Cotto

0:00Welcome to the Emerging Brands podcast. Sharing the stories behind brands you'll want to shop next. I'm your host, Kelly Bennett. I am a New York City-based brand strategist for CPG Food and Beverage Brands. In each episode, I'll take you behind the scenes of founders that are building better-for-you products and bringing them to market. Also, I talk to brand builders, retailers, industry experts, and tastemakers who help bring those cool products to your shopping cart. You will hear stories of real life founders, their launch strategies, and practical advice you could use to grow your own brand or simply discover what's next on shelf.

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1:47Kendall Kransdorf:Now let's dive into the new episode. Hi everyone. Welcome back to a new episode of Emerging Brands Podcast with Kelly Bennett. Today is extra special because I have Kendall Kramsdorf. She is the founder of Kado and one of my just most favorite humans. And I'm so lucky to have her as a client and I'm beyond proud of what she's built with Kado and Kendall. I'm so excited to have this full circle moment of having you on the podcast today. Yay. Thank you so much, Kelly. No, it really is full circle. I feel like when I was first kind of discovering you, I listened to many, many episodes of your podcast.

2:30Kendall Kransdorf:So to be here now as a guest is a very cool moment for me. So cool. Well, before we dive into strategy and how you're building Kato, I would first love if you could take people into the world of Cotto. What it is, what are the products you're creating, and what was that white space you saw in the dip market that you really saw as the opportunity to bring a new product into market? Yeah, absolutely. So Cotto is a line of dips that reimagines classic flavors with a high protein twist. So they're made using whipped cottage cheese as the base. So it's totally smooth, no curds. And then it has different savory flavors.

3:11Kendall Kransdorf:So think French onion, Garden Ranch, Buffalo, kind of classic flavors you might have grown up eating, but in a way that makes you feel really good after you eat them. And I think what I noticed is cottage cheese is such an amazing ingredient because it's really high protein. It keeps you full, but it's only really found right now in its kind of purest form, which is has the curd texture that isn't for everyone necessarily. And while it can be a really good high protein snack, it's pretty plain and not super versatile. And so I wanted to recreate it kind of in a way that took out the curd texture that not everyone loves and add more flavor on top of it.

3:49Kendall Kransdorf:So it can be used kind of as an addition to your dinners as a snack on its own, or really in a lot of different creative ways and just be a high protein, easy addition to any meal or snack that you're eating that leaves you feeling really good afterwards. When you first initially told me the concept, I automatically got it because this is something that's so easy. Like you said, you could add it to a meal. You could put it on a charcuterie. You can dip crackers and veggies in it. It really does have so many uses, but also is so clear of what it is. And that's not easy. And I think you did that really well right off the bat of what you wanted to create and the feeling and the energy that you wanted to be behind the brand that you could add it to meals, but also be shared with friends too.

4:40Kendall Kransdorf:Totally. No. And I think that's exactly it. Because for me, I love as an afternoon snack, I love to have a dip, but I also love to add flavor and kind of excitement to even boring meals like a protein and some veggies. And I found myself always reaching for a sauce or something in the fridge to kind of zhuzh up my meals. But they didn't really have protein typically. It was just kind of that flavor component. So to have something that I can use either as a full swap for like a cooked piece of protein or eat as a snack and know I'm getting in that protein, going to feel full and satisfied after, it really met a need for me.

5:15Kendall Kransdorf:And I saw the need for others as well. So cool. So before you took the leap to go all in on Kato, what was your background prior? What were you doing? So I started my career at BCG. I was mostly in consumer and retail consulting for big companies, I think like Fortune 500 companies, purely in an advisory role, though. In consulting, you typically kind of come in, do a project. The longest that would be is a couple months, and then you move on to the next. So while I was kind of getting in the heads of these consumer and retail brands and how they thought, I didn't love that I kind of was helping advise on decisions, but not seeing them through to the end.

5:56Kendall Kransdorf:And so I knew kind of my long term plan was always I wanted to start a company in the better for you food space, just because that was my personal passion. But I didn't feel like I had the necessary kind of experience to jump right into that, only having been in an advisory role. And so I wanted to get a little bit more experience in a true startup environment. So from there, I moved to another startup, kind of straddling the food and Bev and supplement space, but really in that better for you world. There, I was their director of product. So working with an in-house food scientist to bring new product flavors and formats to market.

