<p>Welcome back to another episode of The Curious Consumer! Today we’re joined by the incredible Chimene Ross, CEO of <a target="_blank" href="https://killerbrownie.com/">Killer Brownie</a>, for a discussion on the power of branding in bakery, running a family business, and moving from private-label to a branded product.</p><p>We also dive into the convergence of beauty + wellness (ft. hydration powder with UV protection…), why owning manufacturing is the new CPG moat, and Little Spoon’s entrance into infant formula. Let’s get into it!</p><p>Check out NECTAR’s Taste of the Industry sensory analysis on dairy-free products <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nectar.org/sensory-research/2026-taste-of-the-industry">here</a>.</p><p><strong>The Breakdown</strong></p><p>0:00 Intro and Nate’s United Airlines adventure</p><p>1:24 Interview with Chimene Ross, CEO of Killer Brownie</p><p>16:07 Habiza Hummus and the new CPG moat</p><p>20:03 The beauty and food convergence</p><p>27:19 Kraft’s new protein Mac</p><p>32:00 Dairy-free taste parity report</p><p>36:00 Little Spoon enters baby formula</p><p><strong>🎧 Love the show?</strong> Subscribe to The Curious Consumer wherever you get your podcasts! New episodes drop weekly.</p><p><strong>📧 Get the inside scoop</strong> Subscribe to <a target="_blank" href="https://open.substack.com/pub/expresscheckout">Express Checkout</a>, our newsletter packed with consumer insights, trends, and exclusive content straight to your inbox at <a target="_blank" href="http://expresscheckout.co/">expresscheckout.co</a>.</p><p><strong>🗣️ Let’s connect!</strong> Follow us for behind-the-scenes content, quick tips, and more: <a target="_blank" href="http://instagram.com/expresscheckout"><strong>@expresscheckout</strong></a></p><p><strong>💬 Join the conversation</strong> Have a product you’re curious about? DM us your questions or drop them in the comments—your topic could be featured in our next episode! If you have any thoughts/questions/suggestions, feel free to email us at <strong>[email protected]</strong> :)</p><p><strong>⭐ Help us grow</strong> If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps other curious consumers find us!</p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Express Checkout at <a href="https://www.expresscheckout.co/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">www.expresscheckout.co/subscribe</a>