#343 - The ‘Clean Caffeine’ Revolution: How Plant Press is Energizing the Beverage Aisle

DTC POD: How The Best Brands Are Built

Ariana Farahani is the founder and CEO of Plant Press, a fast-growing functional beverage brand offering a healthier alternative to traditional energy drinks.

In this episode of DTC Pod, Ariana shares her journey of developing Plant Press from a homemade recipe to a nationally distributed product. She discusses the importance of gathering consumer feedback and iterating on the product based on data, which led to pivotal changes like focusing solely on clean caffeine and adjusting flavors.

Ariana also discusses the strategic decisions behind Plant Press's distribution strategy, from securing early retail partnerships with local bodegas and fitness centers to navigating the complexities of working with broadline distributors. She emphasizes the impact of in-person sampling and demos in driving sales and brand awareness.

The conversation touches on the challenges of scaling production and the critical role of seed funding in facilitating growth. Ariana shares her plans for expanding Plant Press's reach through strategic partnerships with major retailers and continued product development, with an eye toward maintaining the brand's commitment to offering a healthier, better-tasting beverage option.

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On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:
1. Product Development and Iteration
2. Marketing and Distribution Strategies
3. Funding and Capital Allocation
4. DSD vs Broadline Distributors
5. Market Trends and Consumer Preferences
6. Company Growth and Retail Expansion

Timestamps
00:00 From studying medical cannabis to founding a caffeine brand
04:11 Early days of Plant Press, producing the minimum viable product
06:21 Key iterations in the manufacturing process of Plant Press
09:05 Using quantitative and qualitative customer feedback
10:48 Getting Plant Press to stores: key accounts and strategy
13:31 Self-funding, seed fundraising, and capital budgeting for Plant Press
19:23 Direct store delivery (DSD) vs broadline distribution
21:50 The need fo in-store product sampling and demos for CPG brands
24:52 Energy drink trends: emphasis on clean energy, hydration
27:42 Changing consumer preferences and how big players can catch up
30:32 Plant Press’ expansion to new distribution channels
32:04 What’s next for Plant Press

Show notes powered by Castmagic

Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.

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• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands

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DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet
Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement
Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content

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Ariana Farahani - Founder & CEO of Plant Press
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic
Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic