Winning Pitches with RangeMe & ECRM

Stories, insights & advice from Retail & Foodservice Pros. Every day, RangeMe and ECRM empower brands and buyers from retail and foodservice industries to make connections that matter. Now, we're collecting stories, insights, and advice from the entrepreneurs and professionals who are shaping markets today to help you grow your business tomorrow.

Winning Pitches with RangeMe & ECRM is a business podcast hosted by Joe Tarnowski, with 64 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Joe Tarnowski hosts Winning Pitches with RangeMe & ECRM, a business show with 64 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #65

  Episode #65 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - Twist Foods

  Sep 29, 202627 minS1

  In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Anisha Patel, co-founder of Las Vegas-based Twist Foods. After operating family restaurants for over 14 years, Anisha and her husband turned customer demand into a thriving CPG brand offering clean-label curry simmer sauces. Discover how Twist Foods navigated the transition from restaurant prep to retail packaging, overcame co-packer hurdles, and landed placement with major retail partners like H-E-B, Hy-Vee, and KeHE in under two years from RangeMe Immediate Opportunities and ECRM Sessions. Key Highlights Transitioning from Restaurant to CPG: How Twist Foods adjusted fresh restaurant recipes into shelf-stable sauces using real ingredients like cashew butter and fresh cream instead of artificial thickeners or powders. Overcoming Co-Packer Challenges: Why finding co-packers willing to cook with fresh onions instead of onion powder took patience, negotiation, and persistence. Winning Buyer Pitch Strategies: How Anisha shifted her buyer meetings from long product pitches to shorter, insight-driven conversations focused on solving buyer needs. Leveraging Retail Platforms: How Twist Foods maximized success using RangeMe category reviews and face-to-face ECRM sessions to secure major retail distribution. Targeting Modern Consumers: Why Gen Z and health-conscious families are driving demand for clean labels, seed-oil-free products, and versatile fusion flavors. Product Testing Grounds: How Twist Foods uses its brick-and-mortar restaurant and local farmer's markets to beta-test new products before launching them into production. What’s Next for Twist Foods: A sneak peek at upcoming flavor innovations, including date-based chutneys and curried hot sauces.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #64

  Episode #64 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - PartnerSlate

  Sep 22, 202625 minS1

  Finding the right contract manufacturer is often one of the biggest roadblocks emerging brands face when trying to scale. Cold calls, misaligned equipment needs, and unexpected costs can leave founders feeling like they’ve hit a brick wall. In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski chats with Vincent Tseng , CEO of PartnerSlate, to demystify the co-manufacturing search. They dive deep into why finding a co-manufacturer or co-packer is more like a marriage than a vendor transaction, how to evaluate if your brand is truly ready to make the leap, and how PartnerSlate’s curated platform and RangeMe partnership streamlines the matching process. Key Takeaways The "Marriage" Mindset: Why treating your co-packer like an investor rather than a simple vendor is the secret to building a successful, long-term manufacturing partnership. When Are You Ready?: The real numbers behind scaling up—why staying in a commercial kitchen longer might be the smartest move, and the sales volume or capital you need before making the jump. Commercial Kitchens vs. Co-Manufacturers: A breakdown of the core differences in quality control, equipment specifications, and upfront requirements. Managing Growth & Secondary Co-Packers: How to handle sudden viral growth or major retail purchase orders without overwhelming your primary supply chain. Curated AI Matching: How PartnerSlate uses anonymous, targeted matching to connect brands with qualified co-manufacturers within 48 hours. Exclusive RangeMe Perks: How RangeMe Pro, Premium, and Starter subscribers can access free or discounted project listings on PartnerSlate.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #63

  Episode #63 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - Bhavana Foods

  Sep 15, 202631 minS1

  In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Ruchir Vimawala, Co-Founder of Bhavana Foods. Vimawala shares how he brought an iconic culinary brand with an 80-year legacy in India to the U.S. market, all while maintaining his full-time career as a medical device engineer. From delivering products to independent grocers from the back of a Kia Optima to landing major retail deals with Grocery Outlet, KeHE, and United Supermarkets / Albertsons from ECRM meetings, Vimawala breaks down what true grit, hustle, and passion look like in the CPG startup world. Episode Highlights: The Culinary Origin Story: How a nostalgic trip back to India sparked Vimawala’s passion to bring authentic, non-preservative Indian meals to American consumers. The Name Behind the Brand: The heartfelt story behind naming the company "Bhavna Foods" after his wife, who serves as his Co-Founder, anchor, and biggest cheerleader. Innovating for the American Market: How Bhavana Foods transformed standard vegetarian entrees into convenient, shelf-stable, all-in-one combo meal kits designed for busy professionals and students. The 100-Hour Workweek: The realities of balancing a corporate engineering job Monday through Friday while spending weekends driving across state lines to pitch retailers out of the trunk of his car. Mastering the 10-Minute Buyer Pitch: Ruchir’s unique pitch philosophy—from wearing traditional Indian attire to treating buyers like VIPs—and how he closed a $50,000 purchase order in just seven minutes into a meeting during his first ECRM session. Turning Feedback into Product Design: How direct retailer feedback led to major packaging pivots, including split 12-pack shipping cases that double as ready-to-shelf display trays. Featured Quote: "People live American life. I live the American dream. This is a country—a gold mine of opportunities. The more you dig, the more gold you will find." — Ruchir Vimawala

