Basemakers

PATH has already prevented over 350 million single-use plastic bottles from pollution! I recently caught up with PATH CEO Shadi Bakour, and he shared some epic news… PATH is now the exclusive unflavored still water brand available at the Sphere in Las Vegas! You can now grab custom Sphere x PATH reusable aluminum water bottles at every event. Path will be distributed at: -All concession stands -Grab-and-go stations -23 suites -Backstage But that’s not all… PATH is lighting up the iconic Exosphere, spreading the message of reducing single-use plastics across the Vegas skyline. Congrats to Shadi & the PATH team on landing this epic partnership. Awesome timing as Basemakers has just launched retail execution in Las Vegas! 🎰

From a small kitchen to a $100mm raise: The Journey of NICKS! In 2014, Niclas (Nick) Luthman, a mechanical engineer with a sweet tooth was diagnosed as pre-diabetic. This lead to him embarking on a mission to create tasty treats that didn’t compromise on health. Armed with self-taught food engineering skills and thousands of experiments, he was determined to revolutionize snacking. In 2017, Nick turned down the offer to become Chief Food Engineer for the Swedish Space Agency, famously stating, “It’s Earth that needs tasty no-sugar-added treats.” His vision was clear: create healthier snacks for everyone, right here on Earth. Gathering friends and passionate food scientists, Nick launched his namesake brand, Nick’s, in 2018. The confectionery business proved challenging, but their dedication to creating delicious and healthy treats kept them going. The result? Mighty tasty success. In 2019, Nick’s began distributing outside of Sweden, reaching markets like France and Germany. In the UK, Nick’s became the best-selling foreign brand on Amazon. The product line expanded to include amazing, creamy ice cream, winning hearts and taste buds across Europe. In 2020, Nick’s made its grand entrance into the US market with Swedish-style light ice cream, raising $100mm in the process. Pints filled with love, cookie dough, and low calories captured the American market, bringing a taste of Sweden stateside. From a small kitchen experiment to a global sensation, Nick’s proves that you don’t have to compromise on flavor for health. Proud to represent the brand in the US with the Basemakers team's retail execution!

Excited to share a "first look" at our new full-service sales agency! After launching the giveaway contest with Startup CPG yesterday, I've received tons of messages excited to learn more about it. We're focusing on 4 key areas: -Sales Strategy -Key Account Management -Distribution Management -Retail Execution Our goal is to bring on the best brands and pair them with the best talent across these sales disciplines. By selecting only high potential & high performing brands, we'll be able keep our total brands lower for a high-touch experience at Basemakers Excited to announce our 5 finalists July 26th!

🚨We're SEARCHING the Next Big Thing in CPG! 🚨 Thrilled to announce our partnership with Start Up CPG to find "The One!" We just launched our brokerage division to extend Basemakers into a full service sales agency - with elite talent joining our team. Our mission is to help build world-class brands through world-class sales capabilities. To kick off, we’re launching an epic giveaway with Startup CPG valued at over $200,000 including 6 full free months of service. Prize Details: 🏅 Founding Brand Partner Status 🆓 6 Months FREE Retail Brokerage 💰 $1,000/month in free retail execution services 💵 44% off for the first 25 mos + a 10% off ongoing! 🌟 Expert Guidance: I’ll personally help advise the winning brand including access to a network of 50+ CPG investors & strategic support. Enter by filling out the submission form in the first comment. Stay update to date by joining the Start Up CPG slack channel & following me (Max Baumann) on Linkedin - where I'll announce the finalists in 2 weeks! Let's build the Next Big Brand together!

✨Retail Brokerage Giveaway!✨ We’re so excited to announce that Basemakers, already known as one of the top retail merchandisers, has added a new brokerage arm! These complementary services could be absolutely huge for an emerging brand looking for high performance and scale. Basemakers is thrilled to partner with Startup CPG on this exciting launch giveaway, valued at over $200,000, including 6 FREE months of their pioneering service to the winning brand.   Prize Details: ↗️ 6 Months FREE Retail Brokerage: Receive September 24’ - February 25’ absolutely FREE!  ↗️ Founding Brand Partner Status ↗️ $1,000/month in free retail execution services ↗️ Expert Guidance: Opportunity to have Basemakers founder Max Baumann serve as an advisor for one year at no cost, offering access to his network of 50+ CPG investors, strategic introductions, and personalized support in sales and marketing strategies to win at retail. ↗️ After 6 months, enjoy 44% discount for the first 25 months + 10% forever discount! How to enter: Submit your brand via the link in Slack - look in the announcements channel! Submissions due by July 26th, winner announced August 7th. Please see terms and conditions via in the link in Slack. Good luck!

