The Highlight Reel — CPG Industry Deep Dive | Highlight

The Highlight Reel

Where we (and special guests from across the industry) take a deeper dive into the topics and trends defining innovation in the CPG and retail worlds.

Testing embedded in the product lifecycle
A customer spotlight with Once Upon a Farm
Sydney Perotti, Senior Manager of Consumer Insights at Once Upon a Farm, on weaving consumer testing into every stage of product development — from early concept work to roadmap planning — and making the internal case for research ROI.
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Catch up on past episodes

Customer spotlight: Once Upon a Farm — testing embedded in the product lifecycle
Sydney Perotti, Senior Manager of Consumer Insights at Once Upon a Farm, joins Highlight to unpack how her team weaves consumer testing into every stage of product development — from early-stage concept work to roadmap planning — and how she makes the case for research ROI across the org.

Get to know the haircare consumer of 2026 ft. amika & Not Your Mother's Haircare
amika and Not Your Mother's Haircare leaders join Highlight to unpack how haircare is outpacing the rest of beauty — from skinification and wellness rituals to Gen Z's demand for texture-specific routines and community-built launches.

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Packaging predictions for 2026 ft. Fred Hart
Design strategist Fred Hart shares what he expects on shelf in 2026 — a push-pull between AI-generated sameness and hand-crafted analog design, the protein bubble, private-label pressure, and why color and character are back.

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Setting celebrity CPG brands up for success ft BERO & BARREL
Founders behind celebrity-backed NA beverage brands discuss building trust beyond the name on the label — and using real consumer testing to earn repeat purchase, not just launch buzz.

Showcase 2025: Buy, buy baby ft. Little Spoon & Nunona
Little Spoon and Nunona share how they innovate for modern parents — balancing kid appeal, parental trust, and the rigor it takes to win in kids and baby categories.

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Move over protein. It's time to fibermaxx ft. Zesty Z
Zesty Z talks fiber-forward snacking beyond the protein wave — and how Express Checkout brands use fast consumer reads to refine flavor, messaging, and shelf story.

Spark 2025: Brewing up better beverages ft Suja Life & Nova Naturals
Suja Life and Nova Naturals leaders on Spark discuss building better-for-you beverages that clear the taste bar — and what it takes to earn space in a crowded functional drinks set.

Selling sustainability: How to make "green" the new black ft. bille & Sonsie Skin
bille and Sonsie Skin join Highlight on making sustainability credible — not just a label callout — and how transparent sourcing and efficacy together win skeptical beauty shoppers.

Innovation on tap: How BERO & Stiller's are making beverages better for you
BERO and Stiller's Soda founders unpack NA beverage growth, the limits of better-for-you as a catch-all, and why taste, packaging, and in-context testing still decide winners.

Engaging a new generation of pet parents ft. Floof
Floof founder Michael Kim on modern pet parents — why health and safety beat price, how at-home care routines are replacing vet-only fixes, and what in-home testing revealed about product experience.

Showcase 2024: The power of packaging ft Whipnotic & Cabinet Health
Whipnotic and Cabinet Health on Showcase 2024 discuss packaging as a growth lever — structural innovation, shelf standout, and testing pack before you commit to a national run.

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Is "Better for You" better for business?
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Dive into the data behind the episodes

Original Highlight research from the community of Highlighters — the numbers behind the conversations.

Haircare consumer insights for 2026
Highlight surveyed 1,000 haircare consumers nationwide on preferences, routines, and unmet needs — original research for brands planning 2026 innovation.
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Skincare shopper insights holidays 2025
Original Highlight research on how skincare, beauty, and personal care shoppers plan to spend this holiday season.
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The Real Impact of Inflation on Consumer Spending in 2025
Discover how inflation, tariffs, and supply chain issues are shaping consumer spending habits—and how brands can respond using data-driven insights.
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