About Us
Startup CPG is a national community for emerging brands.
We are a team of passionate people who love to build products that make our bodies happy and our world healthy. We are advocates for change and champions for your success. We are volunteers who want to see emerging brands succeed against larger household names. With backgrounds ranging from big CPG, big Ag, startups, non-profits, academia, biosciences, and more, our team provides a full 360 approach to helping brands grow. If we aren’t connecting, learning, and fueling positive change, then we should rethink our approach. We know that growing pains come with the territory, and we’re committed to finding better ways to make the hard stuff just a little bit easier.
To join our team, email daniel@startupcpg.com. We'll find the perfect role.
Team members
Daniel Scharff
Karina Martinez
Karina Martinez
Daniel founded Startup CPG to help small brands succeed.
He's the CEO of a Miami-based beverage company (stealth mode), formerly head of strategy & insights at Eat Just, Mars Chocolate, Deloitte, and a Wharton MBA.
Karina Martinez
Karina Martinez
Karina Martinez
Karina leads communications and partnerships for Startup CPG.
She is the founder of Avana Creative and an experienced brand strategist with a huge passion for startups in food & beverage
Grace Uvezian
Karina Martinez
Patricia Menegoto
Grace is the head of partnerships for Startup CPG.
She specializes in brand strategy and marketing in the food and beverage space, and is passionate about environmentally-conscious food companies.
Patricia Menegoto
Patricia Menegoto
Patricia Menegoto
Patricia manages community & events for Startup CPG.
She is a Brand Experience Designer that focuses on seizing that AHA moment, and is passionate about food-tech startups & building community
Rusty Schwartz
Patricia Menegoto
Amanda Rodriguez
Rusty brings Startup CPG a wealth of knowledge and connections.
He is the founder of KitchenTown and has provided access to resources to hundreds of early stage food companies.
Amanda Rodriguez
Patricia Menegoto
Amanda Rodriguez
Amanda is our Microgrants program manager and hosted Startup CPG Podcast's Season 1.
A strategic ops manager, she loves uncovering the nuanced stories and processes behind our favorite new products.
Team members (continued)
Caitlin Martin
Caitlin Martin
Caitlin Martin
Caitlin is Startup CPG's head of investor relations
Her background include foodag corporate strategy, management consulting, and investment banking. She's pursuing her MBA at Tuck ('22)
Jennifer Lee
Caitlin Martin
Caitlin Martin
Jennifer is Startup CPG's head of product.
Her leadership roles span Operations, Marketing, and Management Consulting, and she holds an MBA from The Wharton School.
Kirk Visola
Caitlin Martin
Mary Beth Allen
Kirk is a creator and a conceptor, and the Creative Director for Startup CPG.
He loves simple and clean design, great coffee, delicious cocktails, and taking long walks through his favorite video games. He is the founder of MIND THE FONT, a Black-owned full service design agency.
Mary Beth Allen
Mary Beth Allen
Mary Beth Allen
Mary manages global development for Startup CPG, helping EU & UK brands enter the US, and vice versa.
She's a brand owner, brand marketing consultant, and import/export specialist, focused on Natural, Organic, Health & Wellness CPG companies.
Jenna Movsowitz
Mary Beth Allen
Jenna Movsowitz
Jenna works on our publication, The Spotlight, and is part of our marketing team.
She is passionate about writing (she's working on her first book!) and even more passionate about food, especially when it comes from small, sustainable brands.
Jimmy Kepner
Mary Beth Allen
Jenna Movsowitz
Jimmy focuses on building amazing products for the Startup CPG community.
His background is in management consulting, focusing on supply chain and operations for food & beverage companies. He’s enrolled in NYU Stern’s MBA program starting Fall 2020.
Team members (continued)
Erin Fasano
Shannon Hamilton
Shannon Hamilton
Erin is the Editor for The Spotlight, Startup CPG's content arm featuring the amazing brands & experts in our community.
Erin has 15 years experience in marketing and advertising and a passion for scaling food & beverage brands. She has an MBA from the University of Southern California.
Shannon Hamilton
Shannon Hamilton
Shannon Hamilton
Shannon works on Startup CPG's product team.
She is a martech product manager at Adobe who has spent her career helping organizations create meaningful experiences for their customers. An international woman of mystery, she's lived in 7 countries and has an MBA from Kellogg at Northwestern University.
Ryan Callery
Shannon Hamilton
Ryan Callery
Ryan works on The Spotlight, Startup CPG's content arm.
Ryan is a 15 year CPG journeyman, with time well-enjoyed across agency and marketing services vendors (Doner Advertising, Upshot Marketing) and as a copywriter for large brands like Miller Brewing and small brands like Oars & Alps and Brandless.
Yami Godoy
Erica Johnson
Ryan Callery
Yami works on insights & analytics for Startup CPG.
She’s a strategist and researcher that believes in the power of data and storytelling. She is passionate about sustainable food systems and thinks everyone should have access to healthy and responsibly sourced products.
Erica Johnson
Erica Johnson
Erica Johnson
Erica helps emerging brands find out about Startup CPG and our resources.
After 9 years in finance, Erica decided to go back to school for bioengineering to pursue her dream career in cellular agriculture (UC '22!) She believes sustainable & quality food production is the key to a happy planet.
David Komisar
Erica Johnson
Erica Johnson
David works on communications and partnerships for Startup CPG.
Bringing a professional background in B2C logistics, David is most passionate about environmental responsibility and all things The Strokes.
Jennifer Blundell
Jennifer Blundell
Jennifer Blundell
Jennifer hosts the Startup CPG podcast, uncovering stories behind today's youngest brands & industry leaders.
She has over a decade of experience building integrated marketing strategies and is passionate about increasing representation of diverse people and voices in brand narratives.
Andy Kurtts
Jennifer Blundell
Jennifer Blundell
Andy manages Startup CPG’s eNewsletter.
He is the founder & creative director of Buttermilk Creative specializing in packaging design for the specialty food & beverage industry.