Building a Regional Soda Brand That Actually Scales скачать в хорошем качестве

Building a Regional Soda Brand That Actually Scales

In this episode of Behind the SKU, Scotty Palmer sits down with Deondrikk McFadden, founder of Carolina Made Beverage, a craft soda brand rooted in North and South Carolina culture. What started as an energy drink concept nearly a decade ago turned into a full pivot — and a comeback story. Deondrikk shares what it took to step back, rebuild with the right team, and relaunch as a community-driven beverage company now sold in 20 locations and growing. This conversation goes deep into the realities of building a regional beverage brand: why trying to do everything yourself doesn’t work, how scaling creates tension between quality and growth, what happens when production goes wrong, the pressure of keeping shelves stocked, and why distribution partnerships can change everything. Deondrikk talks about using real cane sugar and hand-squeezed fruit in Carolina Made’s craft sodas, the expansion into sports drinks, breaking into Walmart.com, and navigating conversations with larger distributors. He also shares the importance of patience, teamwork, and staying grounded when the stakes get higher. If you’re building in beverage — especially regionally — this episode is a real look at what thoughtful growth actually sounds like. Learn more about Carolina Made Beverage: https://carolinamade.bev Follow Carolina Made: Instagram:   / carolinamadebev   Facebook:   / carolinamadebev   TikTok:   / carolinamadebev   Interested in being a guest on Behind the SKU? https://calendly.com/scotty-psa/15-mi... Looking for financial clarity in your food or beverage business? Book a Discovery Call with Palmer’s Advisors (PSA): https://calendly.com/scotty-psa/shelf... Palmer’s Advisors (PSA): https://palmersadvisors.com/ Connect with Scotty Palmer on LinkedIn:   / scotty-palmer   This episode was recorded using Riverside.fm. Chapters: 00:00 The Journey of Carolina Made Beverage 02:38 Building a Community-Driven Brand 04:53 Scaling Challenges and Distribution 07:25 Innovating with New Products 09:33 Quality vs. Cost in Beverage Production 12:15 Navigating Competition in the Beverage Industry 14:45 Lessons Learned and Future Aspirations 22:03 Episode Close Keywords: Carolina Made Beverage, craft soda brand, regional beverage company, scaling beverage brands, beverage distribution, better-for-you soda, North Carolina beverage, South Carolina soda, CPG growth, Behind the SKU