Eli

Day One FM. Welcome back. Today on the pod we're joined by Emily Schildt. She is the founder and CEO of Pop Up Grocer, a discovery destination for new better for you products and girl dinners everywhere. It's what she calls a playground of possibilities. It is a very fun and wide ranging conversation that covers the future, the future of grocery shopping Cillian Murphy's one almond today diet during the filming of Oppenheimer and much, much more. I am of course, joined today by my co-hosts, Clara and Trey and they might want to dive in on who else we might be joined by here on planet Earth because there was some very interesting thought provoking, potentially conspiratorial news coming out of a congressional hearing just this week.

Trey

Right? The key takeaways, the US government is sheltering alien spacecraft, we have non-humans.

Eli

Non-Humans, that's the terms the term that they use.

Clara

Non-human biological matter at that so we don't even know what the non-human parts might be.

Trey

Were you guys believers, are you? Did you think aliens were real? Now that it's confirmed? It's undeniable. But before? Before yesterday?

Clara

I've I mean, I've been an alien. You know, I feel like people are either alien people or ghost people. Oftentimes, I've been an alien person, I would say, for a pretty long time. News like and I were just talking about this before the pod there was some news back in May from a scientist, I don't think he was like a government official, but basically talking about how he had been treating some pilots who had had UFO encounters, and that the physical symptoms that they presented with, were not consistent with anything else he had ever like, witnessed before. He was a believer that they had had some sort of encounter of a third kind, potentially, so I've been tracking the alien stuff. I'd say pretty closely. I was kind of shocked that the UFO business wasn't more of like a dominant story. Yesterday, you know, like when all the girlies posts are infographics, it grid like four things you need to know about UFOs like, you know, that type of thing.

Trey

How to interact with our new friends.

Clara

There was like a surprising like, small amount of like, I guess, social chatter about it, at least that I saw. Maybe I'm more into it than those I follow, but I was tracking it quite closely.

Trey

Yeah, it didn't really. It didn't really pierce through consumer culture the way Barbie did for example.

Eli

Oh, my God, must we, must we?

Trey

But yeah, I just think it's really interesting that it's taken this long, I guess to I don't know release the release the body. Yeah.

Clara

Were you guys both alien people or no? Like, are you still skeptical?

Trey

I'm still not. It seems like a big distraction. I'm not sure what's really going on. That is my conspiracy. There's something afoot.

Clara

Bigger than aliens.

Trey

But okay, so a pentagon spokeswoman, Susan, I don't know how to say her last name, said in the statement that the Defense Department Task Force does not have any, quote, verifiable information to substantiate claims that any programs regarding the possession or reverse engineering of extraterrestrial materials have existed in the past or exist currency. Whereas, Mr. Burchett, who is.

Eli

You mean exists currently?

Trey

That's what this person said, Susan, but Republican of Tennessee lamented a cover up saying the devil has been in our way. So clearly, I think there's something afoot.

Eli

Yeah. Well, I think this conversation has always been going on, you know, the area 51-er's of the world. I think there's always been chatter about extraterrestrials. It's not, it doesn't exactly seem like the tinfoil hat conspiracy. But I think what's happened now is that you do have like, factions of the government who are a bit more like they spend a lot of time on the internet or are willing to entertain these, you know, what might seem to some to be conspiracy theories, and very well, maybe, but you know, what, I mean, you have the kind of like, anti government government, that's like, I know, we've been covering something up down there. And then you have, you know, retired military personnel or Air Force pilots who may or may not have seen things.

Trey

Well, what I find interesting and we often talk about this on the pod is like how the state of the world often you know, requires us to create things like fake trends or girl dinner or whatever the case may be that we ended up focusing a lot of our attention on that you know, I hate to say it aren't truly aren't truly important topics but so that's why I'm confused I suppose to your point Clara about the UFO reveal had like holding less weight than I thought it might with all of the things going on in the world excessive heat, you know, death and destruction, that people aren't focused more on something maybe silly, maybe real, maybe just fun. Distract ourselves?

Clara

Well, I think it's been and I I don't know, we can also always segue into Oppenheimer, which is no big deal of itself, I guess. But I think I mean, I agree Trey. I think it's been an interesting news summer to the extent that like, there's been these massive things that have like overtaking the conversation, there's been Barbie, there's been like, the Taylor Swift concert series, the Renaissance story, concert series, and all these things that are kind of like, light and fun. And then contrasted with I would say, is like a pretty bizarre hard news landscape of like, Mitch McConnell glitching out, like terrible, like Outlook slash forecast for the next few years from like, a global warming standpoint, like massive disruptions happening from that already UFOs landing, and that stuff, at least, I would say, in terms of my social scroll people that I know and follow is just like, not breaking through. And I wonder if that's also to the point that you're making, like a self distraction thing? Or whether it's, you know, just bizarre timing.

