Minimart 7/10: When is the "right" time to launch? 🚀

Ft. Jason Burke, Founder @ New Primal

July 10, 2025

For this week's edition, I’m so excited to share some incredible insights from one of my favorite CPG founders to follow, Jason Burke! Jason is the founder of New Primal, a clean-label protein snack company that has seen rapid growth in the past few years.

We got into everything from the value of building a personal brand to knowing when to innovate (without cannibalizing your core SKUs). Here’s what he had to say →

What's your playbook for managing product innovation when it might disrupt your current shelf presence? How do you test new formats without jeopardizing core placement?

Jason: The first step is knowing your core. If you’re not growing your base SKUs, innovation will only distract. So we treat every new idea like a startup within the company—different margins, different KPIs, different launch channels. And if I could do it over again, I'd extend MUCH slower—the core SKUs should get the dollars your extensions will require, and you should prioritize velocity on core SKUs far above extending the line, particularly when you are subscale. 

We often test through DTC, Amazon, or a strategic retail partner willing to pilot in a handful of stores. If we can prove velocity and consumer love there, we bring it to a broader reset conversation.

And yes—shopper marketing is key. You can’t just toss a new item on shelf and hope it sticks. You need trial-driving tactics, influencer support, and some retail media dollars behind it.

You've been talking about your goal of "coming home" to your POG. For brands considering a format pivot, what's your framework for weighing 'keeping your current POG spot' versus 'betting on a new category with better long-term potential'?

Jason: It starts with brutal honesty about where you actually win. For us, we spread ourselves too thin early on—too many formats, too many aisles. And even when things weren’t working, we tried to force them to.

Now we look at:

1. Velocity vs. real estate – Is this POG spot actually moving volume?
2. Margin and supply chain – Can we scale it without sacrificing quality or cash
3. Long-term brand alignment – Does this format reinforce our core brand promise?

If it’s not a clear “hell yes,” we move on. Format pivots can be powerful—but only when they're rooted in both consumer demand and operational feasibility.

You've said before how critical it is to time a launch properly. How do you know when it's the "right" time vs. when to wait?

Jason: The “right” time lives at the intersection of internal readiness and external opportunity.

- Internal readiness = supply chain is dialed, COGs are validated, and you can support growth without breaking.
- External opportunity = the buyer is looking for this, the trend has heat, and you’ve got a clear distribution angle.

If either one of those is missing, it’s probably too early. I’ve launched too early before—and paid for it in chargebacks and out-of-stocks. Now we ask ourselves: Are we ready to scale this if it actually works? If the answer’s no, we hit pause.

How do you quantify the value of building a brand in public? And how would you suggest other founders start building their personal brand?

Jason: Building in public has been a game changer. It’s led to distribution wins, investor intros, podcast invites, and even team hires. But more than that, it’s created connection. I’ve built real relationships with founders and operators across the country who’ve DM’d me after reading a post that hit home. And when you’re in the trenches, that kind of community matters.

For founders just starting: you don’t need a content calendar or perfect brand voice. You need honesty. Share what’s actually happening. The hard days, the wins, the learning curves. That’s how you build trust. Not with polish—but with presence.

A special thank you to Jason for sharing his CPG wisdom from deep in the founder trenches. If you’re looking for more brand-building insights from Jason (can’t blame you), check out his newsletter!

Now, onto this week in retail media and shopper marketing.

— Eleanor

What’s in our cart?

Biena Edamame Snacks

I’m always looking for portable, high-protein snacks for myself and my kids - and Biena has been a recent go-to. These little on-the-go pouches contain 13g of plant-based protein, made with only edamame, avocado oil, and seasonings. An instant solution for my salty cravings (which are frequent…), and a nutritious powerhouse all in one!!

Alec’s Culture Cup

Everyone deserves an ice cream treat in the summer months, and this is my new favorite. Alec’s organic, regenerative, A2 dairy probiotic ice cream is topped with a chocolatey shell (reminiscent of Magic Shell…IYKYK) in the perfect single-serve cup. It’s such a smart innovation from a brand I already loved - can’t wait to crack into more of these this summer.

Retail Roundup

Featured retailer marketing updates, deadlines, tips, and more!

🛍️ New Grocery Retailers Live on Criteo Platform

Weis Markets, Winn-Dixie, and Harveys are now available to activate on the Criteo platform through Mercatus. What you need to know →

  • This will offer expanded reach into established regional grocers, all through one platform

  • Product ads will only display where items are available for online purchase through each retailer

  • Expect similar targeting limitations as Uber Eats or Shipt—you can't target specific retailers individually

Pro tip: Test different creative approaches! What worked in Target or Walmart may not see the same results in regional grocery chains.

✨ DoorDash Platform Updates

DoorDash is rolling out dayparting targeting, automatic bidding improvements, and enhanced sponsored brands features. Let’s break it down →

  • Dayparting: You can now schedule campaigns during specific times to target meal periods and delivery windows

  • Real-time bid adjustments will maximize clicks at lowest cost for food delivery

  • For sponsored brands, you can now add images and measure Brand Halo & customer acquisition metrics

What this means for you: While there’s no action required for bidding changes (existing campaigns continue unchanged), it’s worth considering how you can now optimize for dayparting. Don’t just focus on key meal hours - instead, test some non-peak hours when there’s less competition for ad space.

Curious about how to maximize spend on DoorDash Ads as an emerging brand? I’m co-hosting a webinar next Wednesday, 7/16 at 1 PM ET with Adweek, DoorDash, and our wonderful client, MALK!

đź’Ż Albertsons Companies Updates JBP Credit Structure

Neptune investment now counts 100% of annual commitments with Albertsons Media Collective, up from the previous 50% credit.

This applies to all of Neptune’s Retail Solutions at Albertsons →

  • In-store brand equity media and promotional signage (Shelftalk, Banner, Floortalk, Carts, Connected Shelf)

  • Banner for U™ digital coupons and rebates, including broad, geo-targeted, and purchase-based targeting

  • In-Lane receipt coupons delivered post-transaction by qualifying purchases

What this means for you: This credit structure improvement effectively doubles the annual commitment value of your Neptune investments at Albertsons. Now that you can rely more heavily on Neptune to fulfill your Albertsons commitments, you can free up budget for other marketing activities, or do more comprehensive Neptune campaigns without worrying about hitting minimums.

Thanks for reading!

— Eleanor