In this episode of Shopify Happy Hour, Dan sits down with Francine Voit, co-founder of Pistakio, to talk about how she turned an underused nut into a standout brand — and made pistachios fun, accessible, and delicious for everyone. Fran shares the inside story of how Pistakio started as a college capstone project, went viral with creative sampling stunts (including a tiramisu purse that made it through TSA!), and grew into a fast-scaling DTC and retail brand — all while staying taste-first and relentlessly scrappy. You’ll hear: ✅ The simple sampling strategy that built word-of-mouth and early traction ✅ How Pistakio turned customer feedback into product improvements ✅ Creative ways they inspire customers to use their spreads in everyday recipes ✅ Why taste-first product development beats trendy buzzwords ✅ How Fran thinks about growing retail, DTC, and content — without paid ads If you love founder stories packed with practical CPG marketing lessons and organic growth tactics, this one’s for you. Tune in, grab a snack (maybe a pistachio or two), and enjoy! Products and brands mentioned during this episode include: Pistakio Faire Bezi Labneh Lottie's Meats Michele Ferrero Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Pistachio and Francine Voit 02:27 The Inspiration Behind Pistachio Products 05:25 Product Development and Market Entry 09:04 Sampling Strategy and Initial Sales 14:39 Balancing Direct-to-Consumer and Retail Sales 17:46 Viral Marketing and Content Creation 19:55 Retail Partnerships and Growth Strategies 21:50 Advice for Aspiring Founders 24:09 Speed Round and Personal Insights
