Founder Feature: Houston Buehrle of Little Zing

Founder Feature: Houston Buehrle of Little Zing

Author: Startup CPG January 2, 2026 Duration: 26:11
The Startup CPG Podcast
BusinessEntrepreneurship

In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker welcomes Houston Buehrle, founder of Little Zing, a premium mustard brand rooted in a century-old Danish family recipe. Houston shares how he transformed his great-grandmother’s handcrafted condiment into a fast-emerging brand in the CPG space, known for its clean ingredients, distinctive flavor, and standout branding.


Throughout the conversation, Houston discusses his commitment to ingredient integrity, his approach to product innovation, and the importance of authentic storytelling in building consumer trust. He also reflects on lessons learned from his previous venture, Bindle Bottle, and how resilience and creativity guided him toward launching Little Zing.


Listeners will gain insights into grassroots brand building, the value of community-driven growth through farmers markets, and how platforms like TikTok Live are reshaping direct-to-consumer engagement. Houston also offers a preview of Little Zing’s upcoming garlic miso flavor, designed to expand the brand’s reach while staying true to its original ethos.


Tune in to learn how Houston Buehrle turned a family legacy into a modern, purpose-driven brand.


Listen in as they share about:

  • The Origin of Little Zing
  • Product Development
  • Branding, Packaging & Differentiation
  • Retail Strategy & Market Growth
  • The CPG and Condiment Landscape
  • Sampling & Collaborations
  • Marketing & TikTok Live Strategy
  • Collaborations & Future Vision


Episode Links:

Website: https://littlezing.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/houston-max-buehrle-40043a36/ 


Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.



Show Links:

  • Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
  • Join the Startup CPG Slack community (20K+ members and growing!)
  • Follow @startupcpg
  • Visit host Caitlin's Linkedin 
  • Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
  • Episode music by Super Fantastics



Behind every product on a store shelf, there's a story of risk, innovation, and relentless hustle. The Startup CPG Podcast, brought to you by the community at Startup CPG, digs into those stories where theory meets the messy reality of building a brand. You'll hear founders recount the pivotal moments that nearly broke their company and the breakthroughs that saved it, moving beyond polished success tales. Conversations often turn to the buyer's perspective, offering a rare look at what actually gets a product onto retail floors. The focus is relentlessly practical, dissecting supply chain snags, packaging dilemmas, and marketing strategies that cut through the noise. This podcast operates like a field manual for the trenches of consumer packaged goods, built on the belief that shared knowledge is the best advantage. Tune in for candid exchanges that feel more like a mastermind session than a broadcast, all aimed at demystifying the path to shelf space and sustainable growth.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Official website RSS
instagramyoutubelinkedinspotify
The Startup CPG Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Founder Feature: Stephanie McGregor of RINGA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:19
In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Stephanie McGregor, founder of Ringa—a moringa and apple cider vinegar infused beverage with no added sugar, no sugar substitutes, and no na…
Investor Spotlight: Alex Borschow, Rocana Ventures [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:23
In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Hannah Dittman sits down with Alex Borschow, Managing Partner at Rocana Ventures, to explore what Series A investors actually look for in consumer brands. The conversation…
Founder Feature: Amie Kesler of Carolyn's Krisps [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:47
In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker speaks with Amie Kesler, founder of Carolyn’s Krisps—a rapidly growing, better-for-you snack brand reinventing a cherished family recipe into a modern, dairy-fr…
#227 - Operations Ask-Me-Anything with Jamie Valenti-Jordan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:17
In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff speaks with Jamie Valenti-Jordan, CEO of Catapult Commercialization Services, a leader in food and beverage product development, scale-up, and manufacturing stra…
Investor Spotlight: Nick Giannuzzi, Humble Growth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:15
In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Hannah Dittman speaks with Nick Giannuzzi, founder and managing partner of Humble Growth—an investment firm intentionally designed to shift the traditional power dynamic betwee…
Founder Feature: Liv Truesdell of FROST Buttercream [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:04
In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Caitlin Bricker interviews Liv Truesdell, founder of FROST Buttercream, an emerging brand bringing bakery-quality, meringue-based buttercream to retail shelves with fewer ingre…
#226 - Hungryroot 101: Launch Your Brand & Master Smart Cart Shopping [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:42
In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Daniel Scharff sits down with the Hungryroot team for an exclusive inside look at how the fast-growing food tech platform curates products, personalizes grocery shopping t…

«1...345678910»