Welcome to the Startup CPG podcast.

If you're building a startup, you're no stranger to risk an uncertainty.

But due to COVID-19, the world is feeling a little extra chaotic these days.

So what do we need to be focusing on in times of crisis to make our brands and companies

not just stay afloat, but truly weather the storm and emerge strong?

If you don't deliver on values, on actions and beliefs throughout the company, the staff

in everything you do.

And, well, it all shine through us, that, a pretty sticker.

That's not being authentic.

Really be who you are.

Bjorn co-founded Oatly Oat Milk and brought it to the U.S. market.

His latest company, Good Idea Drinks, developed a flavoring, sparkling water beverage,

which helps to balance blood sugar.

Bjorn and I discuss the DNA and persona of this new brand, Good Idea, and the current challenges,

from creating an authentic message for a product that has so many different potential customer groups,

to making it accessible to those who would truly benefit from this kind of product. Take a position, this is what we represent, right or wrong.

Do that and be open about it.

Part of Good Idea's authentic message is that it's backed by science and clinical studies,

proving to reduce blood sugar spikes after meals by, on average, 25%.

It's that backing from the scientific medical community that builds the foundation for authentic branding.

And so together on this episode, we also discuss how to bring more of that into food tech innovation.

Our conversation is inspired by our current situation navigating COVID-19, but what we discuss is timeless, so I'm excited to share with you this conversation about authentic messaging and the importance of building a genuine brand to withstand any economic shifts.

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