Investor Spotlight: Alex Malamatinas of Melitas Ventures

The Startup CPG Podcast

Startup CPG

Startup, Food, Business, Beverage, Cpg, Entrepreneurship

4.9 • 642 Ratings

🗓️ 22 November 2025

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Alex Malamatinas, founder and managing partner of Melitas Ventures, to explore the realities of early-stage consumer brand investing. The conversation dives deep into what investors actually look for in CPG founders, how to navigate the fundraising process, and why understanding your financials—especially the difference between gross margin and contribution margin—can make or break your capital efficiency.

Alex shares how Melitas Ventures approaches seed and Series A investments with a focus on authentic better-for-you brands, product-market fit, and strong unit economics. He discusses the importance of choosing the right investor partners, what due diligence really looks like, and how founders can position themselves for success before they even start raising capital. Drawing from portfolio successes like Olipop and Magic Spoon, Alex reveals what separates compelling investment opportunities from the rest.

Throughout the episode, listeners gain insider perspective on investor-founder dynamics, the signs of a strong partnership, and practical benchmarks for margin profiles across food, beverage, beauty, and supplements. Whether you're pre-revenue or scaling to Series A, this conversation offers clarity on what matters most when building a fundable, sustainable CPG brand.

Listen in as they discuss:

How Melitas Ventures evaluates early-stage CPG brands (seed to Series A)
The difference between gross margin and contribution margin—and why it matters
What investors look for in founding teams and co-founder dynamics
Red flags and green flags during the due diligence process
How to choose the right investment partner for your business stage
Revenue traction benchmarks: what $1-10M in sales should look like
The importance of sales velocity and retention metrics in early traction
When bold vision meets financial discipline: balancing growth and profitability
How to communicate your numbers effectively in investor pitches
Why focus and staying in your lane beats trying to do too much too soon
Emerging categories Alex is excited about: hair care, fragrance, and multicultural food brands

Episode Links:

Website: https://www.melitasventures.com/

Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-malamatinas-17a25124/

Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/melitasventures/

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com

Show Links:

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Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
Episode music by Super Fantastics

Transcript

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0:00.0	A few years back when I ran a beverage company, we had to launch using those plastic sleeves to put our designs on the cans.
0:08.0	But they looked bad, the sleeves get stretched out, they don't cover the full can, and overall they just look and feel low quality.
0:14.0	Lucky for you, digital can printing technology has come so far over the last few years that now you can launch your beverage brand or new skews with a fully
0:21.7	printed look and it's at similar pricing to those plastic sleeves.
0:25.3	Our friends at CanWorks, which is the largest U.S.-based digital can printer, are happy to work with
0:30.1	our community at very low minimums, even one palette.
0:32.9	They've got locations in the East Coast, the West Coast, Texas.
0:36.0	Get in touch with them through our contact form.
0:38.2	It's at canworksprinting.com slash startup CPG.
0:42.7	Thank you. I would say to stay focused.
1:01.4	When you're building an early stage company,
1:03.8	there's so many distractions.
1:05.5	There's retailers, there's investors,
1:08.4	there's people that can help you as advisors or team, and sort of really
1:13.2	focusing in on what you think is going to work for you and your company.
1:19.0	Hey everybody. I'm Hannah Ditman, Operations and Finance host of the Startup CPG podcast. Today, I'm
1:25.5	thrilled to be joined by Alex Malamatinas, founder and managing partner
1:29.1	of Melatos Ventures. Alex quite literally grew up in the consumer and CPG world, and that
1:34.7	lifelong love for the industry is what ultimately led him to launch Melatos Ventures in 2018.
1:40.1	He partners with visionary founders who are reinventing everyday consumer experiences,
1:44.2	the kinds of companies that become part of people's routines, habits, and lives.
1:48.3	Over the last five to 10 years, Alex has been involved in some of the most compelling CPG growth stories,
	...

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