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Consumer VC: Venture Capital I B2C Startups I Commerce | Early-Stage Investing I Brands | TechnologyAuthor: Mike Gelb
Consumer VC takes a look into early-stage consumer investing and venture capital. If you are interested in learning about consumer trends, have a b2c business and interested in learning about the fundraising process at the early stage, you have come to the right place.Mike interviews some of the top venture capitalists in the world that focus on B2C and consumer type companies or have a deep track record investing in these categories such as marketplaces, SaaS, social, CPG and non-tech subscription.Mike also interviews founders that are building some of the most disruptive consumer facing companies in the world. The conversation usually includes the insight the founder discovered, fundraising strategy, and the pitch.This podcast also includes bonus episodes. Each bonus episode dives into a particular subject that might not have to due with the fundraise or venture capital, but still would be helpful to founders. For example, a bonus episode on brand strategy or how to construct a board of directors. All bonus episodes will be clearly labeled.For all episodes, please visit www.theconsumervc.com. For updates, you can follow @mikegelb on Twitter. Language: en-us Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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He Launched a Tiny Ice Cream Factory, Now It’s a National Brand ft. Alec Jaffe
Tuesday, 2 December, 2025
Glimpse is the all-in-one, AI-powered deductions management platform for CPG brands—automating deduction capture, classification, disputes, and accounting. Recover more revenue while saving time – https://www.tryglimpse.comIce cream is supposed to make you feel good — but most of what’s in the freezer aisle doesn’t.In this episode, Mike chats with Alec Jaffe, Founder and CEO of Alec’s Ice Cream, the A2 dairy, gut-friendly, regeneratively sourced ice cream brand that’s redefining what “premium” means in frozen. Alec started making ice cream in elementary school, but the real journey began when he realized the market was filled with products that either tasted great or made you feel great — but never both.Alec breaks down how he built his supply chain from scratch, why A2 dairy is helping people enjoy ice cream again, what makes frozen dessert different from real ice cream, and how Culture Cups became a breakout product that went viral on TikTok and lifted the entire brand. He also shares the realities of running his own factory, scaling two product lines in a tiny production space, and navigating the brutally competitive freezer aisle.You’ll learn:✅ Why A2 dairy is changing the way people digest ice cream✅ How to build a supply chain around family farms & regenerative agriculture✅ The difference between ice cream and frozen dessert✅ How Alec broke into natural retail and then crossed into mass✅ Why vertical integration is both a blessing and a challenge✅ How Culture Cups went viral on TikTok and sold out on Day 1✅ What makes the frozen aisle one of the hardest categories in CPG✅ How dairy demand is shifting — and why supply can’t keep up✅ When it really makes sense for a food brand to raise venture capital👉 If you’re building a food or beverage brand, this episode is a masterclass in supply chain, product development, retail strategy, and category differentiation. Timestamps00:00 Intro01:00 Alec’s childhood obsession with making ice cream03:30 Unlocking “high-quality ice cream” with simple ingredients05:00 Why A2 dairy helps people enjoy ice cream again06:45 Ice cream vs frozen dessert explained08:00 Building relationships with local family farms09:20 Starting local & breaking into natural retail10:50 Moving into Whole Foods & finding a tiny factory13:00 How Culture Cups were created14:20 The TikTok post that changed everything15:30 Crossing from natural into mass retail17:00 Pricing strategy for premium products19:00 Why investors fear frozen food20:30 How Culture Cups shifted investor perception22:00 The realities of running your own factory24:00 Managing two product lines under one roof26:00 The dairy demand surge & supply challenges28:30 The future of regenerative agriculture31:00 Competing in the brutally competitive freezer aisle34:00 Why ice cream is one of the hardest categories in retail36:00 Thoughts on protein ice cream38:00 Alec’s flavor development process40:00 How he evaluated the right VC partners42:00 Why he raised an $11M Series A45:00 What’s next for Alec’s Ice Cream48:00 Book recommendations: Shoe Dog, Endurance, Ramping Your Brand📬 Subscribe for more founder stories & scaling insights:👉 The Consumer VC Newsletter – https://www.theconsumervc.com/Follow Mike Gelb:Twitter / IG / TikTok → @mikegelb / @consumervc