Eli

Yeah. I mean, I was scrolling through X formerly, formerly Twitter but I did, I did see a tweet that I'll read out loud that I feel like kind of like, encapsulated, this, like, weird culture that we'd like this very bizarre culture that we are living through today. It's kind of dope, that this might be the most profound revelation in human history. And I'm hearing, hearing it on the toilet and immediately scrolling past to look at something funnier. So it's like, I just feel like we live in this landscape in which you have so much noise and, you know, atomic particles being being blasted at you from different directions. And those atomic particles could be Barbie Girl dinner, the NPC Tiktok trend, the fact that the water in Florida was 101 degrees, etc. So it's like, you almost don't even know where to direct your attention, or what carries weight, like the hierarchy of news is totally flattened, which is not necessarily like a hot take. I think we've discussed that for a while now. But it's like, at what point does something truly become like, oh, shit, this is like proper, properly news when everything kind of gets the same real estate on, you know, the virtual newspaper that is our feed,

Trey

But apart. So yes, we've been talking about this, but I have a theory, which is not a huge mind blowing thing, but I am seeing this flattening happening more and more where I am seeing these accounts on social specifically that are treating, you know, even silly subject matter, like the Taylor Swift concerts, and people not being able to get tickets to them as very weighty topics about like, how people are finding jobs to work at venues, so they can bypass, you know, paying for tickets that actually work. They're the work the concert, or you know, people looking deeper into like these.

Eli

I saw that, that was so bleak. Can you read the the header real quick for that, because I feel like that got a lot of attention as like a very feel good, a very feel good story when I feel like if you scratch a little deeper, it's it's pretty bleak about like the state of employment and the cost of living and the fact that it costs like, whatever three months of rent maybe one month, depending on where you live in the country to be able to afford stuff like this.

Trey

Well, yeah, I think that it's been kind of reported throughout the summer that everywhere that Taylor Swift or Beyonce stops on tour, the hotel prices are kind of going through the roof, they actually called tour-flation, essentially, basically, meaning that like all of the spending around these concerts, you know, makes a dent in the economy, essentially, and people are scrambling to get tickets. It's like the biggest tour it seems like ever before than in history. I don't know if that's true, I'm making that up. But you know, the fans themselves are basically applying to work at these stadiums just so they can see the show for free since the difficulty of obtaining tickets has become kind of a running joke and huge frustration among the fan base. So yeah, I guess that like people are literally opting to work to see their faves. But the point that I was trying to make earlier it was like, I just came across this example. I didn't look for it or scroll for it. It's swipe to hear Akita gasify mortgages and the Reagan administration. New York based comedian Nikita dump truck is breaking down difficult political and economic topics for the girls, the self proclaimed professor at Benbow university it covers everything from what legal terms mean to what's happening with Trump's indictment. So basically the point being that like I think that we are seeing this really weird like you said flattening of you know, silly topics turned into breaking news like I found out about Mitch McConnell via pop crave, which is, you know, famously silly kind of aggregation account for the stans. But yeah, so I think it is hard when you know, UFO reveal comes along, and it's supposed to be this like, finally Aha, gotcha moment or something. And people kind of just like, chuckle and scroll by to find something funnier.

Eli

All right, well, stick around for part two of the pod. Emily is going to stop by great conversation on food, snack status, grocery shopping, which personally gives me anxiety but Pop Up Groced is here to quell some of that. So be sure to tune in. Emily Schildt Welcome to the pod. How are you doing today?

Emily Schildt

Good! Thank you for having me.

Eli

Thanks for stopping by. You are our first guest in our new podcast studio.

Trey

Inaugural guests.

Emily Schildt

No presh

Eli

First impression so far?

Emily Schildt

Very, yeah, very sophisticated. Yeah, sounding lovely. You have snacks. Yeah. Those aren't necessarily snacks approved by me. We can work on that.

Clara

Yeah, we were a little bit briefly like insecure about our snack Trey.

Emily Schildt

Yeah, I think you should be honestly. Yeah, you should.

Eli

Perfect segue. I know. It's a little padded walls in here too. But that's okay. It's for it's for soundproofing. So just to dive right into it. So you found it Pop Up, Grocer.

Emily Schildt

Yes.

Eli

Talk us through a little bit. What that is you also just open your first permanent retail location in Greenwich Village?

Emily Schildt

Yes, it is the stuff that pops up now.

