MALK Plant Milk Masters In-Store Retail

Ryan Rouse has a formula for scaling physical retail sales. First penetrate niche markets, he says, then leverage that success into mainstream chains.

He does that with MALK Organics, an Austin, Texas-based plant milk provider. Ryan is MALK’s president, having launched and exited a meal-delivery business and served in executive roles of other consumer brands.

Our recent conversation focused on retail tactics — packaging, pricing, marketing, and more.

The entire audio is embedded below. The transcript is edited for clarity and length.

Eric Bandholz: Give us a rundown of what you do.

Ryan Rouse: I’m the president of MALK Organics, a plant-based milk company, overseeing sales, marketing, and data. I joined almost a year ago. MALK was founded in 2015 by a woman who began making the product in her home and selling it at farmers’ markets. I saw the potential, so I joined the team.

The plant-based milk category grew with the popularity of brands such as Oatly. Initially, the messaging around plant-based milk was that it’s a healthy alternative to dairy, but if you look at some of the ingredients, they aren’t necessarily good for you. Many companies present plant-based products as inherently healthy, but often that’s not the case.

For MALK, the foundation has always been about organic, clean ingredients. The original premise was to create a healthy and delicious plant-based milk option.

MALK gained traction with health-conscious consumers who appreciated this clean-label approach. Over time, competitors have entered the space, but we’ve stayed committed to our founding principles.

Before MALK, I spent 14 years in finance and then co-founded Factor, a meal delivery company, in 2013. It sold in 2020. I left the day-to-day in 2017 and have since worked with various consumer businesses, mainly in the food and beverage space.

I’ve taken on multiple roles: in-house, as a consultant, and full-time. My most recent position pre-MALK was at HighKey, a keto cookie company, where I was CMO and later CEO.

Bandholz: MALK’s prices are higher than other brands.

Rouse: Pricing comes down to logic versus emotion. Consumers are often emotional about their choices and do not always focus on cost.

For example, we didn’t think it was a big deal when MALK transitioned to natural flavors because the ingredients were still clean. However, some customers felt betrayed. Emotionally, they viewed any change negatively, even though it didn’t affect the quality.

That said, we’re one of the few companies offering a clean-label, organic, plant-based milk. Despite the premium price, we continue to experience high demand and increasing sales.

The plant-based milk category is generally declining, but MALK is growing. Being early to market was key to this growth. Timing is everything. Oatly did a great job of popularizing plant-based milk, but consumers started turning labels around and questioning the ingredients over time. That’s when they found us.

It would be much harder today to gain traction at this price point, especially with other competitors established in the market.

Bandholz: You’ve grown through physical retail channels. How did you build and scale that program?

Rouse: Our approach followed the traditional playbook for better-for-you products. We started with natural-food retailers such as Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Natural Grocers. These stores attract customers willing to pay a premium for healthier products, and their wholesale buyers understand what consumers look for.

We gained traction there with our almond and oat milks and used that success to penetrate conventional retailers such as Kroger, Albertsons, and Target.

Bandholz: What drives your retail sell-through?

Rouse: Packaging is crucial. It might not matter as much in direct-to-consumer, but it’s everything on the shelf. A product’s packaging must stand out and clearly communicate the benefits. Shoppers are walking the aisles with high intent to purchase; packaging needs to catch their eye.

Focusing marketing dollars close to the point of sale is essential for an early-stage brand. Packaging and in-store marketing materials — shelf tags, bottle neck hangers, end-of-aisle displays — grab consumers’ attention when they’re already shopping.

Discounting can boost sales, but it’s often unnecessary. The closer you can get to the point of sale, the better.

Bandholz: How do you approach branding, especially with packaging, to stand out?

Rouse: It depends on the category, how bold you want to be, and how much you want to differentiate from competitors. But above all, your promise must be clear.

Think of it like online conversion rate optimization. It’s not just about changing the button color — there’s more to it. It’s about the headline, the copy, and the main image.

What matters most is your value proposition. If you offer something genuinely different, communicate it instantly.

Then comes packaging design: What other attributes can you highlight that resonate with consumers? What’s your unique promise that sets you apart?

It’s basic copywriting — be clear and concise. If a label or seal conveys the benefits, even better. For example, the organic label is instantly recognizable. Display it prominently on your packaging.

Bandholz: Where can people connect with you?

Rouse: MalkOrganics.com. I’m on X and LinkedIn.

Branding Is More Than a Logo

This “Ecommerce Conversations” episode continues my masterclass series on entrepreneurship. Last week I addressed tactics to increase ecommerce profits amid a slump for many businesses.

