In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Ashley Whalen, founder of Chara — a Greek frozen yogurt brand bringing back the joy of froyo with a modern, better-for-you twist. High in protein, packed with certified living probiotics, naturally sweetened with maple and agave, and completely lactose free, Chara is the frozen treat today's health-conscious consumer has been waiting for. Ashley started the brand during her senior year at USC, launched less than a year ago, and is already in retail, doing pop-ups across SoCal in a renovated vintage Volkswagen bus, and landing brand collaborations with everyone from Fabletics to the Bureau Padel Classic.
Caitlin and Ashley get into all of it — from the college apartment origin story and the seven roommates who inspired the product, to how Ashley is differentiating Chara in a crowded protein frozen dessert space by leaning into joy, natural ingredients, and a Mediterranean-inspired stripe aesthetic that nobody else in the freezer aisle has thought to own. Ashley also shares how she landed her first retail chain through a connection made at Nootopia Now, why she bought a vintage VW bus instead of running ads, and the founder mindset shift that changed everything for her: pressure is a privilege.
Listen in as they cover:
- How Chara was born in a college apartment with seven roommates and a lot of Greek yogurt bowls
- Why Ashley chose maple and agave over artificial sweeteners — and why that decision is paying off
- How Chara is differentiating from the protein ice cream category by decentralizing the narrative of protein
- The story behind the name Chara — and what the Greek word for joy has to do with frozen yogurt
- Why Ashley bought a vintage Volkswagen bus and renovated it into a froyo pop-up vehicle
- How cold outreach on LinkedIn led to brand collaborations with Fabletics, Shopbop, and celebrity Padel tournaments
- Landing the first retail chain at Lunds and Byerly's through a connection made at Newtopia Now
- Why building in public on TikTok is one of the most powerful tools a young founder has
- The advice that stuck: pressure is a privilege — and how that mindset shift changes the way you build
- Chara's 2026 goals: scaling the supply chain and expanding into natural retail nationwide
Whether you're a young founder just getting started, a brand navigating the frozen category, or someone who just wants a better froyo, this episode is for you.
Episode Links: Chara Website: https://www.charafroyo.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charafroyo Ashley Whalen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-whalen321
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Show Links:
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- Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
- Episode music by Super Fantastics
