How Smearcase Is Building a New Kind of Ice Cream Brand with Joe Rotondo

Building a Supplement Brand with No Shortcuts and a Lot of Hustle with Zac Curhan

Launching a supplement brand is hard enough but building one around clean ingredients, outdoor performance, and spiritual alignment instead of hype and artificial formulas? That’s a very different approach to wellness. In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, Dan sits down with Zac Curhan, co-founder of Truwild, a natural supplement brand creating clean hydration, kombucha, and performance products for people who push beyond the gym. From bootstrapping the company with just $5,000 to scaling across Amazon, Shopify, wholesale, and TikTok, Zac shares how intuition, adaptability, and relentless experimentation shaped Truwild into a growing force in the supplement space. You’ll hear how Zac: * Built Truwild from scratch with just $5K and reinvested profits to grow the business organically. * Created products designed for hikers, surfers, endurance athletes, and outdoor adventurers — not just gym culture. * Developed unique formulations using natural caffeine, kombucha powder, electrolytes, amino acids, and functional ingredients. * Leveraged customer feedback and surveys to shape future products, flavors, and packaging formats. * Pivoted away from underperforming SKUs and learned difficult inventory lessons along the way. * Used Amazon as a primary growth engine while strategically narrowing focus across sales channels. * Built wholesale relationships through cold calls, product seeding, and direct outreach to independent retailers. * Used TikTok seeding campaigns, local events, and brand collaborations to drive organic awareness and traffic. We also get into the bigger picture: * Why electrolytes are far more important than most people realize. * The realities of building a profitable supplement brand without outside funding. * Why customer reviews and social proof are critical in modern e-commerce. * How TikTok, Amazon, and organic content now work together in the customer buying journey. * Using AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and automation systems to streamline operations and decision-making. * Zac’s philosophy around meditation, intuition, spirituality, and connecting to a “higher self” for entrepreneurial growth. 🌿 Whether you’re an e-commerce founder, wellness enthusiast, or someone interested in the intersection of business, health, and personal growth, this episode is packed with practical lessons and unconventional insights. Brands & Mentions: * Truwild [https://truwild.com/] * Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/] * Shopify [https://www.shopify.com/] * Whole Foods [https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/] * GT's Kombucha [https://gtslivingfoods.com/] * Red Bull [https://www.redbull.com/] * HOKA [https://www.hoka.com/] * ChatGPT [https://chatgpt.com/] * Claude [https://claude.ai/] * OpenClaw [https://openclaw.ai/] * Rolflex [https://rolflexrecovery.com/] Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Truwild & Its Mission 02:45 Why Electrolytes Matter More Than You Think 05:20 Reinventing Kombucha as a Powder 08:10 Building Truwild with Just $5K 11:00 Early Product Development & Scaling Challenges 13:30 Why Amazon Became the Core Growth Channel 16:20 Organic Marketing, TikTok, & Community Events 19:00 Influencer Seeding & Brand Collaborations 22:15 The Realities of Paid Ads in Supplements 24:00 Wholesale Strategy & Cold Calling Retailers 32:30 Customer Feedback, Product Iteration, & SKU Decisions 35:40 Meditation, Spirituality, & Entrepreneurial Intuition 40:40 Using AI & Automation to Scale E-commerce Operations