This week I focus on branding. Most people think of branding as logos or design elements. But those items are components, not the essence. A brand is synonymous with a company’s mission and purpose.

My full audio narration is embedded below. The transcript is edited for clarity and length.

Mission

A founder’s outlook drives the brand. What does she or he want to achieve? For me, it’s freedom — creating my own path. If unsure, reflect on why you exist and your purpose in life. Then shape your business around it.

A common struggle of entrepreneurs is feeling trapped in a business they don’t love. That happens when there’s no mission. My mission at Beardbrand is to help men live the life of their dreams through grooming. We want men to feel proud of the person in the mirror. When a man invests in himself, he gains the confidence to better his family and community  — making the world a more loving place.

Values

Core values are essential. Beardbrand’s are freedom, hunger, and trust. I prefer single-word values because they’re easier to remember. If you can’t recall your core values, they don’t exist. At Beardbrand, everyone knows our core values because they are clear and concise.

We boiled ours down to three concepts working in harmony. For instance, too much freedom might reduce trust, while too much hunger could limit freedom. These checks and balances are critical for us. However, a fast-growing startup might focus on hunger to survive and conquer a market. Core values should reflect personal beliefs extended into business.

Core values guide decisions amid uncertainty. For instance, we look for vendors that share our worldview. Our best relationships have been with companies that align with our values.

Communication

Communication should be consistent across an entire company — internal discussions, customer interactions, ads, emails, and websites. Many people default to formal, grammatically correct language, thinking it’s the right way. But, to me, it’s boring and lifeless.

Communication should have passion, character, and conviction. There’s often a tendency to play it safe, especially when advised by lawyers. However, playing it safe isn’t always the right approach. Sometimes, breaking the rules — such as using informal or edgy language — can make your brand stand out without alienating an audience.

Customer support should be human. Too often, support teams attempt to defuse situations by being robotic, which worsens the problem. Human interactions help resolve issues with greater ease.

At Beardbrand, we talk to our customers the way we talk to friends. We avoid formal language because authenticity is key to building trust, one of our core values.

Customer support must align with the type of product you offer. A premium product demands top-tier support, while a lower-priced item might not.

Many brands overlook typography, a form of communication. Fonts can tell a lot about a brand and how much it cares about design. Most smaller brands stick to safe fonts like Arial or Helvetica, which makes them blend in with everyone else.

Others will shape your brand if you aren’t intentional with fonts, logos, colors, and photography.

Fonts can create consistency. Without consistency, your brand’s identity can become unclear, leading to mixed messages.

Impact

A brand is an extension of its founders and staff and how they want to impact the world. Philip Jackson, the founder of Future Commerce, says commerce is culture. Companies that succeed know this.

Entrepreneurs make the world a better place through their businesses. Branding reflects that mission. It’s more than a logo.

Margin Hacks for Cash-Strapped Ecom Stores

Many ecommerce businesses are struggling. Profit margins are thin; cash is low.

As the host of “Ecommerce Conversations,” I typically interview entrepreneurs and executives. But I’ll depart for this episode, sharing lessons from running Beardbrand, my company, for over a decade.

What follows are my tips for adding margins to an ecommerce business. My entire audio narrative is embedded below. The transcript is condensed and edited for clarity.

Clarify Goals

I believe in bootstrapped businesses, prioritizing freedom over money. My decisions differ from those of Sean Frank at wallet-maker Ridge, who aims to build a billion-dollar company. My goal is to create a lifestyle that allows me to do what I want.

Having a clear goal facilitates focus. Chasing a billion-dollar business means thinking about a broad market, but focusing on a niche can result in a high-margin, low-stress company that’s lean and manageable, even at just one or two million of annual revenue.

Think about your products and how you communicate with customers and prospects. Are you speaking to a specific value proposition or in broad generalities? A 90% gross margin — revenue less cost of goods — allows flexibility to offer discounts or bundles. Creativity comes from starting with high margins versus struggling with products that cost too much.

Improve Operations

Shipping costs are significant. If you’re not comparing rates annually from FedEx, UPS, and DHL, you’re leaving money on the table. If you use a third-party fulfillment provider, ask what they’re doing to lower shipping costs. As a steward of your business, your job isn’t to serve vendors. It’s to ensure the best prices and value for your customers.

Think about what’s unnecessary in your business. For example, at Beardbrand, we sell directly to consumers (not in physical stores), which means we can use minimal packaging to lower costs.