Eli

The stuff that pops up. So yeah, talk us through a little bit about the journey. What makes Pop Up Grocer different from any other grocery store that you might walk into? Yeah,

Emily Schildt

Yeah, I found it very accidentally. I was working as a marketing consultant with emerging brands, helping them mostly at the point of launch. So on their brand, ID, their digital presence, their social presence, their brand voice. Kind of helping them become, you know, ready for market ready to introduce themselves. And it was through that process that I got the idea for what is now Pop Up Grocer, because I learned for the first time how hard it is for them to very simply get on a shelf. And I guess more importantly, like get on a shelf, with impact and with reach. So I super naively was like, Oh, it doesn't exist, I'll create it. Right. Didn't have any money, or understanding of how to do that. Nor like any commitment to this as a business, I just thought it was gonna be a fun project, maybe a way to create a pipeline of clients or my consulting practice. So I thought, hey, I'll do a pop up. And it was 10 days long. And to fund it, I more or less introduced, what is still our business model today. And our value proposition, which is an advertising first space. And so I went to the brands and said, hey, you know, we'll get you in front of your target consumers, we'll get you in front of media buyers, investors, and people of importance and value to you and at the stage for a flat fee. And that covered all of my overhead made us profitable from day one. And then to my great surprise, people actually showed up people wrote about it. And here we are nine pop ups each 30 days long, and now permanent space four years later.

Trey

So when was the first pop up and like, where was it?

Emily Schildt

April of 2019. Your very gracious boss was there and bought a lot of snacks. And it was on Broome Street. So like in the Lower East Side. Nolita, depending on where you divide the line. in lower Manhattan.

Eli

What neighborhood that you make up the name? Yeah. So..

Emily Schildt

Lolita.

Eli

Yeah. Yeah, that's that might be a different one. So you talked about your value proposition a little bit and, you know, snooping around your website. I noticed there's an application process. So you don't just you know, platform any brand, right. So you and brands have to apply to be in the pop up, grocer. So talk us a little bit through like, what that application is like and why there is an application in the first place.

Emily Schildt

Yeah, I mean, we have a ethos and a set of criteria that I think is one of the reasons why people are interest didn't what we're doing and why they come to shop with us. And that, in summary requires that a brand be new to market, be responsibly sourced, responsibly made, and also be attractive, which the last part I understand is incredibly subjective. But we've been doing this for four years now. So it's much less of a guess what that is for our visitor than it was in the beginning. But essentially, you know, the packaging needs to be compelling needs to draw you in from the shelf. And so yeah, we find that the brands that have the most success with us meet those criteria, and thus in selecting them, you know, it's going to be the best experience for them in our space. Yeah,

Trey

I'm curious, like the kind of red tape of it all, because I imagine getting on a normal grocery shelf, you have to go through so many like checks and balances FDA approval or some something like that. I imagine. Before we even get to like the people in charge, who are the decision makers? I'm curious, like, what was the problem that you first identified in that realm? And how do you kind of like get, is there a get past it thing? Do they still have to have like, I don't know, FDA approval and all this stuff before you consider them? Or, I guess, like, how did you relieve those pain points?

Emily Schildt

Yeah, they're definitely in a sophistication level, where they're a proper business, they're FDA approved, they're meeting all of the regulations, they're not like at a farmers market, you know, testing something for the very first time, they're seriously and in order to, like, participate with us and have the objectives that our space would help them accomplish, they have to be pursuing this as like a real business. So that being said, our space has like little to no red tape apart from our criteria, you know, they shipped directly to us, so they don't have to be set up with a distributor. They are fulfilling pretty low quantities, you know, in comparison to a major retailer. So they don't have to have a massive amount of product that would serve as 250 stores. But unlike a boutique grocery store, you know, we do have a national platform, where buyers and retailers investors are paying attention to what we're doing so they're gonna get more exposure than they would another single independent store.

Trey

That's so cool. I, I'm curious, then, like, what are the products that someone might find a Pop Up Grocer? Just I know, it's hard to like, oh, pick the shelves. But, you know, had I never been before, what can I expect upon walking through the door?

Emily Schildt

Yeah, I mean, we're mostly vegan, and mostly gluten free, just by nature of our sourcing criteria. Everything is better for you. And I say that a little with a little caution, because you know, better for you healthy, these things are all very subjective term and personal according to how we like to eat and what feels right for our bodies. But, you know, we're picking things that are innovative upon the original. So, you know, it might be chips made from anything but potatoes. Basically, we do feature everything from, you know, chips and snacks to pantry staples, though, you know, I think a lot of people think of us as just a snacks destination. But increasingly, we have a lot of sauces and spreads and spices. We have a freezer, we have a refrigerator. So really the only thing that we don't have available is produce. Oh, cool, though, we have Oishi strawberries right now. And they are people are coming in droves for them. We make an exception if it's like hype produce, yeah.

