Consumers are feeling more pressure—but that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped spending.

In this episode of CPG Insiders, Mark Young and Justin Girouard sit down with Baringa’s Caspian Conran and Maureen Bossi to break down the state of the U.S. consumer, where spending is shifting, and what CPG brands should be watching next.

One of the biggest takeaways: consumers are becoming more selective about where they spend, but they’re still willing to pay a premium when the product delivers real value.

The conversation covers:

• Why aggregate consumer data can hide major differences between income groups

• How premium brands can protect their positioning in a softer economy

• Why cutting marketing during a downturn can cost you market—and mind—share

• How gas prices and other economic indicators can signal changes in buying behavior

• Why consumers may delay big-ticket purchases while still indulging in smaller premium experiences

• How AI could reshape both the consumer journey and the broader economy

For CPG leaders, the message is clear: understand exactly who your customer is, stay visible, and make sure the value of your offer continues to exceed the price you’re asking.

Private label has changed.

Store brands used to wait for successful products, create a cheaper alternative, and sit next to them on the shelf.

Now? Retailers are building brands of their own—and in some cases, they may not need your brand on the shelf at all.

For CPG companies, getting retail distribution isn’t enough. You need to build a brand consumers actively demand.

Because if shoppers don’t care which brand they buy, the retailer has every reason to choose its own.

Getting a massive retail PO can feel like the breakthrough your CPG brand has been waiting for. But what if saying “yes” actually puts you out of business?

In this episode of CPG Insiders, Dr. Mark Young and Justin are joined by CPA and fractional CFO Scotty Palmer to break down one of the biggest challenges facing growing consumer brands: managing cash while scaling.

Scotty shares real-world examples of brands that looked profitable on paper but were nearly out of cash, companies trapped by expensive receivables factoring, and founders who landed major retail opportunities only to discover they couldn’t afford to fulfill them.

They also unpack why your best-selling SKU isn’t necessarily your most profitable, how rapid retail expansion can create a cash-flow crisis, and why looking backward at financial statements isn’t enough when your business is growing forward.

In this episode:

• The difference between profitability and cash flow
• Why a big retail PO can actually hurt your business
• The hidden cost of receivables factoring
• How to model cash needs before entering more stores
• Why more SKUs don’t always mean more profit
• How to identify your most profitable products and channels
• The difference between a bookkeeper, controller, and CFO
• Why growing brands need a forward-looking financial strategy

If you’re building a CPG brand and preparing to scale into brick-and-mortar retail, this episode will help you understand the numbers behind sustainable growth.

Learn more about CPG Insiders: https://cpginsiders.com/

Connect with Scotty Palmer / Take the financial quiz: https://palmersadvisers.com/cash

Get your copy of The 27 Unbreakable Rules: https://a.co/d/0bUR3OHe

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