An Interview With Martita Mestey
Look for Inspiration in Unlikely Places — Buying behaviors change rapidly. Look across categories for inspiration, like how Doritos developed their Ranch flavor by recognizing the popularity of Ranch dips in grocery deli sections. Constant innovation and drawing insights from unexpected places can lead to new, winning product ideas.
As a part of our series called “5 Things You Need To Create a Successful Food or Beverage Brand”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Alex Andreyev.
Alex Andreyev is the CEO and Co-founder of Evidnt, a data and analytics platform that provides deep sales insights and analytics for CPG brands. Alex is a known innovator and leader, having developed the first multicultural data platform for Gravity, which was later acquired by Dentsu. He also contributed to the development of IPG’s maturity canvas and led data, analytics, and programmatic teams for major companies such as Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Sara Lee, Este Lauder, Darden, IBM, and AMEX. Alex is recognized as one of the foremost thought leaders in the space of retail and CPG data development and management.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a bit about your “childhood backstory”?
I was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, and moved to the U.S. when I was nine. Both of my parents were entrepreneurs, and I caught the entrepreneurial bug early. In high school, I started my first business — a Christmas Tree company in NYC, which is still run by a childhood friend today (https://nycchristmastrees.com/). Since then, I’ve immersed myself in the world of marketing and advertising, working on iconic brands like Amex, IBM, and Coca-Cola. When I noticed a gap in real-time data for offline brands, I launched Evidnt in 2020 to help brands plan, target, and measure more effectively.
Can you share with us the story of the “ah ha” moment that led to the creation of Evidnt’s analytics platform?
Coming from performance marketing, I saw a massive gap in data for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands. While working at Coca-Cola, I noticed that data from couponing and retailer sales was often limited, delayed, or inaccessible, making it difficult to measure real-time impact. I realized that 40% of CPG sales came from small and independent retailers who didn’t have access to the same level of insights as large chains. The “aha” moment was realizing we could help smaller retailers get access to these insights and aggregate their sales data to provide near real-time analytics to brands. That’s how Evidnt was born.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
There were plenty of missteps along the way that helped shape our platform. Initially, we thought we could help small and independent retailers buy everything they needed from our marketplace through data and analytics. In hindsight, it was naïve to expect retailers to switch long-standing partnerships. Instead, we pivoted by introducing them to brands and distributors, providing more choices while still delivering top-notch analytics. This shift allowed us to refine our strategy and stay focused on supporting smaller retailers.
What are the most common mistakes you have seen people make when they start a food or beverage line? What can be done to avoid those errors?
Distribution is one of the biggest challenges. Many brands, especially those that started direct-to-consumer (DTC), try to scale too quickly, often at the expense of quality control or managing retailer relationships effectively. Without strong market support, brands struggle to meet demand and damage their chances of getting into larger chains. The best approach is sustainable growth — starting slow in key markets with strong online sales, building brand recognition, and expanding strategically through independent retailers. It’s not the fast track some brands expect, but it’s the most reliable way to build a lasting brand.
Let’s imagine that someone reading this interview has an idea for a product that they would like to produce. What are the first few steps that you would recommend that they take?
Test the market, innovate, and keep refining. One great example is GNGR Labs, which continuously improved their Ginger Shots — tweaking flavors, packaging, and marketing based on customer feedback. They used data and analytics to drive sales, identify key markets, and work directly with independent retailers to test their products in stores. This approach led to steady, sustainable growth while maintaining product quality.
Many people have good ideas all the time. But some people seem to struggle in taking a good idea and translating it into an actual business. How would you encourage someone to overcome this hurdle?
The difference between a good idea and a successful business is execution. It’s about starting small, doing the non-scalable, boring tasks — planning, testing, refining. You need to test, learn from your data, and constantly improve. Some people just need a co-founder or partner who complements their skillset. That’s why we love working with partners, helping with the marketing and analytics while they focus on building their brand and product.
There are many invention development consultants. Would you recommend that a person with a new idea hire such a consultant, or should they try to strike out on their own?
It depends on the business, but I don’t think patents solve all problems. The best brands grow despite competition by focusing on their unique value, brand promise, and customer experience. There will always be competitors who can copy your product, but they can’t replicate your brand or what it stands for.
What are your thoughts about bootstrapping vs looking for venture capital? What is the best way to decide if you should do either one?
In today’s market, it’s tough for startups to meet the high growth expectations of VCs. Unless you find a VC who truly shares your vision, I recommend bootstrapping as long as possible. It forces you to build a healthy, profitable business model. With high interest rates and rising consumer acquisition costs, it’s harder than ever to scale quickly, so sustainable growth is key.
Can you share thoughts from your experience about how to file a patent, how to source good raw ingredients, how to source a good manufacturer, and how to find a retailer or distributor?
While we’re not specialists in this area, the fundamentals are research, testing, and starting with things that don’t scale. It’s about putting in the work to find reliable partners and building a solid foundation.
What are your “5 Things You Need To Create a Successful Food or Beverage Brand” and why?
- Test Early — Test your product with key audience groups, gather feedback, and refine. GNGR Labs continuously improved their Ginger Shots by tweaking flavors, packaging, and marketing based on customer feedback, leading to better product-market fit.
- Find Your Tribe — Once you understand what your customers love, scale through communities that resonate with your brand. Rap Snacks, for example, started in Philadelphia but grew by aligning with rap celebrities who were fans, which expanded their reach and led to new product lines.
- Scale Strategically — Don’t rush into big retail deals before you’re ready. Cosrx, a skincare brand, found success by starting small with eCommerce and regional retailers. They scaled when they had the right systems in place, eventually landing in Sephora and Target.
- Leverage Data — CPG brands often lack real-time data, but you can use insights from your website, eCommerce, and distributor sales to understand customer behavior. Brands like Bibigo analyze buying patterns to optimize marketing strategies and tailor promotions for different regions.
- Look for Inspiration in Unlikely Places — Buying behaviors change rapidly. Look across categories for inspiration, like how Doritos developed their Ranch flavor by recognizing the popularity of Ranch dips in grocery deli sections. Constant innovation and drawing insights from unexpected places can lead to new, winning product ideas.
Can you share your ideas about how to create a product that people really love and are ‘crazy about’?
Test, test, and test some more. Not everyone will love your product right away, but through constant testing and improvement based on customer feedback, you can find your brand’s unique flavor profile. As the advertising legend said, “The customer isn’t a moron; she’s your wife.” Listen to your customers and keep refining your product.
Ok. We are nearly done. Here are our final questions. How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
At Evidnt, we believe there’s room for both big brands and small businesses to thrive. By leveraging our expertise in data and insights, we aim to democratize access to actionable analytics so that everyone — from the smallest retailer to the biggest brand — can succeed. A rising tide lifts all boats.
You are an inspiration to a great many people. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I’d encourage people to start taking action on their ideas. Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster, but the first step is always to start. You never know where it will lead, and even the smallest idea can spark something much bigger.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Alex Andreyev Of Evidnt On 5 Things You Need To Create a Successful Food or Beverage Brand was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.