SPINS data shows a surging consumer demand for high protein snacks. By using chicken as a top ingredient,WILDE CHIPS delivers protein-rich chips. Love to see the continued trend of functional foods entering new categories. Great job by Basemakers team member Paul in Texas!

Meet Barebells, the protein bar brand that has taken the world by storm! Founded in 2016, Barebells emerged from the heart of Stockholm, Sweden, with a mission to revolutionize the protein snack industry. So, what sets Barebells apart in a crowded market? -Candy-Like Taste & Texture: Their mantra? No compromise on taste! -High Protein with No Added Sugar: Great macros blended with great taste! -Customer Obsession: From day one, Barebells listened to their customers, constantly innovating & improving based on feedback. But the journey wasn't all smooth sailing... -Competing with Giants: Entering the competitive protein bar market meant going head-to-head with established giants that had massive distribution advantages which proved tricky at the store level. -Navigating Regulations: Expanding into international markets brought regulatory hurdles and the need for compliance. - Scaling Production: Rapid growth led to challenges in scaling production without compromising quality. Through sheer determination and an unwavering belief in their product, the Barebells team overcame these obstacles. Today, they're a global sensation, available in 35 different markets and adored by thousands of loyal consumers. If you haven't tried a Barebells bar yet, you're missing out on a game-changer! - Huge shout out to Ben Jones CEO of parent company Vitamin Well Group's US co. We first met at NACS trade show in Vegas in 2022. Ben quickly visited the Basemakers Austin HQ while in Texas and committed to a partnership for retail execution that has lasted through the years. It's been awesome to see the Basemakers team help contribute to their US field sales goals and land some awesome displays for the brand!

Summer time is "prime time" for many CPG categories... 🥤 For beverage, higher temperatures result in more consumption. 🍦 For ice cream, its peak season! Nothing better than a cold ice cream on a hot day. 🍿 For salty snacks, summer parties (Memorial Day, 4th of July & Labor Day) need appetizers for guests. Love to see the team getting after it for our brand partners this summer. Excellent execution by the Basemakers team for The Good Crisp Company!

We are ALL in SALES... We might not all be directly selling a product or service for our job, but we all sell our ideas to help achieve our goals. Whether we are: -Influencing our boss for a higher raise -Persuading our spouse on our idea -Selling a product to a retailer -Asking someone out on a date We all use persuasive communication to get to "Yes" & therefore we sell. If there is one main subject I've dedicated the most time in my life to studying, it would be sales. Here are some books I'd recommend checking out this summer to pick up some new insights. Note: The binder is from the workshop of the book "Influence by Dr. Robert Cialdini” Fun fact: Met Daniel Pink at this workshop while he was writing "To Sell is Human" - great guy! Always looking for some new books to share at Basemakers - would love any recommendations. Do you have any favorite books on sales, communication or negotiation?

“What’s the best way to drive sales velocity?” This is a question I’m asked many times each year. It’s something our team at Basemakers focuses on for many brands in thousands of stores throughout the US. The answer? Three things: -Availability -Visibility -Brand Advocacy 1️⃣Availability CPG is such a physical business. Grocery managers and distributors deal with thousands of SKUs, so it’s inevitable that there will be out-of-stocks and voids periodically. Ensuring you close voids and work with your distributors to order the right amount of product ahead of promo periods is essential. 2️⃣Visibility Finding ways to disrupt the shopper's path through displays and secondary placements is key. The display above generated hundreds of unit sales throughout the period it was up. 3️⃣Brand Advocacy Brands that actually visit stores and chat with retailers and distributors are able to see what they care about most. Finding win/win solutions to help meet their category goals while boosting your opportunities is what it’s all about. Competing in CPG is brutal, but with the right team and focus, you’ll put your brand in the best place to succeed!