Trey

Hype produce! New category. I also saw Chamberlain coffees there.

Emily Schildt

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you know, if you guys are paying attention to the space celebrity backed products is certainly a trend. We have better for you Nutella from Noah Schnapps. We have, what else?

Eli

No prime energy though?

Emily Schildt

Nope. Prime. I think Logan's doing okay. Without us.

Eli

Yeah. I mean, that is a good segue because, you know, a lot some of our clients work in this space, CPG QSR, etc. And one one of the things we have been tracking is kind of like food and Bev becoming this type of external status signal. So Chamberlain coffee, I had the Hayley Bieber skin glow smoothie at Erawan. You know, there was that piece that came out around like people working three jobs to get their smoothie, which I feel, you know, this is problematic. Well, that yes, sure. Just one job for now. But is that something that you've been tracking as well as, you know, do you find that people come in looking for a certain type of brand or like, are buying things? Both because it is better for you but Oh, also because it kind of says something about them or they want to signal something or?

Emily Schildt

Yeah, for sure. I mean, I think that's something I've been tracking for the entirety of my career now, which is, you know, over a decade long, I won't be specific. And I know you can't tell from looking at me. Yeah, I mean, I think food is a much more, both in CPG form and restaurant form is a much more accessible statement of status. I'm not necessarily saying that like, I like this trend. Yeah. But you know, a $16 smoothie, even though that is kind of or $20, probably right.

Eli

$21.75 with tax.

Emily Schildt

I know that one time I went to get an Erawan smoothie, I spilled it immediately. I didn't even get my Instagram, you know, obviusly it wasn't like, I cared that much about drinking it just. Yeah, so I think I think you know, $16 or $20, at the end of the day, if that says something that's, you know, just as important or just as significant, however, you want to define it as the handbag that you're carrying, which is significantly much more expensive to do. So. I think you know, that has something to do with what's happening right now. Yeah.

Clara

Yeah. I was also curious, kind of like to that. And you were starting to say just like the consumer for Pop Up Grocer, like, and I'm sure it varies, but like, who is kind of like the average person? That's like coming through the store? Like, is it someone who's like maybe looking for just like, maybe like a statusy snack for IG stories? Or is it also like, you know, people who are on like, their health journey of food influencer vibe, like, more culturally, I guess, like.

Emily Schildt

Yeah, I would say both. And I really would say, genuinely, the latter. And I don't just say that, because that's my hope. Really, like, you know, it most of the time, I'd say somewhere around 90% of the store, again, is vegan and gluten free. So we get a lot of people who, for the most part are restricted in most of the stored like 10%, or things they can eat, you know, and now they come in, and they're just like, overjoyed to be in this wonderland. That being said, you know, what it is socially. Not like, I don't want to say viral. But you know what, it's very social in nature, people definitely come to record content, to say that they were there to share the things that they're discovering, because that's fun and exciting. But yeah, I think it's definitely people on their health journey. I think, broadly, it's people who are curious and conscious about the things that they put in and on their bodies. And I think they're people who consider themselves influencers, not like creators in the formal sense necessarily, but people who think that their opinion is appreciated within their circles, and they tend to be like the first to update them on trends and new products specifically,

Trey

It's me the early adopters.

Emily Schildt

It's me, it's me, too, or was but now my job is like Excel spreadsheet.

Trey

Well, I wonder what kind of feedback you've gotten from the brands that you've stalked? Has there been some kind of like success story or kickback that you can think of like an example of?

Emily Schildt

Yeah, so many, I struggle with like giving a case study because it's hard to draw a straight line.

Eli

Yeah we're not doing favorites.

Emily Schildt

But I mean, I call Pop Up Grocer. platform for possibility, you know, we do, we create, like the best space in which for you to be discovered, we have no bottom or top shelves, so everything's at eye level. So very simply, it's easy for you to be seen, our curation is 400 products versus 40,000. It's 1500 square feet instead of the size of a football field. So people are coming in, they're really able to see you on shelf. They're also really invested in the experience, they're typically coming with intent. So they're flipping everything over, they're reading the copy that you've put on pack, they're reading the ingredients. So you know, the only thing we can promise is that level of engagement. But beyond that, a number of really exciting things have happened, like you know, for our longest running partners over the last four years that's been like just exceptional, tremendous distribution and growth. It's also immediately led to major retail partnerships, locally and nationally. Partnerships of all kinds like with various sports organizations, content creators. We also have a strong network of buyers at pretty much every major grocery retailer in the country, and they're always coming to us, you know, asking what's working and what they should put on their shelves. So yeah, we're having those comments. sessions and yeah, a lot of really cool, promising things happen after the the initial shelf experience with us. Yeah.

