conversely, the market for fast-fashion Chinese knock offs is much bigger.  We’ve already seen Cali-inspired brands (e.g., Aurora’s San Rafael '71). However, these were early efforts, launched without deep consumer knowledge and constrained by onerous branding regulations.  This track record should not breed complacency.  Consider what’s going in the UK beer industry. Madri, a fake Spanish lager is eating share leader Carlsberg’s business. Madri has been criticized for marketing itself as “the soul of Madrid” despite being brewed in Yorkshire by Molson Coors.  The boss of Estrella Galicia, which has brewed beer in the Spanish region of Galicia for more than 100 years accused Madri of a “lack of transparency” over its heritage. This spat is part of a larger row around other so-called world beers that are actually brewed in the UK for British drinkers.  The Italian lager Birra Moretti, for instance, is brewed by Heineken in Manchester, while San Miguel, which was founded in the Philippines but is based in Spain, is made by Carlsberg in Northampton. Brand cooption is widespread in consumer goods.  For example, Haagen Daz is not a craft European brand;  it was invented in the Bronx in 1960.  Fashion accessories Parfois (French for "sometimes") is actually a Portuguese company.    Importantly, copycat brands don’t have to be great or authentic but rather skillfully created and able to create strong product-market fit. Countering this threat requires proactive effort including: 1. Establishing/meeting regional appellation programs & quality standards; 2. Creating IP-driven differentiation and; 3. Sustained, effective investments in brand building not only to protect but also build on home field advantages.    Let’s talk.  I help firms address these threats and capitalize on growth opportunities. #cannabis #brands #cannabisindustry #MSOs #beer #alcohol #LPs #California #BC 

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