Shrinkflation — reducing the size or quality of an item — is another option. There’s a reason brands have used it for decades. For instance, Montana Knife Company can fit two more knives per sheet of steel by slightly reducing blade length — adding inventory without increasing costs.

Consider manufacturing improvements. Dealing directly with the manufacturer can offer savings, as can manufacturing in-house. Josh Paulson of Quality Cage builds chinchilla cages in-house, giving him a competitive advantage and keeping costs low since he produces on demand.

In-house manufacturing can reveal optimizations vendors might overlook.

Upgrade Marketing

Many businesses create a website, run some ads, and call it a day. But there’s so much more you can do. At Beardbrand, we help men love the person in the mirror. To support that, we’ve done style consulting, where customers send photos, and we advise on hairstyles and products. Offering more expertise can build loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals.

Adding small notes of gratitude or sending birthday cards encourages repeat sales. We use PostPilot to send birthday cards to our top 1,000 customers, often including Yeti mugs with our logo. A $20 gift for someone who’s spent thousands goes a long way in maintaining relationships.

Limited edition drops for top customers can create loyalty. Hosting exclusive events promotes community and excitement around your brand. Instead of spending $5,000 on ads, put on a memorable event and get far more value from the connections and energy.

Elevate the Brand

The design and appearance of an ecommerce site impact conversions. Elevate your brand by upgrading photography, layout, colors, and fonts. These details matter. Consider if warm or bright lighting works best for your product, and ensure everything — from look-and-feel to human models — aligns with your brand and target audience.

Premium brands sometimes avoid publishing reviews, focusing instead on their products and services. It’s a bold move, but it elevates their image.

Superior materials can also help, especially in niches where customers will pay for the best.

Enhance the Checkout

Offer a premium return experience. For instance, you can add a “white glove” option at checkout, similar to premium shipping choices. ReturnLogic, for example, automates the return process, helping customers and brands. Other options include offering a $1 or $2 upsell for no-questions returns or priority support.

Additionally, consider offering high-margin accessories at checkout. At Beardbrand, we add quality tweezers for $10 that cost us $1. This strategy mimics grocery stores that place small, high-margin items near the point-of-sale station.

Montana Knife Co Blends Craft with Scale

Montana Knife Company launched in 2020 in a two-car garage near Missoula. One co-founder is a certified “Master Bladesmith” who has produced handmade knives since he was 11. The other, Brandon Horoho, is a seasoned digital marketer and ecommerce pro.

Combined, the entrepreneurs prove the value of craftsmanship at scale marketed directly to consumers. Business is booming, and the company will soon move into a 50,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility.

Brandon and I recently spoke. He shared the company’s origins, culture, “drop” selling, and more. Our entire audio is embedded below. The transcript is edited for length and clarity.

Eric Bandholz: Tell us who you are and what you do.

Brandon Horoho: I’m the co-founder, vice president, and chief marketing officer of Montana Knife Company. My background is in marketing, and I’ve been involved in ecommerce since 2010.

I’ve worked for big supplement and fitness brands and on many ecommerce platforms, including Magento and Shopify. One of my early accomplishments was adopting SMS marketing when it was unregulated, which helped me understand how to grow businesses in emerging markets.

We make our knives entirely in Montana, near Missoula. We started in 2020 and are entirely bootstrapped. We focus on creating quality knives for the most hardcore hunters, offering a product you could take on a two-week hunt in Alaska without needing backups. We aim to make tools that last for generations. We stand apart from the mass market, which has shifted toward cheaper, disposable products.

We manufacture our knives to last. That’s what sets us apart. We’re obsessive about quality and craftsmanship, even at scale. My business partner, Josh Smith, has been making knives since he was 11. At age 19, he became the youngest Master Bladesmith from the American Bladesmith Society. His specialty is Damascus steel and highly intricate, custom-made handles.

People would buy his knives to collect them, which bothered him because he wanted folks to use them. That’s why we started this company.

Bandholz: How do you stand out in a crowded industry?

Horoho: We’re different from traditional knife companies. We don’t do blade shows, and we don’t follow the typical market trends for knives. We focus on making specific tools for specific people. Our brand is like the anti-knife knife company.

We also differentiate through our dedication to customer service. Our warranty is unmatched — if you buy a knife from us, we’ll sharpen it as often as you need. If something goes wrong, we’ll fix it. This warranty applies to the original owner and anyone who inherits the knife.

Bandholz: Have you had any issues with knockoffs of your knives?

Horoho: We’ve seen a few knockoffs on platforms like Temu, but we don’t lose sleep over it. We’re 100% direct-to-consumer, so if you aren’t buying from our website, you’re buying a fake. Our knives are hand-finished and hand-sharpened; it’s tough for anyone to replicate that on a large scale.