Clara

I'm also curious like and just like from my own personal knowledge slash ask Gen Z stuff like, how much are you starting to see like Gen Z owned food brands like here we talk a lot about like pizzazz that does like those energies, I don't know if there's someone that you know, or carry, but just like the sort of difference in the branding and the messaging of those products versus, you know, products you think of as being like maybe more millennial like the recess of the world. I'm just curious, like being close to it. Are you starting to see any sort of trends emerge in terms of like, how Gen Z versus millennial brands are positioning the products from a packaging standpoint, or just like messaging?

Emily Schildt

Yeah, I guess, to step out side of like, specifically, products, I do think one thing that's happening a lot with innovation, with innovation in the space specifically like beverages, but it's definitely translating to all categories. Is this like optimization food, you know, everything has an added benefit. And in addition to just being like foundationally healthy, it's also like X for calm and X for energy and X for focus. I personally think that that's all like millennial driven because if you watch what's happening on Tik Tok, which is not to say that that's like, all Gen Z. But if I look specifically at where a younger demographic is talking, I think there's much more like balanced conversation around healthy foods and extremely unhealthy foods, like things that are just fun and playful and exciting. So I again, I'm a little hesitant to like divided up those two things between two generations. But I do think that we're starting to see some of that playfulness and that fun taking over when it comes to packaging and products that are created by younger, younger people.

Clara

Do you have a take on girl dinner? Speaking of, are you for or against?

Emily Schildt

Yeah Pop Up Grocer is a great destination for for girl dinner. We just launched tin fish and bread and butter and wine actually. So literally. Personally, I love girl dinner I moved in with my boyfriend in March so I haven't partake in and like my secret single behaviors in some time.

Clara

It's indulgent. You know, it's like

Emily Schildt

Yeah, yeah, it's definitely like a meet at three at my house.

Eli

Clara known girl dinner haver. Enjoyer.

Clara

Oh yeah, I've been big in girl dinner land.

Trey

So I assume at this point, now that you have a physical location, and probably a lot more things in the works that you're maybe not ready to share, up to you. I wonder if like brands DTC brands are like banging down the doors now. Like, there's only a finite amount of space and only a certain amount of turnover. Like brands, you can be like, hey, even though you are a flagship brand at our launch, we need, you know, new stuff or something. How do you kind of juggle that? And like, are there people banging down the door?

Emily Schildt

Yeah, we definitely have a strong pipeline, we certainly have more demand than we're able to fill, which is the biggest reason why we opened the permanent store. Honestly, we're figuring out right now how the permanent store works. I just opened it because I was like, we have to I have to put these people somewhere, you know, so now we're sort of working out the mechanics of it in the long run. But yeah, I mean, at the end of the day, there are just few retailers that you can go to, with that are like pretty easy to get into. And pretty fast. I think that's also one of the benefits, like a typical store, you know, plans, their planogram, like, a year, two years in advance, you know, it's a really long process. So, do you see or not? I mean, I don't think anyone is d to see strictly anymore might be an initial launch prior to like a pop up grocery shelf as a strategy, but due to see exclusive, especially for food and beverages. Yeah, no, no, not a long term thing.

Eli

You mentioned that Pop Up Grocer. You call it a platform for possibility or platform for discovery. You survived the pandemic, you're still a brick and mortar retail space. Now what was once many popping up around multiple different cities now one in New York. Talk to me about what you've noticed from what people are looking for in like a retail space now or a grocery store and like how do you think that has changed? Since the pandemic.

Emily Schildt

Yeah, I've always believed that people will come, we can't compete with convenience of online or price with Amazon. So you can get the things that you know and love and buy routinely, through those places that are convenient and cost efficient for you. And what we can be is the complement to that shopping behavior, in that we are fun and experience driven, and provide some education through our knowledgeable staff. And those two, those two things together, can account you know, can satisfy all of your, your shopping needs. So I mean, I think, you know, in the pandemic, obviously, online shopping for groceries grew tremendously where it had been really slow to grow before. And it's kind of leveled out like it hasn't taken a nosedive dive, which I think is great. But it also has not continued to grow, and definitely not at the rate that it was. So I think that just proves that at the end of the day, people really like going to the physical store for different reasons, and they will continue to do that.