How Smearcase Is Building a New Kind of Ice Cream Brand with Joe Rotondo

Launching a food brand is never easy — but creating an entirely new category like frozen cottage cheese ice cream? That’s a different level of bold. In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, Dan sits down with Joe Rotundo, founder of Smearcase, the first and only frozen cottage cheese dessert brand built for people who want indulgence and clean, protein-packed ingredients. From a late-night craving for a healthier dessert to landing on shelves at major retailers, Joe shares how relentless action, rapid iteration, and authentic storytelling helped turn a simple idea into a fast-growing CPG brand. You’ll hear how Joe: *  Turned a DIY mix of cottage cheese, honey, and fruit into a brand-new product category.  *  Went from idea to market testing in just a few months by prioritizing speed and feedback.  *  Partnered with his sister early on to develop recipes and refine the product.  *  Used real-world validation (not just friends and family) to shape flavors, branding, and positioning.  *  Navigated early production, co-packing, and a 5,000-pint launch strategy.  *  Leveraged trade shows like Fancy Food Show to land meetings with major retailers like Whole Foods and Sprouts.  *  Built momentum through in-person demos, networking, and relationship-first outreach.  *  Embraced a polarizing brand name — and why standing out mattered more than pleasing everyone.  We also get into the bigger picture: *  Why “healthy ice cream” is broken — and how Smearcase is redefining indulgence with real ingredients.  *  The power of relentless execution vs. overthinking in early-stage startups.  *  How founders can validate ideas quickly without overbuilding.  *  Why human relationships still beat cold emails and LinkedIn pitches in CPG.  *  Organic social strategy — and how to create content that actually feels authentic (even if you’re busy or camera-shy).  *  The realities of launching in retail, scaling distribution, and building a brand from scratch.  🍦 Whether you’re a founder, fitness-minded foodie, or someone curious about how new food categories are born, Joe’s story is a masterclass in speed, simplicity, and showing up consistently. Brands & Mentions: * Smearcase [https://smearcase.com/] * Whole Foods [https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/] * Sprouts Farmers Market [https://www.sprouts.com/] * Fancy Food Show [https://www.specialtyfood.com/fancy-food-shows/summer/] * Good Culture [https://goodculture.com/] * HY.Q [https://drinkhyq.com/] * REI [https://www.rei.com/] * Dick's Sporting Goods [https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/] Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Smearcase  02:00 The “healthy dessert” problem  05:30 From idea to action (June 2023 origin story)  08:45 Validating the product in the real world  12:00 Branding, flavor iteration, and feedback loops  16:20 Breaking into retail & first production run  20:00 Building relationships with buyers  23:00 Organic marketing & content strategy  26:00 Founder mindset and execution philosophy  29:00 Speed round & personal insights  31:00 What’s next for Smearcase

From Family Farm to Grocery Aisles: How Lottie’s Meats Is Elevating the Pork Category

Launching a CPG brand is always a grind — but reinventing pork sausage with chef-crafted recipes, premium cuts, and a sixth-generation family farm story? That’s a whole new challenge. In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, Dan sits down with Cassie Maschhoff, co-founder of Lottie’s Meats, the sister-run brand elevating pork with gourmet sausages and ground blends made from real ingredients, responsible sourcing, and culinary craftsmanship. Cassie shares how she and her sister Chelsea turned family heritage and Michelin-level technique into one of the most exciting new meat brands on the market. You’ll hear how Cassie: * Transformed a sixth-generation Illinois family farm legacy into a modern, premium pork brand. * Partnered with her chef-trained sister to craft sausages using only pork loin, pork shoulder, and clean, real ingredients. * Navigated nine different co-packers to finally find partners who could uphold their exacting standards. * Built early traction through restaurant partnerships, farmers markets, pop-ups, and brewery takeovers in Denver. * Created cult-favorite products like The Lottie and perfected flavors through years of behind-the-scenes R&D. * Balanced the demands of cold-chain logistics, short shelf life, and monthly production while still growing fast. We also get into the bigger picture: * Why pork has gotten a bad rap — and how Lottie’s is changing that perception. * The operational realities (and chaos) of scaling a perishable food brand. * How retail, DTC, and food service each play their own role in Lottie’s growth. * Why differentiation, quality, and ironclad non-negotiables matter when working with co-packers. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build a modern food brand — from sourcing to storytelling to scaling in an unforgiving supply chain — this conversation is full of hard-won lessons and real-world strategies. 🍽️ Whether you’re a foodie, a founder, or someone fascinated by how craft brands break through, Cassie’s story is proof that pork can be premium, purposeful, and genuinely delicious again. Brands & Mentions: *  Scribe Winery [https://scribewinery.com/] *  Nugget Markets [https://www.nuggetmarket.com/] *  US Foods [https://www.usfoods.com/] *  Get Right’s Bakery [https://goodygetright.com/] *  Culinary Institute of America [https://www.ciachef.edu/] *  Maine Beer Company [https://mainebeercompany.com/] (“Lunch” IPA) *  Lottie’s Family Pork Farm Network [https://www.lottiesmeats.com/] * Shooka Sauce [https://shookasauce.com/] * Jennies House [https://jennieshouse.com/] * Realsy [https://eatrealsy.com/?srsltid=AfmBOookut91tu7DucRT4GKqfNfEdYV0DXiuJYsCk2iCL1PTtbj-4oSP] Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Lottie's Meats 02:48 Crafting Quality Sausages 05:41 Navigating Co-Packing Challenges 08:48 The Founder's Journey 11:32 Scaling and Distribution Strategies 14:20 Innovative Marketing Approaches 17:25 Product Development and Consumer Feedback 20:07 E-commerce and Digital Marketing Strategies 23:05 Community Engagement and Partnerships 25:59 Speed Round and Personal Insights