Bandholz: Your knives are often out of stock. Is that a success or failure?

Horoho: It depends on how you look at it. When we started, we could afford to make only 200 knives — most went to friends and family. We sold out before we had the next batch ready. That’s how our drop model started — we had no product to sell for a month or two, so we decided to announce drops for specific dates.

Coming from the fitness and apparel world, I was familiar with the drop model, but it wasn’t supposed to be our primary business strategy. The first time we did it, the knives sold out in 14 minutes, and we hadn’t even finished making them. It was chaos. We didn’t have enough packaging, and Josh was sharpening knives as fast as he could while I worked on the shipping labels.

We continued with the drop model because it worked, but it was never the plan. We were also launching during Covid, so we faced challenges sourcing steel and finding contractors willing to work with a small company like ours.

Bandholz: Have you kept up with demand?

Horoho: No, we still haven’t caught up. When we started, we bought one CNC machine — Computer Numerical Control, a manufacturing process — and operated out of a two-car garage. We now have a 10,000-square-foot facility on Josh’s property, but we outgrew it in less than a year. We’re building a 50,000-square-foot plant, which will include 30,000 square feet of manufacturing space.

We’re still constrained even with our expanded production capabilities. We have only five available knife models, and our sell-through rate is about two weeks. We drop new products every Thursday, but we can’t make enough to keep up with the demand.

Bandholz: Tell us about your marketing efforts.

Horoho: I had many years of making marketing mistakes before Montana Knife. We focused on the basics first, setting up a proper data management system from day one, especially for Google and Facebook ads, which I’m familiar with from my time in the supplement space.

I knew we’d be competing with companies that have been around for decades, but when I looked at their digital footprints, I saw they were missing opportunities. I worked with a friend, Joel, from Fluxe Digital Marketing, to establish a strong organic search strategy, even before we had products on the site. That’s been huge.

Our focus is growing our email list, not just social media platforms. Having the ability to reach customers directly has been key. Consistent daily posting keeps us top of mind, and collaborations with like-minded brands are where I see the future. Artificial intelligence might soon dominate ads, but genuine brand partnerships will stand out.

Bandholz: Where can people follow you?

Horoho: MontanaKnifeCompany.com. We’re on X, YouTube, and Instagram. You can find me on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Adapt to Survive, Says eCommerceFuel Founder

Andrew Youderian launched eCommerceFuel in 2013 after stints in corporate finance and online selling. The vetted community consists of ecommerce owners whose businesses have $1 million or more in annual revenue.

He says ecommerce in 2025 has matured. “Brands that adapt,” he told me, “will survive in the next five to seven years.”

I’m a member of eCommerceFuel. I recently spoke with Andrew about his business, work-life balance, and change. The entire audio of that conversation is embedded below. The transcript is edited for clarity and length.

Eric Bandholz: Give us a rundown on what you do.

Andrew Youderian: I run a community called eCommerceFuel. We have about 1,000 online merchants whose companies have at least $1 million in annual revenue. Our main activities revolve around live events and an online message board. The community helps answer niche ecommerce questions, offering fast, authoritative solutions.

I started my career in finance, shifted to launching a few ecommerce businesses, and, over time, built this community, which is now over 12 years old.

Our growth has been deliberate. We’ve avoided sponsorships and focused on the quality of people in the community, prioritizing bringing in trusted, high-caliber individuals. Only owners are allowed in, and we don’t allow sales pitches.

We’ve always maintained a clear focus. While some suggest creating a Slack channel, a Facebook group, or using apps, we’ve resisted those distractions. If you spread yourself too thin, you lose focus. Building a community requires critical mass; it’s tough to regain once you lose it.

The main value people find in eCommerceFuel is tactical answers to specific problems. We strive to provide practical, meaningful advice while also nurturing relationships.

Bandholz: Is a community-based brand relatively more stable in today’s challenging ecommerce market?

Youderian: Yes, but we’re still facing challenges. Some members have left, possibly due to macroeconomic factors such as rising costs, increased competition from overseas, and margin compression. It’s harder to succeed in ecommerce than a few years ago.

Looking ahead, I see smaller, durable brands being the ones that thrive. These brands may not grow as fast as in the past, but they’ll be more resilient. They’ll take longer to build, require more creativity, and will depend on authentic marketing and the ethos of their founders. But in the long run, these brands will have more staying power and customer loyalty.