Eli

Yeah, totally. Yeah. I mean, I think gorillas and those companies were like some of the fastest growing unicorns ever. And now, I don't know, I don't see too many gorillas bags anymore. But I know Trey was an early adapter.

Trey

My Instacart membership just expired. Devastating, I am kind of in like a food desert, though I just moved to the Bronx. And there's like, one Western Beef a couple blocks away that I will say nothing bad about Western Beef. But there's not a lot in terms of options. But yeah, I I'm curious too, about like the different sort of, I know, you've just launched this brick and mortar, which is a whole endeavor to itself. But I'm curious if you're aware of like Flamingo Estate, and how they have started doing these, like boxes, basically, of fresh produce that they have a subscription service for? Or else have you explored things like partnering with DoorDash Instacart, like delivery type service where people could order online if say they did live in the Bronx or whatever.

Emily Schildt

Yeah, absolutely. And delivery is something that is coming for us for sure. You know, I just need someone to do our operations. So if there's anyone listening, yeah, we're hiring. So yeah, delivery, absolutely, we do have an E-commerce business in the form of boxes, where you can get around six to eight items delivered nationally, that are currently featured in our store. And we haven't put a lot of resources into that business and cost of acquiring customer, as we all know, is something that is continuing to grow at a rapid rate. So..

Trey

Wait, what do you mean by that? What cost of acquiring customers?

Emily Schildt

Online. Yeah.

Trey

Can you explain why?

Emily Schildt

It's very expensive, you know, through Facebook marketing or Instagram marketing or..

Trey

To just have like the awareness?

Emily Schildt

Yeah. Just to find and, and convert people to buy. It's very expensive.

Eli

Yeah, we do work in marketing, you know.

Trey

I markey but I didn't know there was a conversion issue.

Eli

Not looking at the budget. Yeah.

Emily Schildt

Once they start bring in acronyms. I'm like. I mean, it's like investors will ask me, you know, about our econ business, and what's our CAC and that it's in that exact moment where I freeze and I'm like, Oh, this is not the business that I want to focus on. Right, yeah. No, brick and mortar.

Trey

Because like, we have seen a lot of conversion from Tik Tok, specifically, especially around these stories of like, tinned fish selling out because of some viral Tik Tok recipe or some like feta cheese and tomatoes, like you can't find them anywhere suddenly, because of some Tik Tok. And is that at all part of like, your strategy? Or is it something you're just like, that's for the brands to figure out and I'm just providing a space?

Emily Schildt

Yeah, for a while, I did think that maybe we would go more in the direction of like an agency. So we would have this physical space. But we would also provide content and marketing support and just activate for these brands in a variety of ways beyond just being a place where they can sell their their products. I think at the end of the day, I've decided to go in a different direction and be much more of a grocery store across the country like a discovery centric grocery store. But so so yeah, so in short, that is for them to figure out, but also think that those scenarios, while exciting and fruitful for those brands are more the exception than the rule.

Clara

I'm also curious and I don't know if this question is going to make sense so let me know but just like you were talking about sort of being like a testing ground and like an incubator for these brands that are just kind of starting to start out. And I've wondered, I wonder if you've noticed, like differences and kind of like the dream sort of endpoint or like arrival for where these brands want to be in like five years or 10 years, like just because like, like we were talking about, for instance, like you have celebrity brands like Vetterli, you know, like Chamberlain coffee that are sort of very much like speaking to both her current audience but also have like the potential to expand to something like a whole foods, but are you also seeing folks who like say, want to keep things small, or like break out their own retail store, like, kind of shift away from like, trying to get into like, say, a Whole Foods or a Walmart or something like that immediately, and like instead, maybe stay either slightly smaller, like, say, slightly closer to, you know, the community of like, niche folks that they want to speak to? If that makes sense? I'm sure it varies a lot. But just curious.

Emily Schildt

It does. I think the state of CPG of consumer packaged goods right now, it's just too capital intensive to allow for what I think you're describing, which is just to say small, like no one can really no one can have those ambitions and like, compete at retail or online. In my opinion, like, I think you could have a lifestyle business or like, a really successful side hustle. But if everybody wants to be in Walmart and Whole Foods, because that's how you make money. So or that's how you make, that's how you have a compelling story to move toward an acquisition. So yeah, I hope that answers your question. It may be quite sad.