Launching a Non-Alcoholic Beer Brand on Shopify: Lessons from Go Brewing

Launching a consumer brand is never easy — but launching a brewery without alcohol? That’s a whole new challenge. In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, I sit down with Joe Chura, founder of Go Brewing, the non-alcoholic beer brand redefining how we think about social drinking. Joe shares his journey from idea to launch, the countless recipe iterations, and the marketing moves that helped Go Brewing quickly find its place in a competitive industry. You’ll hear how Joe: * Turned a personal vision into one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic breweries in the U.S. * Perfected the brewing process through relentless testing and innovation. * Built an online-first business with Shopify at the core of its growth strategy. * Leveraged subscriptions to create community and recurring revenue. * Collected and used customer feedback to guide new products and campaigns. * Balanced storytelling, social media, and PR to build credibility and excitement. We also dig into the bigger picture: * Why health-conscious consumers are fueling the non-alcoholic movement. * How “hybrid drinking” is changing beverage culture. * Where Joe sees opportunities in THC-infused beverages and beyond. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to build a modern CPG brand — from brewing to branding to building community — this conversation will inspire and challenge you. 🍺 Whether you’re sober curious, an entrepreneur, or just fascinated by where consumer trends are heading, Joe’s story is proof that you don’t need alcohol to build a buzz-worthy brand. Brands mentioned: * Go Brewing [https://gobrewing.com/] * Easy Man [https://drinkeasyman.com/ ] * Rich Roll [https://www.richroll.com/] * 75 Hard [https://andyfrisella.com/pages/75hard-info?srsltid=AfmBOoqVIPI0571TjMus_Jwo2U7NX0522XJJc17SAyTlxjchxWkDTtJa] * Heineken [https://www.heineken.com/] * Athletic Brewing [https://athleticbrewing.com/] * Building a Story Brand [https://storybrand.com/ ] by Donald Miller * Just for Men [https://www.justformen.com/] * Simpler Hair Color [https://www.amazon.com/Simpler-Hair-Color-Full-Coverage/dp/B0DC91LVXK/ref=sr_1_6?th=1 ] * Naperville Running Company [https://runningcompany.com/] * Jolie [https://jolieskinco.com/] Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Go Brewing and Non-Alcoholic Beers 07:33 The Journey to Starting Go Brewing 15:33 Brewing Process and Challenges 19:59 Launching and Marketing Go Brewing 28:24 Subscription Model and Customer Engagement 37:52 Future Trends in Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Turning Pistachios into Profit: How Pistakio Cracked the Nut Butter Category

In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, Dan sits down with Francine Voit, co-founder of Pistakio, to talk about how she turned an underused nut into a standout brand — and made pistachios fun, accessible, and delicious for everyone. Fran shares the inside story of how Pistakio started as a college capstone project, went viral with creative sampling stunts (including a tiramisu purse that made it through TSA!), and grew into a fast-scaling DTC and retail brand — all while staying taste-first and relentlessly scrappy. You’ll hear:  ✅ The simple sampling strategy that built word-of-mouth and early traction  ✅ How Pistakio turned customer feedback into product improvements  ✅ Creative ways they inspire customers to use their spreads in everyday recipes  ✅ Why taste-first product development beats trendy buzzwords  ✅ How Fran thinks about growing retail, DTC, and content — without paid ads If you love founder stories packed with practical CPG marketing lessons and organic growth tactics, this one’s for you. Tune in, grab a snack (maybe a pistachio or two), and enjoy! Products and brands mentioned during this episode include: * Pistakio [https://pistakio.co/] * Faire [https://www.faire.com/] * Bezi Labneh [https://www.eatbezi.com/] * Lottie's Meats [https://www.lottiesmeats.com/] * Michele Ferrero [https://www.maurispagnol.it/en/book/salvatore-giannella-michele-ferrero-9788831016759] Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Pistachio and Francine Voit 02:27 The Inspiration Behind Pistachio Products 05:25 Product Development and Market Entry 09:04 Sampling Strategy and Initial Sales 14:39 Balancing Direct-to-Consumer and Retail Sales 17:46 Viral Marketing and Content Creation 19:55 Retail Partnerships and Growth Strategies 21:50 Advice for Aspiring Founders 24:09 Speed Round and Personal Insights