Launch a brand

people want to shop

You’ve got a product idea, maybe samples, and a name— but you’re not sure how to turn it into a brand. That’s where I come in.

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Launching a CPG brand? Start with strategy.

Launching a CPG brand? Start with strategy.

Launching a CPG brand? Start with strategy. Launching a CPG brand? Start with strategy.

Build your brand right from the start

Building a CPG food & beverage brand isn’t just about your product— it’s about launching a brand people want to shop.

But before your logo, packaging, or flavors comes brand strategy.

This is where I come in.

Your brand strategy is the roadmap that turns a product idea into a brand. It defines what makes you different, why people will buy, and how to create buzz and stand out on shelf.

It’s also the roadmap you’ll need to launch— sharing it with your food scientist for formulation direction, your designer for branding, potential investors, and early retail partners.

As a first-time food or beverage founder, you’re juggling a lot. And without a clear strategy, it’s easy to fall into common missteps like confusing messaging, inconsistent branding, or missed retail opportunities that slow your launch before it even begins.

That’s why brand strategy pre-launch changes everything.

Meet Kelly

Hi! I’m Kelly Bennett a New York City–based brand strategist for CPG food & beverage founders and host of Emerging Brands Podcast®.

I got my start in CPG by bootstrapping a nationally recognized plant-based restaurant. I built community before launch through social media, activations, and partnerships, then scaled it from the ground up earning press in Forbes, CNN, and the LA Times, and expanding to multiple locations. Along the way, I collaborated with emerging CPG brands we sourced from, gaining firsthand insight into what early-stage founders truly need and why consumers choose the brands that fit their lifestyle. Combined with 15+ years working with early-stage brands across hospitality, food, beverage, and lifestyle, this experience shaped the framework, industry network, and market insight I now bring to founders.

Today, I help pre-launch CPG founders turn better-for-you product ideas into brands people want to shop.

Why Brand Strategy

pre-launch

Build your audience early with a list of people excited to buy at launch

1.

2.

hit the market the right way, with the right people behind you

Launch with buzz by Building in public on social, activations, and community before hitting shelves

3.

Tell me more

Who I work with

First-time CPG food & beverage founders

pre-launch brands

Founders with a cool and delicious product

Ready to turn a product idea into a brand that stands out and sells

learn more

Working with me, you’ll get…

  • Retail Buyer Consult

    I consult with a specialty retail buyer who’s worked with 1,000+ emerging brands giving my clients insights most founders don’t get until it’s too late.

  • Buzz Building

    I believe in every brand I say yes to working with from sharing their stories on Emerging Brands Podcast® to build early awareness within the industry and with consumers, to creating content with products.

  • Community

    Connecting you with my community of founders shaping the next generation of CPG brands.

  • Industry Network

    Warm intros to vetted partners for trademarks, food scientists, branding, photography, PR, go-to-market, finance, and more so you don’t waste time guessing who to work with.

  • Founder Support

    Check-in calls and emails with me as you launch

Your Brand Strategy will…

uncover what makes your product unique and stands out on the shelf

find out who’s your buyer and how to reach them

create buzz with content, activations, and first retailers

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  • 'Before She’s the Sauce was even a concept, I met with Kelly, and from day one, she helped me shape this brand into something truly unique. Her strategic mind helped me uncover what made my sauces different, find the key selling points that would resonate, and has helped create the kind of buzz that every founder dreams of..."

    Nicole Glabman, Founder She’s the Sauce

  • "...Pop Up Grocer slid into our dms and before I knew it we had launched inside one of the most respected entities for up and coming CPG brands - we were on the shelves, standing out among the other coffees that surrounded us. This is just the beginning of our growth and retail journey - grateful I was smart enough to hire Kelly when we did!"

    Stefanie Frank, Co-founder, Frankly Good Coffee

  • "Working with Kelly was one of the most transformative experiences I've had as someone new to marketing and branding. From day one, her warm, encouraging energy created a space where I felt supported and confident to push our brand’s strategy to new heights. Kelly brings a rare blend of expertise, thoughtfulness, and genuine enthusiasm to everything she does. Her 110% commitment was evident in every interaction, and her passion for her craft is something that continues to inspire me every day!"

    Julia Ferron, Head of Marketing Far Out

Clients

far out

New Zealand style ice cream

Frankly Good Coffee

Make your mornings suck less

She’s the sauce

Sauce, with benefits

Brands to watch: She's the Sauce, COTTO, Nomie, Glowstate, Little Twists

Brands to watch: She's the Sauce, COTTO, Nomie, Glowstate, Little Twists

Emerging Brands Podcast®

Stories behind the brands you’ll want to shop next.

Listen to the pod

Client launch!

My client She's the Sauce had a sold-out presale! You’ll soon taste a new protein-packed, fiber-filled sauce line; starting with creamy ranch and honey mustard. These sauces are made without seed oils, gums, or fillers, making them a clean, better-for-you option!

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Your brand is

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