Clara

It was more like because I guess I'm curious, like, I don't know, I'm just like, at the angle where I'm staring down our snack tray. And I guess, you know, like, we haven't like, totally gotten into sort of, like, the sort of health side of things too much. But just like, knowing that, like today, a lot of like, the really big snack brands are like, also the brands that are like super heavily processed, super, maybe not the best for you. And like, is there a lane that you see for maybe some of these, like, smaller batch, like better for you brands to like, break through and like compete ever at scale with like, I mean, maybe not, like, I'm staring at them right now as I speak, but like, like, sort of how is it to, you know, maybe speak right now to a group of consumers that is very conscious about that. But like, is there an ambition to like, break outside and like, convince someone who's, you know, eating like maybe a big batch potato chip brand that like, now this is worth it to you, or whatever it is?

Emily Schildt

Yeah, I think this is a very complicated question, really, because there are so many things that need to need to be achieved within the industry and how things work in order to make it really truly possible for like, a chickpea puff to surpass Doritos. But I guess the number one thing that I will say is it really just comes down to price, what you're talking about, and the price is impacted by a number of different things, which is why I'm saying it's really complicated. At the end of the day, like Doritos, that bag of Doritos is what like

Clara

99 cents.

Emily Schildt

Shitty ingredients, costs less money, you know, if you're making a product with integrity, and thus, it's better for you, it's going to cost more money now we could get the cost of those ingredients down if we could generate enough demand for those ingredients. But that requires that enough of these emerging brands, you know, are seeing a level of success that would actually do that. And then again, that's why I say it's complicated because then that level of success is impacted about or impacted by where the funding is where the support is, from a distribution standpoint, where the support is from a retailer standpoint, and retailers are motivated by dollars because you don't make money selling products at you know, a razor thin one or 3% margin. You make money from slotting fees and guess who has the money for slotting fees? Doritos and yeah, so like it just it's a really tough game and at the end of the day, if if you know and I really have a lot of hope for this next generation because if they're just flat out like I'm not eating Doritos and I will only eat chick pea puffs will then chickpea puffs will get acquired and before we know it like you know and this will happen in every category and before we know it better for you will be dominant but also Gen Z doesn't have the buying power so they continue like I look at the top brands among them often and I'm always so surprised but like dude, I get it you might want to buy sustainable clothing but at the end of day you have a Shein budget.

Eli

Clara you got shein money?

Clara

Well, no but that I mean I was literally like when you were talking I was like thinking exactly about Shein and just because like I think for younger consumer especially it is interest, and we talked about this all the time to sort of like, the competing desires that they have to either like have the thing that's trending on one end or like have get the look but like, also get the look for less like, you know, either around like whether it's a food trend like girl dinner or whether it's like, you know, whatever coconut girl type of thing is like going around on Tik Tok but I agree. I mean, I hope that you know, chickpea puffs rolls the world one day, somehow.

Trey

I also want to ask about the aesthetic, because I know you mentioned there was like, some kind of criteria, although it's subjective and possibly mysterious of how, you know, you curate your products. I'm curious if you can pull back the curtain a little bit about like, what does in your mind make a alluring brand? Because I do see a lot at least like in the, you know, what's trending sphere of, you know, CPG there's a lot of pretty branding with like, kind of past Gen Z, millennial pastel hues and like wavy fonts. And, you know, at what point is it like, Oh, this is intriguing and visually alluring, and sets it apart from the other brands in that space, versus being like almost a parody of this trend, I guess. How do you like differentiate and what is like the how do you like define the taste level? I guess?

Emily Schildt

Yeah. I mean, the pendulum swings. So I think what was happening a few years ago was that brands were sort of moving in the more minimal direction, because that was starkly different from everything else that was on shelf, then that became the norm. So now brands are being quite vibrant and loud, because that helps them stand out. So I think we'll continue to see this happen over time. But certainly, what runs through the brands that we see people come in for specifically, those that are getting a lot of social media attention, and also the ones that are compelling to them once they're in our store, or those that have a really strong sense of identity and sense of self that are not ones that are quiet. And then just more specifically, on a packaging front, also do a good job of explaining what the product is in a very direct and simple way. Because a lot of our products do have some new component that requires a level of education that, you know, you you might be able to sell quite easily in the context of a website. But when you rely on your packaging alone, you know, it has to do a lot more work for you.

Eli

I want to shift gears and bring it back to our present day talk about what's in our feed what's in our scroll. So in front of you, you have a couple options for what to respond to and more, which we encourage when we read out some headlines, so I will read out the options just for our listeners. They are is this news? Still processing, sent group chat? Who did this? Stop scrolling and open your wallet? And I will kick things off with a very timely New York Post headline. Emily Blunt, quote, emaciated Cillian Murphy ate just an almond every day for Oppenheimer.

Emily Schildt

Who did this?

Eli

Christopher Nolan

Emily Schildt

Wow.

Eli

Are you do you have like a preference Are you going to see either Barbie or Oppenheimer?

