About this episode
In this episode, Ben Eachus sits down with David VanHimbergen, VP of Innovation & DTC at Glanbia, to explore what it takes to build and scale modern consumer brands.
Drawing on experience from Procter & Gamble’s Tide Spin to high-growth nutrition and sustainability brands, David shares how the CPG landscape has evolved—with lower barriers to entry, faster innovation cycles, and new opportunities enabled by digital tools and modern fulfillment.
The conversation covers how leaders can stay close to the consumer while operating with limited resources, make effective decisions without perfect data, and build brands that can adapt quickly in an increasingly fragmented market.
They also discuss where growth is heading next and how supply chain and technology are becoming key enablers of speed, differentiation, and scale.
Key takeaways
- Stay relentlessly focused on real customer needs.
- Use intuition when data and resources are limited.
- Early-stage leaders must operate across every function.
- Agility is critical in fast-changing markets.
- Barriers to entry are lower than ever for new brands.
- Innovation requires speed and a higher tolerance for risk.
- Supply chain can be a competitive advantage.
- Technology enables faster insight into emerging trends.
About the guest
David VanHimbergen is the VP of Innovation & DTC at Glanbia, where he leads initiatives across product innovation, direct-to-consumer strategy, and emerging growth opportunities. With experience spanning Procter & Gamble and high-growth consumer brands, he specializes in building and scaling modern CPG businesses through consumer insight, innovation, and operational execution.