Brands that adapt and do things differently will survive the next five to seven years. They’ll avoid relying solely on big tech platforms and paid acquisition, creating something more valuable and independent.

Bandholz: You’re taking a sabbatical.

Youderian: My wife and I are taking a year off to spend more time with our three kids, especially since our oldest is about to enter middle school. We realized that our schedules would revolve more around their activities as they age, so we wanted to take this time for meaningful travel and family bonding.

We started homeschooling them, and so far we’ve spent about seven months on this journey.

Work-wise, I’ve been trying to reduce my involvement to one day a week. Turning off that entrepreneurial drive to always be productive has been challenging. Sometimes, I see the negative impacts of not being as involved — like traffic drops or lower revenue — and it’s tough not to step in. But, overall, it’s been an incredible year of growth, personally and as a family.

Bandholz: What’s the best way to build a business?

Youderian: Most entrepreneurs aim to build, exit, and relax but often find they’re not content with doing nothing. The key is to create a business you love and enjoy most of the time. While all companies have tricky parts, finding one you’re passionate about allows for long-term success and a fulfilling life. Achieving a balance where your business complements your personal life — health, relationships, and faith — is the best outcome.

Selling a business can make sense if you’re ready for a new challenge and have financial security. Humans are wired for growth and purpose. Life will always involve struggles, so choose a meaningful one that justifies the effort — whether running a business or facing the challenge of what comes next after selling.

Bandholz: Where can folks follow you?

Youderian: eCommerceFuel.com. You can find me on LinkedIn and X. I also host The eCommerceFuel Podcast.

Merchant Cuts Revenue 60%, Profit Rises 25%

In 2023 Mathias Schrøder was stressed, burned out, and perplexed. He had scaled revenue on his Denmark-based clothing company, but bloated overhead meant little profits and even less free time.

“I felt lost, unable to fix our predicament,” he told me, “until I realized I was trying to solve the wrong problem.”

His solution was to scale down. He fired employees, lowered warehouse costs, and eliminated stagnant inventory. The result was 60% less revenue and 25% more profit.

He shared his journey in our recent conversation. The entire audio is embedded below. The transcript is condensed and edited for clarity.

Eric Bandholz: Who are you, and what do you do?

Mathias Schrøder: I’ve been in ecommerce for about seven or eight years, working for Patina, my family’s clothing business, and as a consultant and developer. Before that, I had a short stint in finance as an analyst for an investment firm. I quickly realized that wasn’t for me — wearing a suit and tie and following orders.

One thing led to another, and in 2018, I joined my parents’ business, selling clothing for women 65 years and older. Back then, we were doing tiny numbers, around $300 to $400 a month. Fast forward to now, we operate online and in physical locations in Denmark, Sweden, and Germany, generating around $3 to $4 million annually.

We recently decided to lower our revenue to gain more freedom. The original concept was to load clothing into large vans, drive to retirement homes or other places where seniors gather, put on small fashion shows, and sell the clothes afterward. We still do that but are now focused on scaling back to have more control over our time.

Bandholz: What led you to that choice?

Schrøder: The decision started several years ago when my girlfriend and I vacationed in Thailand. I love running a business but realized there’s more to life. Plus, I was stressed, burned out, and not hitting the numbers we needed.

We had bloated budgets, excess inventory, too many employees, and a too-large warehouse. I felt lost, unable to fix our predicament until I realized I was trying to solve the wrong problem.

So I said to my girlfriend, “I have this crazy idea. What if we just fire everyone? Why do we keep trying to run faster?” I crunched the numbers in Google Sheets. I started deleting salaries, deleting warehouse costs, deleting X, Y, and Z. I quickly realized that we could decrease revenue without hurting profits.

That was the start of the journey. And it worked.

Implementing the changes took some time. In Denmark, we can’t just fire people, for example. By November 2024 we had completed most of the reductions. Our revenue that month was roughly $800,000, down from $2 million in November 2023 — less than half. But profits increased by 25%!

We killed 60% of the revenue and made a lot more money. It’s a lesson for all entrepreneurs. We should all take an honest look in the mirror and ask, “Why are we doing this?“

I have more time to work on projects I enjoy. For example, I’m launching an analytics app for Shopify stores called Kleio, inspired by the Greek muse of history, to help others manage their data at a much more affordable price. It’s a passion project, and I’m excited to share it with merchants who want a better understanding of their numbers.

Bandholz: Where can people follow you?

Schrøder: Our ecommerce site is PatinaMode.dk. It’s in Danish, and we cannot ship to the U.S., unfortunately. The analytics app is at GetKleio.com. I’m on X and LinkedIn.