Emily Schildt

I'm going to see Barbie tonight with like a group of like 30 people I was gonna say 30fFriends I don't have that many friends but they're like five of my friends who have invited friends. And of course we're dressing up so.

Trey

Oh strong showing what Barbie are you?

Emily Schildt

I only have I realized this morning. I only have one pink top in my closet.

Trey

Oh, that's the one. Awesome. I'll go next with mine. Taylor Swift will be proclaimed honorary mayor of Santa Clara, California and the city will be renamed Swifty Clara during her stop there on the era's tour.

Eli

Still processing. That's a lot Yeah, Clara that that hits home to for better for worse.

Clara

Oh, I mean, yeah.

Eli

I know. It's a name association like tough for you right now?

Clara

For Santa Clara, California?

Trey

We'll call you Swifty Clara.

Clara

Swifty Clara is like a fun name for like, if I had like a doppelganger, you know what I mean? Like that sort of anti-version of me out Swifty Clara. It's like my warrior.

Eli

And she hates junk fees.

Clara

And she hates it.

Emily Schildt

The Swifty thing is something that's definitely over my over my head for sure.

Eli

Yeah and it's a lot. It is a lot like stories of people who like wear diapers to go, because they don't want to miss anything.

Clara

There was like an op ed from a therapist. She has read this in like New York Times or something. And she was talking about how Taylor Swift has started to come up and more and more of her sessions with clients that like, Taylor Swift, it's like, oh, like, you know, like, I was listening to this Taylor Swift song and it's just like when like, Eric broke up with me and like all like the Taylor Swift is like the language through which they're like, whatever.

Emily Schildt

Voice of a generation.

Clara

Yeah, it's slow news. Why does a little bit boring, but I'm curious to get your take. Is aspartame, bad for your health? What's know about Diet Cokes? key ingredient?

Emily Schildt

Oh, sent to group chat.

Eli

Yeah. Are you a Diet Coke drinker?

Emily Schildt

Like once a year?

Eli

Yeah. I'd say on the pod is that?

Emily Schildt

No, I know. I do. I will say I hesitate. Like, before posting to social or something. If I'm having a beverage or a food that is very off brand. I do feel like I'm not allowed to do that. No, but like, I yeah, I I'm not perfect.

Clara

You're allowed to have a Diet Coke with your girl dinner. Yeah, it's like it's context specific. You know? It's like.

Emily Schildt

Yeah, I mean, like, I get McDonald's. Whenever I'm on a long road trip.

Eli

Yeah. Did you get the Grimace shake?

Emily Schildt

I didn't that is something I sent to group chat. And I probably shouldn't admit but I had to ask who grimace was. That's very how that's how much offline I am. Yeah. He's my generation right.

Trey

He was in my McDonald's right?

Emily Schildt

I'm embarrassed I know. I'm sorry.

Eli

It wasn't that good. Okay, but I live to tell the tale so yeah, I do appreciate Diet Coke though. I'm now a daily diet Coke drinker recently you know.

Trey

Did you see the thing though about like Coke Zero being created to market to men basically Diet Coke because men were not drinking Diet Coke with the word diet and hence they called it Coke Zero and it's like again a slight change in ingredients or whatever but tastes more or less the same. I mean people out there thoughts there but and then suddenly like the you know the sales of Coke Zero went through the roof with men and now we have gender drinks.

Emily Schildt

I mean, I yeah, you know here's my Pop Up Grocer plug like I will have a Diet Coke because it's nostalgic for me. But there are truly so many better for you soda options tastes better have more interesting flavors

Trey

I'm an Olipop fan, I just I don't know if it's completely true. Maybe you knew more than I do. But like I'm like, Oh, it helps my digestion absolutely gonna drink this.

Emily Schildt

Scientifically developed.

Trey

Right the science is there.

Eli

So close us out. Things you can find a Pop Up Grocer. Where can you find Pop Up Grocer. Give a quick plug. This is your chance. You know.

Emily Schildt

If you're in New York, we are located at 205 Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village and we're open every day from 8 to 8 so come on by. Have a cafe and grab coffee and popups throughout the country, but also popupgrocery.com will mail you a box if you can't visit us in person. And you can scroll through our directory so you can just look at the cool brands. You don't even have to buy them just discover some.

Trey

Discover some fabulous new brands. We love that.

Eli

Cool. Emily Schildt, thanks for stopping by. Yo, thanks for tuning in. Stay up to date with all things Day One FM by subscribing to our page on Spotify, following us on Instagram @d1a and staying up to date with the latest trends and insights on d1a.com/perspective.