How Once Upon a Farm Redefined Kids’ Food

🎙️ Welcome to Episode 02 of ShelfLife — the CPG podcast by Phyllo, where we uncover the untold stories behind the world’s most iconic brands and the people who build them.

👀 See what you can build with Phyllo: https://www.getphyllo.com/?utm_source=youtube

In this episode, we’re joined by Hayden Coussens, Director of Category Management & Insights at Once Upon a Farm — the organic, cold-pressed baby and kids’ food brand known for elevating food standards for the next generation.

Hayden shares how the brand went from being a challenger in the baby food aisle to becoming a category creator in refrigerated baby snacks. We discuss their approach to category management, building brand trust with both kids and parents, how they use data and AI to make retail decisions, and why mission-first innovation is at the heart of their growth.

From being WIC/SNAP accessible to launching the best-selling Tractor Wheels, this episode explores how Once Upon a Farm balances taste, pricing, and purpose to win over retailers and parents alike.

🎯 Key Topics Discussed:
1. Why taste and mission are non-negotiables for kids’ food
2. How Once Upon a Farm uses data to drive category strategy
3. What makes a product launch successful (and redeemable!)
4. Building for WIC/SNAP without compromising quality
5. Why dry baby snacks became their breakout product line
6. How retailers respond to new SKUs & innovation timelines
7. The role of AI in category insights and product forecasting
8. Redefining category norms: from refrigerated baby food to snack bars

⭐️ Chapters:

00:00 Intro
02:00 Meet Hayden Coussens, Director at Once Upon a Farm
02:46 The Evolution of Once Upon a Farm’s Packaging
04:55 Hayden’s Favorite Product and Taste Talk
05:40 Hayden’s Journey: From General Mills to Once Upon a Farm
10:04 Why He Joined a Mission-Driven Brand
10:55 What is Category Management and Insights
13:22 Inside the Sales and Retail Structure
14:45 Where to Find Once Upon a Farm Products
16:23 Is Once Upon a Farm Still a Challenger Brand
17:15 Selling to Parents, Not Kids – Managing the Gap
18:12 Balancing Taste and Mission in Kids’ Food
20:24 What Are Food Deserts
22:20 Expansion Beyond the U.S.
23:50 Behind the Manufacturing and Sourcing
26:14 Who is the Once Upon a Farm Customer
29:17 Why Parents Choose Once Upon a Farm
31:27 Competitors and the Clean Label Movement
33:14 A Day in the Life: Director of Category and Insights
36:31 How Once Upon a Farm Uses AI and Data
38:12 The Future of AI in CPG Analysis
39:59 Truth or False: Gut vs Data in Decision-Making
43:05 Are CPG Brands Slow on Trends
45:14 CPG and Influencer Marketing
46:57 Story Behind the Baby Snacks Boom
49:28 Product Pricing and Market Gap
50:55 Busting Food and Beverage Industry Myths
53:56 Can a Product Be Redeemed After Failure
56:37 Category Margins and Product Mix
59:40 Ingredient Costs and Contribution Margin Examples
01:01:59 How Often New Products Launch
01:03:08 What’s New at Once Upon a Farm
01:05:35 How Retailers Accept New SKUs
01:07:44 Mission vs Taste: Which Wins
01:10:25 How Parents Shape Product Development
01:12:41 Understanding the P&L of a CPG Brand
01:14:53 Closing Thoughts on Growth and Purpose


🔗 Learn more about Once Upon a Firm: https://onceuponafarmorganics.com
🔗 Connect with Hayden Coussens on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayden-coussens-40b818a8/

📢 Learn more about Phyllo:
🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com
📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com
📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo

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