6:31Kendall Kransdorf:And so I really got to see that kind of full life cycle of what it takes to launch a product. And now I'm able to really pull directly from that experience in my own creation of a product. So I feel like I kind of got the zoomed out experience at BCG with these really big companies and then the zoomed in experience working in a startup hands-on. Totally. And I definitely see how all of those experiences have been brought into your role now as founder, CEO, and just seeing how you are making decisions and how you're building. I could tell that you are coming in with really sharp skills into founder life, which is not easy.

7:14It's really, really not easy. And so I love your background and how that created a really strong foundation for making this leap.

7:23Kendall Kransdorf:No, I think it's been so valuable. I feel like I can really see I kind of as I was going through the journey, I knew every step was very intentional. But now seeing all the pieces come together, I'm like, I am so glad that I went through all those positions and experiences to now be able to be in the place I'm at where I feel like to your point, I can make decisions quickly with imperfect, imperfect information. but know that I'm headed in the right direction at least. Absolutely. So when you made the decision to go all in and say, okay, I'm going to do this. I'm going to really fulfill this idea, this goal of being my own boss and being a founder of a brand.

8:04What were some of the early steps that you took after landing on, ooh, this whipped cottage cheese dip is a vibe. Like I'm loving it. My friends are loving it. what were some of those early steps to actually start making it a real brand?

8:20Kendall Kransdorf:Yeah. And I think that can be the hardest part at times is you're like, I have this amazing idea. I'm making this recipe, but it's not really a product yet. It's not something people can buy or experience in a way that it's a branded thing. So I think those first couple of steps are really what solidifies moving from, oh, this is a recipe in my kitchen to, oh, this is a product that I want to get in the hands of everyone in the country. right so I think the first couple of things really importantly figuring out the trademark and the name I felt like a lot of the pieces kind of couldn't happen until I had that name nailed down and you know Kelly we went through a journey with the name so many different names yes I had an initial name that I came in with I kind of really quickly like DIY the trademark myself later found out that that probably wasn't going to be likely that I got that trademark but honestly, for the best, I think it was a true blessing in disguise.

9:14Kendall Kransdorf:I look back now and I'm like, thank goodness that I had to pivot from that name because I feel like we got to a much better place on it. A thousand percent. Yeah. So that was one of the big pieces. And then I really started brand strategy with you very early on in my journey, which I think at the time I was like, this feels like the right thing to do, but I don't think I knew how valuable it would become. I think thinking through all of those pieces of kind of what is this brand? Who is it for? Where is it sold? While it is still that kind of kitchen recipe, having that vision in mind has been such a helpful framework to make every single decision thereafter on the foundation of.

9:53Kendall Kransdorf:And so I think having that brand strategy really crisp from the beginning has made packaging decisions, website decisions, any really any decision that I've had to make so far, very clear for me, which I think is huge. Thank you so much for saying that because genuinely that's my biggest goal with brand strategy of meeting founders super early on, even if it's a product in their kitchen and they haven't necessarily even started formulation. But if we could get a really clear, what is this brand? Who is it for? How can we create buzz around it? Why people want to shop it early on and lay that out that everything else falls into place.

10:33And I would even say the name too because so many founders get stuck on the name and I always say once we go through the brand strategy and once you see the pieces come together the name it's like something really genuinely jumps off the list and you're like this is the name and I feel like Kato when we were brainstorming so many different things but once we saw the brand strategy come together after that meeting we you messaged me that and I was like no that that's the name that's obviously

11:04Kendall Kransdorf:It's like it was on the list the whole time. But I feel like until we had the brand strategy in its full, it was hard to know that that was the right one. And then once we had all those pieces, it was like, OK, yeah, this is it. Absolutely. And then Bread and Butter did the trademark, which was awesome. And did it the right way and not DIY. Yes, not the DIY. Because that is always a cautionary tale. Yes. And so from there, then you went into visual branding, which you're now finishing up and starting to roll out the new visuals, which looks so good. I am so obsessed. Can you walk us through that process?

