Farzad Khosravi’s leap into consumer goods wasn’t a clean break, it was a collision of coaching, craving, and conviction.

As an executive coach working with DTC founders, Farzad saw the patterns: great product, exhausted founder, growth bottlenecked by bad ops. So when a chance came to buy a dormant snack brand using California-grown dates and seed butter, he didn’t hesitate.

He didn’t start Hot Dates Kitchen. He revived it.

What drew him in wasn’t just the product (though he loves snacks and chocolate). It was the opportunity to prove that with the right systems and mindset, even a paused brand could come roaring back.

But Farzad’s not doing it the traditional CPG way.

Instead of chasing brokers and trade shows, he’s cold-emailing 1,000 retailers a week using outbound strategies borrowed straight from SaaS. Think custom domains, automated sequences, and zero fluff. It’s fast, scrappy, and shockingly effective in a space that still thinks ROI means standing at a booth.

And that’s just one part of the playbook.

The other challenge? Branding.

Farzad’s torn between two archetypes: polished premium vs. Liquid Death energy. He’s using StoryBrand to anchor the messaging around the customer—not himself—but packaging, visuals, and shelf psychology still add a layer of complexity that SaaS founders don’t deal with.

He’s not discouraged though.

He sees the growth potential in every part of the funnel:

→ The website isn’t CRO-optimized.

→ Email marketing is underdeveloped.

→ Pricing can shift with better positioning.

→ Distributors still don’t “get” product-market fit—but customers do.

For now, his focus is outreach and rebuilding momentum. But his long-term vision goes beyond dates.

He wants to create an ecosystem of snacks that are delicious, ethical, and proudly American-made, from sourcing to production. Think better chocolate. Smarter caffeine alternatives. Ingredients with purpose.

And the core value that runs through it all? Ownership.

Farzad isn’t waiting for someone to grant him access. He’s building the infrastructure himself—one email, one product, one decision at a time.

Key Takeaways:

• Scaling in CPG doesn’t require brokers if you know how to build cold email engines.
• Buying a paused brand with good bones can be smarter than starting from scratch.
• Branding in CPG is emotional, and strategy must go beyond function into visual identity and positioning.
• Delegating the chaos gives founders space to lead. Don’t get stuck fighting fires.
• Vision matters: ethics, sourcing, and taste can all live under the same brand, if you build it with intention.

🎥 Watch the full interview to hear how Farzad’s scaling Hot Dates Kitchen with real conviction, and a little bit of cold email magic.