Chapter 1: The Importance of Execution in Disruption

The execution of your go-to-market strategy, particularly in retail, is essential for disrupting the market. While it may be a contentious view, the pet food industry has lagged behind traditional consumer packaged goods (CPG) merchandising standards. It's vital to highlight innovative ways to narrate your brand’s story through effective retail execution, which is crucial for a brand's success and genuine disruption in this competitive space.

In our series featuring industry leaders who are making waves, I had the opportunity to speak with Nick Ebert, the Chief Commercial Officer of Carnivore Meat Company and Vital Essentials. Nick joined Carnivore in August 2022 as Vice President of Sales, bringing with him a wealth of experience in consumer-packaged goods. His background perfectly aligns with Carnivore's ambition to enhance its go-to-market strategy for U.S. distribution and retail, while his international development experience bolsters the global expansion of the Vital Essentials brand.

Thank you for joining us, Nick! To start, our readers would love to learn more about your background. What led you to this career path?

I never envisioned entering the ultra-premium pet industry. Before joining Carnivore, I would have struggled to define ultra-premium pet products. Our family has always cherished pets, with several dogs and cats throughout the years. However, it wasn’t until I became part of this company that I truly appreciated the raw pet food sector and recognized what high-quality nutrition entails. My career has primarily focused on various sales leadership roles aimed at enhancing both individual and organizational capabilities. My constant question has been, "How can we create the most engaging and customer-centric sales team in our industry?" This inquiry partly fueled my interest in Carnivore, as it presented an opportunity to apply my experience in leading dynamic teams in a new environment.

What aspects of your work at Carnivore do you find particularly disruptive?

At Carnivore Meat Company, through our Vital Essentials brand, we are redefining long-standing perceptions of nutritious diets for dogs and cats. We advocate for premium, butcher-cut proteins that enable our pets to live their best lives. Just think about what a dog, cat, or even a wolf would naturally pursue and consume in the wild. They wouldn't be foraging for corn or rice; rather, they seek whole animal proteins, particularly organ meats, which are rich in essential nutrients. We believe that overly processed proteins, fillers, and other non-nutritional ingredients do not contribute to a healthy, natural diet. Our treats and snacks, such as duck heads, turkey necks, and freeze-dried salmon, exemplify our commitment to high-quality, whole animal proteins, challenging traditional norms in the treat category.

Do you have a funny story about a mistake you made early in your career?

During a trip to China in April, despite my extensive international travel experience, I struggled to choose an appropriate gift for my hosts. I wanted something meaningful that represented our brand, so I brought along a collection of our unique meat cleavers, thinking they would be well-received. Unfortunately, I learned that gifting a knife in Chinese culture can symbolize the severing of a relationship. A simple online search would have prevented this mishap. Thankfully, my hosts were gracious and appreciated the gesture. Moving forward, I’ll consult someone more knowledgeable about cultural nuances for gift-giving.

We all benefit from guidance in our journeys. Who have been your mentors, and how have they influenced you?

My biggest mentor has always been my father. Before his retirement, he served as CEO of a healthcare purchasing organization and exemplified integrity and hard work in business. He was strict yet fair, earning the respect of his peers and team. He taught me the importance of positive intent and curiosity in leadership, which helped bring out the best in those around him. Additionally, he emphasized work/life balance, demonstrating that while a high-powered career is important, family should remain a priority. His lessons have made me a better leader, husband, and father, and I’m proud to consider him my guiding star.

In modern terminology, "disruption" usually carries a positive connotation. However, is disruption always beneficial? Can you explain when it is advantageous and when it may not be?

Generally speaking, disruption is a step forward. As we learn more about our pets’ diets and behaviors, we discover better ways to provide optimal nutrition. Two decades ago, the norm was to feed pets any generic kibble available. However, thanks to innovators in the market, we now understand that we can offer better, more biologically appropriate options. For instance, our flagship brand, Vital Essentials, provides butcher-cut premium protein diets. Nonetheless, disruption can also present challenges. Recently, some companies in our category have compromised quality assurance to accelerate revenue growth, endangering pets’ health. At Carnivore, we are steadfast in maintaining the highest quality, integrity, and safety of our products. We believe that combining ultra-premium quality with safe food is crucial for growth in our industry.

Can you share five ideas for disrupting an industry?

1. Innovation: Disruption requires innovation, either in products or approaches. Embracing risk is essential, as not every innovative idea will succeed in retail. For instance, we introduced the Vital Essentials Raw Bar, which created a new category of freeze-dried snacks that continues to disrupt the industry today.
2. Execution: A well-defined go-to-market strategy, particularly in retail execution, is crucial. While this may be a controversial statement, our industry often lags behind traditional CPG merchandising standards. We must find new ways to present our brand story through high-quality retail execution to ensure success.
3. Data-Driven Decisions: With unprecedented access to data, being disruptive means leveraging this information effectively. We’ve created roles focused on translating data into compelling narratives that justify our actions. Many in our industry still rely heavily on personal relationships to engage retail partners, but a data-driven approach provides an edge.
4. Compelling Offers: Your offerings must appeal to distributors, retailers, and consumers alike. Unfortunately, many in our industry stick to outdated promotional strategies. At Carnivore, we strive for innovative, customer-focused offers that drive repeat purchases and profitability, believing that profit should not be seen as a negative aspect of business.
5. Consumer-Centric Focus: We frequently ask ourselves, "Would we make the same decision if the customer were present?" Our mission is to ensure a future of vitality for pets and their owners, which can only be achieved by prioritizing the consumer in our decision-making processes. Recently, we relaunched our brand image, and consumer ease of understanding was a key factor in our design choices.

What’s next on your agenda for shaking things up?

We have several exciting developments on the horizon that will undoubtedly challenge the status quo in our industry. Unique innovations are being developed that will set a new standard in the pet space, far surpassing current offerings. Additionally, we are significantly expanding our production capacity, with 235,000 square feet of new space set to launch in April 2024. This expansion will solidify our position as the largest freeze-dried pet food manufacturer in North America, allowing us to operate more efficiently than any competitor.

Has there been a book, podcast, or talk that profoundly influenced your perspective? Can you share why it resonated with you?

One book that I revisit frequently is "The Integrity Advantage" by Dana Telford and Adrian Gostick. My father introduced it to me, and it serves as a powerful reminder that acting with integrity and honesty can be a competitive advantage in business. I often gift this book to my leadership team during the holidays or before major strategy sessions, leading to valuable discussions about ethics and our company culture at Carnivore.

What’s your favorite life lesson quote, and how has it been relevant to you?

I’m particularly fond of a passage from a speech by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1910, known as "The Man in the Arena." It emphasizes the importance of taking action and facing challenges head-on rather than standing on the sidelines as an uninvolved critic. I volunteer each summer with the American Legion Boys State of Missouri program, where this passage serves as motivation for future leaders to engage courageously with their challenges.

As someone with considerable influence, if you could inspire a movement that benefits the greatest number of people, what would it be?

As previously mentioned, I am deeply passionate about the American Legion Boys State of Missouri program. I participated as a junior in high school and have returned every year for the last two decades to give back to a program that profoundly impacted me. The program offers nearly 1,000 students annually the opportunity to participate, lead, and understand their role in democracy. We emphasize leadership through action, the significance of competition, and the power of individual voices and votes. Witnessing the culmination of the week, knowing I contributed to shaping future generations, is incredibly fulfilling. I hope others will find similar passions that inspire them to contribute positively to society.

Thank you for sharing your insights, Nick! This has been incredibly inspiring.