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How Fire Department Coffee Turned Customers Into Investors With Equity Crowdfunding

During yesterday’s webcast, Fire Department Coffee CEO, Luke Schneider, discussed how he raised $ 1.8M for his business through crowdfunding with the help of StartEngine. The webcast also included Harrison Bert, Director of Sales for StartEngine and was moderated by Wayne Bennett, SVP of Retail for ECRM and RangeMe.

For those of you not familiar with it, equity crowdfunding allows startups to raise capital by selling shares of their company to a large number of investors, typically through an online platform. It’s rapidly becoming a vehicle of choice for emerging brands looking to raise capital quickly while maintaining control of their company, and enables everyday people to get in on the game with minimal investment. 

Why FDC chose equity crowdfunding

FDC’s Schneider

Fire Department Coffee Is one such brand. Based in Rockford, Ill. FDC is a veteran-owned business certified by the National Veteran-Owned Business Association and National Veteran Business Development Council, that was created and run by active and retired firefighters. Each batch of its coffee is freshly roasted in the U.S.A. Schneider and his team are committed to giving back via the Fire Department Coffee Charitable Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting first responders facing physical, mental, or other …

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Expo West begins today, and for the next few days many brands will experience a whirlwind of networking, handing out samples, schmoozing at after-hours events, and starting potential business deals. Once it all wraps up, though, now what? Well, then it’s time to turn that momentum into tangible success. You’ve invested time, money, and energy into the event, and now the post-trade show phase is crucial. 

Let’s break down the essential steps to ensure you make the most of your trade show experience (keep in mind that this is also relevant for brands wrapping up an ECRM session as well!).

Create Your Event Post-Mortem Document

The first step in your post-trade show checklist is to take a moment to breathe and reflect on the whirlwind of the past few days – and getting those notes down on paper. It’s incredible how quickly the event fades from our memory, so now is the time to document the experience so you have it for future reference. 

Did you achieve your goals? Whether it’s expanding your network of potential distributors, finding a new co-packer, securing new orders, or simply gaining exposure, this reflection is crucial for your future success. 

Create a post-show document …

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Behind the Scenes of a Professional Product Photo Shoot

In today’s digital world, having great product shots are essential to a brand’s success. Whether they are for grabbing the attention of buyers on your RangeMe profile, or driving D2C sales on your website and social media, how you visually showcase your products to the world should be a key component of every brand’s marketing strategy.

But what exactly is it that goes into capturing these images, whether they are pure product shots in front of a white background, or lifestyle shots in a variety of settings? To answer this question, I spoke with my friend Larry Shore of The Shore Shot to get a behind-the-scenes view of what went into the photos he recently shot for Daisy Betance, Founder of RangeMe subscriber Little Buddha. Below, he’ll walk us through his vision and setup for some of the product photos from the shoot for Little Buddha’s various digital platforms, with some guidance for brands that might look to shoot their own product photos. But first, a little about the brand…

A holistic approach to skincare

Little Buddha is committed to promoting a holistic approach to skincare that encompasses both the well-being of our planet and the well-being of our minds, …

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Saying ‘No’ Can Be Your Biggest Advantage as a CPG Brand

What makes a brand story sexy? What gives the appearance of a healthy and strong business? What gives friends and family the impression that you are killing it? Distribution gains. Fast and furious. 

What causes you to lose sleep at night and wake up in cold sweats? Distribution gains. Fast and furious.

Let me be clear. Fast growth isn’t the enemy. That’s not what I’m saying at all. Growth that is intentional and smart is the name of the game. Know what you are getting into. Be intentional with your decisions. Run the numbers. With every opportunity, with every retailer. If the economics of the deal don’t show a path to making money with the new distribution, then you are looking at a fast lane to defeat.

Know when to say NO

Knowing when to say no is a super power in CPG. This understanding is the key to the kingdom. It comes down to being Nice versus being Kind. Being nice to your brand/business would be taking on all the new distribution and growing the brand as fast as possible. It’s sexy at parties. It feels good for people to see your product in more places, but it is …

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In our previous column, you learned how to successfully move inventory and the strategies you can use to optimize your placement. In this article, we’re diving deep into the world of advertising! We’ll break down the different types of advertising, why they’re important, and the secrets you need to know to get the attention of top retail buyers.

Let’s get started!

The importance of advertising

Advertising plays a crucial role in CPG marketing. This is highlighted in the fact that “roughly 23% of CPG companies’ budgets were devoted to marketing efforts in early 2023,” making it the highest share of ad expenditures among all U.S. industries.

Overall, advertising in any form serves three primary purposes:

Inform Persuade Remind

Advertising also works to serve several strategic functions because it:

Differentiates your product in a saturated market Builds brand recognition & loyalty  Drives sales & market share gains Educates others on your products’ benefits & uses Establishes and reinforces your brand image

When it comes to CPG marketing, advertising helps inform consumers and retail buyers about your brand and exists as a platform to educate people about the benefits it provides. It allows you to make a more intimate and emotional connection …

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4 Product Submissions, 4 Buyer Meetings, 4 Deals: How GearHaul Did it with RangeMe

One of the benefits of being a RangeMe Starter or Premium subscriber brand is the opportunity to submit products to buyers who have immediate, limited-time opportunities that take place throughout the year. During these campaigns, retailers, distributors and foodservice operators invite brands that meet specific criteria to submit their products to be considered for placement on the shelf or in a menu. 

The reason why this is such a great opportunity is a matter of timing. When one of these limited-time campaigns is held, it means the buyers are actually searching for a product in their category, and for brands with products in that category, there is no better time to have these products in front of them. Indeed, it’s the most proactive way for a brand to leverage the RangeMe platform.

GearHaul is a perfect example of this. The RangeMe Premium subscriber brand markets products – all manufactured in Kansas – that safely and securely transport outdoor equipment such as chainsaws, buckets, and assorted tools. It caters to a very niche market, and getting its products in front of the right retail buyers would be a daunting task if it had to do it all on its own. But …

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