The Future of Shopping Is Now, Grüns Hits $500M, and a Protein Bar That Packs a Punch
What a week.
From AI-powered commerce to brands redefining wellness on their own terms, the game is changing fast.
In this week’s breakdown:
– Shopify x ChatGPT’s quiet revolution in retail– Why Grüns is the greens brand to beat– A protein bar founder doing it all, one cold call at a time
Let’s get into it.
ALSO, Super excited to launch this next week in NYC—our first Morning Meetup for CPG Founders at Bedford Studio!
Whether you’re scaling fast or just starting out, this one’s for the builders. We’re bringing together an amazing crew of founders, operators, and brands to connect, share products, and kick off the day with good vibes.
Hosted alongside Shanti House and Express Checkout—can’t wait to see the community show up for this one. Let’s go!
→ Check it out: RSVP Here
Tech of the Week: Zaymo
Zaymo turns static emails into shoppable experiences—no redirects, no landing pages, no friction.
With 1-click upsells, embedded reviews, SMS capture, quizzes, and even direct shopping inside the inbox, it’s redefining what email can do.
Fully no-code, built for Shopify, and integrates with Klaviyo, Recharge, Okendo, and more.
→ Check it out: zaymo.com
📦 Shopify x ChatGPT: AI Shopping Is Officially Here
OpenAI just integrated Shopify directly into ChatGPT—and the implications are huge.
Here’s what just launched:
- Product recs with real-time shopping data
- Buy buttons directly inside the chat interface
- No ads, no friction—just one-on-one commerce
Why this matters:
- Consumers won’t Google, they’ll prompt.
- Funnels are flattening—conversion happens during conversation.
- Shopify is now a discovery engine, not just infrastructure.
Marketers, it’s time to shift your strategy.
🧠 Pro tip: Start teaching your audience how to prompt your brand.
“Ask ChatGPT why [Brand] is the best at [Attribute].”
The future isn’t clicks—it’s commands.
🟢 Grüns Raises $35M, Hits $500M Valuation
The gummy greens brand just dropped some serious news: A $35M Series B led by Headline. A $500M valuation. And nine-figure revenue.
How they got here:
- Piggybacked the AG1 health ritual
- Ditched the sludge, delivered gummies
- Made nutrition joyful (and delicious)
- Celebrity backing (Burrow, Kendrick, Shaun White)
With 4M gummies shipped daily and nationwide retail distribution (Target, Walmart, Sprouts), Grüns is now more than a DTC darling—it’s the brand in the wellness aisle.
Watch what they do next.
Founder Spotlight: Sean from BOLD Bar
Meet BOLD Bar: a protein bar with 20g protein, clean ingredients, and caffeine.
Think: snack + preworkout + breakfast in one bar.
1. What inspired you to start this brand, and what were the first steps you took to bring it to life?
I’ve always been obsessed with food—cooking, baking, making weird little creations. As a kid, I even made my own birthday cakes. That passion eventually blended with health and fitness, since I grew up playing hockey and have always been active. At some point, I realized I was eating a ton of protein bars and thought, “Why not make my own?” So I started messing around with ingredients in my kitchen—protein powder, honey, almonds, chocolate chips—and eventually took that homemade energy and turned it into a real product. I partnered with a manufacturer who helps startups, spent nearly a year working through 8 or 9 iterations, and landed on the version of BOLD Bar we have today.
2. What sets your product apart in a crowded market?
BOLD Bar stands out because it brings three things together that rarely exist in the same product: 20g of protein, clean ingredients sweetened with honey, and a solid dose of caffeine. A lot of bars have one or two of those, but I haven’t seen any that combine all three. It’s functional fuel—something you can eat on the go before the gym or a long day—without needing to chug coffee and risk running to the bathroom during your workout. It’s also just a bar I personally love eating, which I think matters a lot.
3. What’s been the biggest challenge so far, and how did you overcome it?
Without a doubt, the hardest part has been building reach and awareness as a solo founder. I don’t have a big team or a celebrity backer—I’m the one cold calling gyms, emailing shops, showing up in person with samples, and manually reaching out to influencers. I listed BOLD on Faire and a few other wholesale platforms, but most of the early traction has come from me grinding the phones and just being persistent. It's not scalable yet, but it's authentic, and it's been working.
4. How are you approaching growth in these early stages—what channels or strategies are most important to you?
Right now, my focus is on boots-on-the-ground, high-touch growth—getting bars into people’s hands. That means small gyms, indie retailers, events, and direct outreach. I’m running a few ads here and there, but I’m not an ecomm wizard. My goal is to build a really loyal, local customer base first—people who love the bar and talk about it—and then layer in more marketing and distribution over time. Eventually I want to make the bar more accessible price-wise and offer smaller boxes, but for now, I’m taking a very hands-on, community-driven approach.
5. One year from now, what does success look like for you and the brand?
To be honest, I don’t have a super flashy goal like “be in 1,000 stores” or “raise $10 million.” I’m focused on building something sustainable and organic—growing a community that genuinely loves the product and spreading BOLD through word of mouth. I’m bootstrapping right now, and I think there’s real value in staying scrappy and focused. If that leads to something big down the road, amazing. But for now, it’s about staying in the game, enjoying the process, and slowly building something that lasts.
🎯 Events You Shouldn’t Miss
Accelerate Breakfast | May 21 | SLC
Post-Accelerate Pickleball Hangout | May 23 | SLC
🍪 Brand of the Week: Munch Bunky
Protein popcorn is officially a category—and Bunky is one of the best.
- Crunchy, snackable, and macro-friendly
- Great flavors without the junk
- Perfect for the “I want snacks but also gains” crowd
Another one to watch.
That’s a Wrap
If there’s one takeaway this week:AI is changing how we shop—but community still wins.
Whether it’s BOLD Bars or gummy greens, the brands making noise are the ones that stay human, scrappy, and consistent.
Thanks for reading.
If you’ve got something launching, hit reply. Always looking to spotlight what’s next.
—Zach
P.S. If you found value in this breakdown, consider sharing it with a friend or colleague who's interested in brand building, consumer trends, or the future of retail. And as always, hit reply with any thoughts — I read every message.