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #62

  Episode #62 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - Molly Bz Cookies

  Sep 8, 202650 minS1

  In this episode, ECRM’s Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Molly Blakeley, the energetic founder of Molly Bz Cookies, to discuss her upcoming book, Bake It Till You Make It . While Molly is well known for her successful cookie brand, this conversation dives deep into the raw, wild, and inspiring journey that brought her to where she is today. From growing up alongside serial entrepreneur parents in Alaska to hitting rock bottom and starting a business out of a taco truck with only $150 to her name, Molly shares actionable wisdom on grit, bouncing back from adversity, and building a brand authentically. Whether you are a seasoned CPG veteran or an aspiring entrepreneur, this episode is packed with invaluable business and life lessons. Key Highlights The Inspiration Behind the Book: Molly wrote Bake It Till You Make It to motivate people never to give up, no matter how tough things look. Growing Up Alaskan Entrepreneurial: What it was like waiting tables at six years old, running bowling alleys, and learning customer-first service at age 13. Making Food an Experience: How braiding cheese on burgers as a teenager laid the foundation for Molly's fun, experiential product design today. The Power of Unapologetic Authenticity: Why trying to "fake it" on social media or in business is exhausting, and why showing up as your true self attracts the right people. From $150 to the Taco Truck: The miraculous series of events that turned her last $150 and a roadside taco trailer into the birthplace of Molly Bz Cookies. Overcoming Mass Rejection: Pushing through 100 co-packer rejections a day to get her unique, flavor-packed cookies produced. Hire Your Weaknesses: Knowing what you aren't good at (like spreadsheets) and surrounding yourself with a stellar team that excels in those areas. The "Peaches Rule": Why you shouldn't take rejection personally – even if you are the sweetest peach in the world, some people just don't like peaches. Pivoting into Foodservice: Molly’s newest venture taking cookie dough pucks to cruise lines, airlines, and exclusive retail partners. ️ Featured Quote "Here's the thing nobody really tells you growing up: You don't have to tick every box to land somewhere big. You don't have to be the most polished, the most perfect, or the most expected person in the room. Sometimes you just have to show up exactly as you are—loud, vibrant, imperfect—and let the rest work itself out." — Molly Blakeley

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #61

  Episode #61 RangeMe/ECRM - Winning Pitches - Lifeguard

  Sep 1, 202620 minS1

  In this episode, host Joseph Tarnowski sits down with Won Yoo, the manufacturing and formulation brains behind Lifeguard – a sun care brand that is turning heads with its vibrant, high-visibility packaging and high-performance products. Originally registered in New York City back in 1951, the Lifeguard name spent decades plastered across beachside hoodies, T-shirts, and flip-flops. Now, the brand has leveled up from just looking the part to actually protecting people from skin cancer. By pairing classic American coastal branding with cutting-edge South Korean manufacturing expertise, Lifeguard officially launched its innovative sun care line in 2025 and is already snapping up major retail distribution, with ECRM Session wins that include Happy Beauty, Bealls, and Bloomingdale’s Outlet. Tune in to hear how this rookie brand navigated tough US regulations, survived early forecasting trial-and-error, and used buyer feedback to land space on major retail shelves. What You’ll Learn in This Episode The Evolution of a Lifestyle Brand: How a nostalgic apparel license teamed up with an international manufacturing expert to bring a full lifestyle sun care brand to life in the US. K-Beauty Innovation Meets Sun Protection: A look inside their hero SPF 30 and 50 lotions, featuring aloe infused with hyaluronic acid and vitamin-rich seaweed extracted from South Korea’s Jeju Island. Solving the “Sticky Beach" Problem: Why the brand developed a non-stripping sunscreen remover designed to clean out pores and wash away grit so you can head straight from the beach to dinner. Cracking the Retail Code: How Lifeguard used the ECRM and RangeMe platforms to secure fast retail wins with Happy Beauty, Bealls, and Bloomingdale’s Outlet. The Reality of the "Rookie Year": Won opens up about the logistical hurdles of a new launch, from managing minimum order quantities (MOQs) on expiring products to localizing marketing on a tight budget. What's Next on the Drawing Board: A sneak peek into Lifeguard's upcoming product expansion, including a new line of fragranced body lotions.

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on Winning Pitches with RangeMe & ECRM. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.