11:45And people are like, I'm noticing, like, is it different? Did it change?

11:50Kendall Kransdorf:Yes. And then, like, it's inspired by everything that it has been, but it's just taking it up a notch and elevating it and really bringing the whole brand world together. which I think you can talk about it. And we had an idea of what it was, but seeing it really kind of brings it all together. Absolutely. And I always tell founders that too, like once we have the brand strategy, we see the roadmap, we see the foundation, but the visual branding is like the magical part of when you really see the brand world coming together. And shout out to Izzy of House of Wins. She did a beautiful job. She's amazing.

12:25and I'm so excited to see the the rollout of all the new branding but even just the icon itself on Instagram I'm like yes this is it's just yes it's what you had in mind but again taken up a notch totally no I'm super excited about so yeah so after branding I know that you're also working with Danielle of it's all happening which I would love for you to touch on because and why I'm calling this out, I think you've done a great job assembling a team behind you to also put in all the pieces in place. So can you walk us through what that side of the street looks like?

13:03Kendall Kransdorf:Absolutely. No. And I think you hit on a really good point, which is building this team up, especially as a solo founder, you can kind of flounder in all of the decisions and things that you have to think through. So having those people that can be sounding board and advisors to you is hugely helpful. So anyone that's going down this journey, I would definitely recommend kind of creating that team, even if it's not people who are full-time in it with you, having those people that you can bounce ideas off of is hugely valuable and allows you to move much more quickly, I would say. But yeah, so I started working with Danielle from It's All Happening, who is also amazing.

13:40Kendall Kransdorf:I think when I really started to bring her in was when I decided I was going to roll out this pickup model in New York. So for me, and I guess a little context there, doing a refrigerated dairy-based product, it's not something that's easy or cheap to ship. And so I knew I wanted to kind of test the product out and get it in customers' hands before I went to a manufacturer and invested in a ton of inventory because I really wanted to get that product feedback and get the touch point with customers early on, which a lot of brands can do by shipping product to customers. But with a refrigerated product, that's pretty tricky.

14:16Kendall Kransdorf:So I am doing a pickup model. So basically people come order online and meet me in a park in New York and pick up their product directly from me, which is amazing because I get to meet every single person who's trying the product. So that part is really so much fun for me. But then on top of that, I then get to get their feedback on the product and make sure it's perfect before I kind of take that jump into a manufacturer. But there's a lot of logistics and decisions that go on behind the scenes to make that all possible. And I think especially early on for me, I was like, okay, what am I selling this product at?

14:51Kendall Kransdorf:I needed to really get all of the kind of operational cogs pieces in line to make sure that I'm not just picking a random price right now and selling it at that. I had to have kind of the end in mind, like what is this going to sell for in retail? what retailers am I going into? What do my costs look like right now? What will they look like in kind of an end state? And so Danielle's been the kind of magic behind the scenes, helping me really have that overall vision of what does the structure look like now and what is it going to evolve to? And I think that's been hugely helpful for me to know that what I'm doing right now is kind of a means to an end and having confidence to make certain decisions at this stage.

15:30I think that was perfectly said and also has been a great way. And I even referenced you today to a client who's just in the early stages now of her brand strategy of starting to have that pickup model because you're able to get feedback. You're building up buzz. You're getting great content. And it's really building traction and momentum. And genuinely, I know the first drop sold out. I know that demand is growing and that you've been consistently building with this pickup model. And I think it's a great example of getting it out there, rolling up your sleeves, figuring it out, getting started.

16:16I believe you're in a commissary kitchen, right? And getting started. I think so many times in CPG, depending on what your product is, it could be really hard to do this type of model. But if it's possible, I think it could be a huge advantage.

16:33Kendall Kransdorf:I totally agree. No, I think for me, it's been really invaluable, especially for the fact that I get to meet people face to face. I think thinking through kind of like, of course, the end goal is to be in grocery stores and have people buy the product there. But I'll lose that touch point with the customer. But I hope that maybe someone who's picking it up has at some point met me or knows someone that met me. And there's kind of that personal story behind the brand by meeting people face to face. Now you get to build that touch point. And I think it's also so valuable for me. I get a window inside the consumer's brain.

