What if the secret to building a breakthrough CPG brand wasn't inventing something entirely new, but reimagining something familiar? In this episode of Behind the Shelf, Keren Novack speaks with Sean Knecht, co-founder of Tantos, and President of PrideBites LLC, about transforming a chef's accidental discovery into the world's first pasta chip. Sean shares how early sellout launches validated demand, why combining familiarity with novelty lowers the barrier to consumer trial, and how thoughtful branding can make all the difference in a crowded snack aisle. He also explains why great taste must come before health messaging, how retailers evaluate emerging brands, and why proving shelf velocity is essential to earning long-term retail placement. Beyond the product itself, Sean offers an honest look at the operational realities of building a CPG company, from inventory forecasting and production planning to managing expiration dates and fulfillment.

What if the real barrier to healthier food isn't what consumers want, but how they shop? In this episode of Behind the Shelf, host Keren Novack sits down with Jacob Trumbull, founder of Roaring Fork Mill, to explore the hidden forces shaping the future of food brands. Jacob reveals why the biggest challenge facing healthier, more sustainable food products isn’t consumer demand; it’s consumer behavior. Together, they unpack the “say-do gap,” where shoppers express interest in better ingredients and sustainable practices but often choose based on convenience, price, and availability. Jacob shares lessons from behavioral science, regenerative agriculture, and building a scalable grain ecosystem, explaining why accessibility, shelf placement, and frictionless purchasing matter more than education alone. From redefining the role of transparency to understanding what turns niche products into everyday habits, this conversation reveals how food innovators can build brands that truly connect with consumers and create lasting category change.

What if the secret to building a cult-following brand wasn't fancy manufacturing or massive marketing budgets, but genuine human connection? In this episode of Behind the Shelf, Keren Novack sits down with Maggie Schmieder, founder of Bitty Balm, to explore how a simple kitchen experiment evolved into a thriving clean beauty brand with an impressive 55% repeat customer rate. Maggie shares the lessons she learned from building products by hand, listening closely to customer feedback, and prioritizing relationships over traditional marketing tactics. The conversation dives into product innovation, brand positioning, consumer trust, and the challenges of standing out in the crowded beauty industry. Maggie explains why simplicity can be a competitive advantage, how transparency builds loyalty, and why understanding customers on a personal level creates lasting growth. This episode offers valuable insights for founders, marketers, and anyone interested in building brands that customers genuinely love.

What if the biggest mistake food brands make is assuming consumers want innovation more than great taste? In this episode of Behind the Shelf, Keren Novack sits down with Jason Burke, founder and CEO of New Primal, to explore the realities of building a food brand that survives and thrives on crowded retail shelves. Drawing from his journey of growing New Primal from a homemade jerky business into a brand carried in more than 10,000 stores, Jason shares why consumer behavior is often misunderstood and why repeat purchases matter far more than initial curiosity. The conversation dives into product development, retail strategy, consumer trust, and the economics of shelf space. Jason explains why familiar products often outperform flashy innovations, how brands should think about expansion, and why authentic credibility is difficult for legacy companies to recreate. He also reveals why taste remains the ultimate competitive advantage, regardless of trends, health claims, or marketing campaigns.

Behind the Shelf is where product ideas meet real-world reality. Hosted by Keren Novack and powered by Curion, this podcast goes beyond marketing claims to uncover what actually makes products succeed once they hit the shelf. Each episode brings you inside the minds of founders, brand leaders, and product innovators across CPG, FMCG, beauty, food and beverage, and retail. From early-stage concepts to billion-dollar brands, you’ll hear field-tested insights behind the decisions, data, and consumer behavior that shape winning products. We're jumping beyond speculative theories to talking about what real consumers do, not what we assume they do. Through candid conversations and data-backed perspectives, Behind the Shelf reveals the gap between intention and impact, helping you build products people truly choose, use, and love. If you’re building, testing, or scaling products, this is your shortcut to smarter decisions—and better outcomes.