170. Gaining Traction? Test & Learn As You Level Up Your Food Business

Real-world examples of testing, learning, and evolving your brand as you create smart growth plans.

Moving to the next level, e.g. from farmers markets into retail or expanding into a new channel, can bring up a lot of questions. Does my brand stand out when I’m not there to explain in person? What change needs to happen first? Can I afford to grow? Can I afford not to grow? What questions do I not even know that I should ask?

In Episode 170, your hosts Katie Mleziva (Real Food Brands) and Clint Matthews (Start Right Foods) explore how food business owners who are looking for the next level of growth - in this example, going beyond farmers’ markets - can approach growth using a thoughtful, test-and-learn mindset. This conversation was sparked by a real interaction Katie had at a farmers market with a brand that’s doing well locally at in-person markets and some retail locations and starting to explore what leveling up could look like.

However, this strategy + test & learn mindset can apply to all stages of growth.

Katie & Clint do not think every food business needs or wants to grow beyond the farmers market - or are even currently at farmers markets! But if you’re feeling curious about retail or another next phase, this episode will help you think through your options with some ideas on how to approach growth with expedited cautiousness, a term Clint and his co-founder Kyle Rood coined in their business to help use data to make decisions, then move forward with full speed.

Using real-world examples from marketing and sales, Katie and Clint share how brand strategy and experimentation work together to guide smarter decisions as your brand evolves.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why success at farmers' markets doesn’t automatically translate to retail success, just like success at one retailer does not always mean success at another.
• How a test-and-learn mindset supports intentional, sustainable growth
• Where to experiment first before making higher-stakes changes like packaging
• How to think about sales channels as stepping stones, not giant leaps
• Why progress and growth often look like — not usually a straight line up
• How feedback and “misses” can actually strengthen your brand over time

Who this episode is for:

• Food business owners exploring what’s next to build on current success
• Brands that are feeling pressure to grow but want to do it intentionally
• Founders who want to learn from real-world feedback instead of guessing

Key takeaway:

Growing beyond the farmers market (or your current distribution presence) isn’t about moving faster — it’s about making smarter moves, learning along the way, and letting real feedback guide your next step.

RELATED EPISODES MENTIONED:

166. Profit and Margins and Cash Flow...OH MY! A Mini Masterclass in Food Business Financials

WANT TO GO DEEPER?

Each episode of the podcast is paired with a worksheet (emailed in the Friday newsletter) designed to help you apply what you’re learning to your own business.

These worksheets, along with 1:1 Brand Strategy Sessions, are available exclusively through Katie’s email list, where you can save them over time and build your own brand strategy workbook—at the right pace, with the right information, at the right time.

1. 📧 Katie’s Friday Newsletter: Sign up here. This is also the only way you can get access to single Brand Strategy Sessions (as of airing, this is $149 for a 60 min session…check email for current pricing).

2. 💬 Join the Conversation! Tune in to the podcast, then join us in the Real Food Brands Marketing Round Table – a free food & farm business owner community – to ask questions and meet other people who love producing real food as much as you do!

Katie Mleziva

Host & Food Brand Strategist | Real Food Brands