17:06Kendall Kransdorf:Like, how did you find me? Why did you want to try this? Why did you come out of your way to meet me after you had a full work day in a park in New York City at dark? And I think the other flip side of that is it gives me a ton of confidence that if people are willing to go so far out of their way in a very high friction model now, they will probably buy the product if it's available in their local grocery store. That is a great point. That's a great point to then leverage to grocery stores too. Yes, exactly. Like these people are going so far out of their way. So hopefully they'll come into your store.

17:40I love it. What is the vision that you have for the, say the year ahead?

17:45Kendall Kransdorf:Yeah. So right now I'm still doing the pickup model in New York, which I plan to continue for the next couple of months. I am pretty focused though on scaling into a manufacturer so that I just have the ability to make and sell a lot more product because right now I'm limited by the amount that I can make in my commercial kitchen, which is me making the product. So it's limited. So taking that piece off of my hands, I think will allow me to focus on getting into stores. So really starting to focus on kind of natural focus stores in New York that like to feature emerging brands and better for you products.

18:20Kendall Kransdorf:And then eventually expanding into more chain type retailers so that ultimately you can hopefully get Cotto in your local grocery store or wherever you shop that is very convenient for you. Amazing. Looking back, I know it's still early on, but you've done an incredible job building and getting your name out there, creating buzz, making sales, meeting customers in parks around the city. What piece of advice would you share with someone who, like you said, could have that product in their kitchen? They want to make this a consumer brand that eventually people could find in their local grocery store.

19:03What piece of advice would you share with them within this stage of you figuring out the steps of making that happen?

19:11Kendall Kransdorf:Yeah, I think I would say overall, don't focus on getting every single thing perfect. Just focus on getting it out there in a way that you feel at least confident enough in. I think it's easy, especially like I tend to have a perfectionistic attitude about things, especially coming from a place like BCG. And in my past career where things truly did need to be perfect. And if one icon was out of place, that was not acceptable. So I think getting out of that mindset and kind of being like, I know this product is really good right now. Is it 100 % in the version that it ultimately will be when it's in a national grocery store?

19:48Kendall Kransdorf:Probably not. But there's so much value in that kind of in between and just getting it out there because you'll never get to that end state if you don't get the product into customers' hands and let them try it, give you their feedback. And I think it can be scary. Like you're going to get some feedback that's not 100%. This is the most amazing thing I've ever tried. But that you have to think of that as enabling you to get to that ultimate place where your product is exactly what you want it to be. So I think making decisions quickly and allowing yourself to get a product out there and knowing that it probably will change.

20:21Kendall Kransdorf:It's hard, I think, mentally for a lot of people to get over that hump. And I think for me, it's like, I hope I one day look back on my initial products that are out there right now. And I'm like, oh my gosh, I'm maybe slightly embarrassed of what that looked like. But knowing that it was a means to an end and helping me reach kind of my overall vision of getting this product into as many hands as possible. A good point of not letting the perfectionism stop you from taking those next steps. And that's really hard as a founder. We tend to be the type A's. We tend to be the people who like to do things our own way.

20:58That's why we are our own bosses, right? Like all of those personality traits, it is really challenging, but I would absolutely echo starting putting yourself out there. I also would point to your social. You've done such a great job. And I remember we finished up your brand strategy. You were setting up the IG handles. I went to Spain and I came back and you were already posting. I'm like, oh my gosh, amazing. And right off the bat, I could tell I'm like, oh, she gets it. She gets it. And you were really, you've been super consistent. And I know that's not easy. And I just want to give you a shout out of just how disciplined you have been.

21:37And like, it's not always picture perfect, but you're showing that consistency in the builds. And that is an amazing foundation to grow from.

21:47Kendall Kransdorf:No, thank you. That means a lot. No, it's definitely challenging, especially for me. I joke, I'm like, I barely ever post on my personal social media. So to jump into posting pretty much every single day, all of the behind the scenes content is definitely challenging. But I think for me also, it goes back to like, this product is something that I really created out of an authentic need for myself. And so having that real like passion and need behind what I'm doing makes it so much easier to get on my phone and record myself every day because it is a story that I'm speaking from the heart and it's something that I wanted to see in the market.