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

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 goes into 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, including the key growth channels that proved successful early on. Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. 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.   Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on: DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internet Olivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplement Castmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates! DTCPod Instagram DTCPod Twitter DTCPod TikTok   Ariana Farahani - Founder & CEO of Plant Press Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Castmagic Ramon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic