J. Schall Consulting

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J. Schall Consulting We specialize in providing businesses with critical answers needed to effectively build and manage stronger customer and vendor relationships. J. Furthermore, J.

In today’s complex global economy, businesses must find intelligent ways to manage and capture customer information, sift through complex business data to intelligently drive action, and improve the customer experience while containing costs. Schall Consulting specializes in providing businesses with these critical answers needed to effectively build and manage stronger customer and vendor relationships. Schall Consulting analyzes the business processes and supporting data of internal and external stakeholders to determine outstanding client business needs and improve the overall performance of each client. Finally, J. Schall consulting also provides international and domestic business development, international regulatory expertise, and operational analysis for consumer products.

Somewhat encouraging early signs of commodity market stabilization regarding whey protein concentrates. But as someone w...
10/20/2026

Somewhat encouraging early signs of commodity market stabilization regarding whey protein concentrates. But as someone with 15+ years of deep domain expertise in the high-end side of dairy commodities...don't get caught mistaking it for a definitive “bright light at the end of this inflation tunnel” just yet!

Stay focused on what you can control like diversifying product category mix (if possible). In fact, several other key raw materials within "sports nutrition" are at (or hovering around) historically low pricing...

10/20/2026

Forget real estate. The Trump family is officially taking over the beverage industry. 🥤💥

Donald Trump’s eldest granddaughter, Kai, recently partnered with Accelerator Active Energy to launch her very own flavor called Blue Raz Slush (directly inspired by her childhood love for movie theater slushies).

Unlike her uncle Barron, who keeps a low profile with his new yerba mate brand, Kai Trump is using her massive social media presence to heavily promote her new brand partnership.

With Donald Trump reportedly drinking upwards of 12 Diet Cokes a day, it looks like the beverage business is officially in the family bloodline.

Which Gen Z Trump do you think will launch a drink venture next?

👇 Drop your theories below!

10/19/2026

Is my PepsiCo poppi prophecy playing out in real-time? In February 2024, I sat down with Caroline Levy and got her thoughts on my provocative contrarian question...what if Big Soda buys the category-defining modern soda brands, mismanages them, and sunsets Poppi (OLIPOP PBC) years later?

Fast forward to today and recent SEC filings reveal PepsiCo has slashed its projected performance earnout payments for Poppi by 96%.

To be fair, that doesn’t necessarily mean...
▪️ Poppi is a zombie
▪️ modern (prebiotic) soda has peaked

But that PepsiCo liability disclosure dropping almost entirely to zero is a hard piece of financial evidence suggesting that the outlook for the business is less optimistic than it was last year.

Also, Caroline is probably right in saying the probability is low.

Despite it unfortunately remaining deeply entrenched in public company boardrooms, ego is arguably the single greatest threat to corporate governance, as it overrides fiduciary duty, strategic decision-making suffers, and it oftentimes leads to massive value destruction.

But what's your take?

10/16/2026

Is "calm" really the new energy? That's what Walmart emphatically declared when it recently began rolling out a brand new "Mood & Mind" merchandising section across 1K store locations. Why? Well, for younger shoppers, mental wellness and emotional regulation are a new form of daily hygiene. In fact, SPINS reported that "mood support" is now the fastest-growing functional benefit in beverage.

But honestly, I love this decision for a few reasons...

I’ll start off a bit selfishly here, but Walmart just validated the cultural drivers and contextual demand spaces I’ve been shouting about like a broken record for pretty much the last decade. [shout out Benjamin Witte for being aligned way back then]

Also, Walmart evolved beyond the legacy merchandising strategy, instead organizing strictly by consumer need states and emotional occasions (ranging from focus and productivity to relaxation and evening wind-downs). It finally appears smart retailers are questioning the old planograms that group "soda here, juice there,” instead considering store layouts that align with modern consumer behavior. 👏

Lastly, the game theory behind Walmart’s decision was pretty strong. Whether it’s changing the rules of category accessibility by leveraging a first-mover advantage or by offering slotting preference to brands that grant them exclusivity, Walmart ensures that competitors cannot easily clone its new "Mood & Mind" strategy.

What do you think?

Consumer Price Index (CPI) for September 2026 was just released...and inflation levels (broadly) held well above two-per...
10/14/2026

Consumer Price Index (CPI) for September 2026 was just released...and inflation levels (broadly) held well above two-percent target, which infers the Fed’s predominant focus right now will remain on prices. Although markets still expect the Fed to skip an October increase but to hike again in December.

Also, the renewed march higher in oil, gasoline, and diesel prices add to concerns that higher energy prices could spill over to other goods and inflation expectations.

Regardless, here are a few notable YoY inflation changes within "food at home" category:

Total +1.8% YoY | +0.1% MoM

Chocolate (Candy) +7.7%
Coffee +7.1%
Carbonated Drinks +4.7%
Beef +3.5%
Milk +2.3%
B**r +2.2%
----
Snacks -0.3%
Cheese -3.0%
Eggs -20.6%

10/13/2026

Has country music become the ultimate growth hack for energy drink brands?

Monster Energy served as official sponsor of the recent Morgan Wallen "Still The Problem Tour." 1st Phorm (Phorm Energy) was deeply involved with the country-rock star Brantley Gilbert’s new album release event. But if you want to see how to execute this new marketing strategy to absolute perfection, look no further than BUM Energy’s recent partnership with breakout country star Ella Langley...

From flawlessly channeling TikTok Shop hype into a highly strategic commercial retail ex*****on, the "Peaches & Honey" LTO became the second-fastest single-serve velocity SKU in the entire RTD Energy category.

What are your thoughts on BUM Energy's meteoric rise?

10/13/2026

Is the "Middle Ground Paradox" claiming its next industry victim? Hormel Foods struggled to sell Applegate “Well Carved” hybrid burgers. Likewise, when Tyson Foods launched "Raised & Rooted" blended burgers, it faced the same harsh reality...

Essentially, vegans wouldn’t touch them due to animal protein, and purists rejected them as "processed."

The middle ground felt like a compromise to both sides.

Yet, "blended dairy" products are arriving on grocery store shelves worldwide. Kerry Group recently pulled its "Smug Dairy" hybrid line in the UK due to low consumer receptivity and poor price positioning. Meanwhile, Dutch supermarket giant Albert Heijn is successfully scaling hybrid milks and yogurts by pricing them cheaper than standard dairy and focusing heavily on functional value.

But as someone that has occasionally shared on social media his enjoyment of blending whey and plant-based protein powders together, I believe the winning strategic narrative is treating the plant ingredient like an upgrade rather than a filler.

Better frothiness.
More depth of flavor.
Lower sugar content.

It’s about selling enhanced utility that you can’t get from milk or plants alone.

Therefore, maybe it takes a terminology rebrand…moving from the implicitly compromising “blended” to the “balanced” premium consumption experience.

What do you think?

10/12/2026

For years, I've seen survey data consistently signal consumers wanting more product innovation at the intersection of savory, high-protein, and convenience. So then, why do savory "protein bars" always seem to completely tank?

While each brand tried mixing different tasty combinations of animal proteins, herbs, and spices together…they all overlooked packaging psychology.

Essentially, when a savory protein formulation is packaged in a candy bar shape, it triggers cross-modal correspondences. Unconsciously, the consumer’s brain expects a sweet, dessert-like experience based entirely on the visual form factor. When the reality is a savory pizza flavor, cognitive dissonance wins, and the product struggles.

But we are finally seeing a foundational shift in how functional CPG brands approach this problem.

For example, new market entrants like Takeaways are intentionally ditching the "brick shape" entirely, utilizing longer, thinner form factors (resembling cheese or beef sticks) instead of chocolate candy bars.

Anyone else think a ton of opportunity can be unlocked here, as the high-protein snacking market continues to suffer from sweet fatigue?

10/12/2026

We need to stop pretending that the mechanisms driving traditional religious devotion are any different from today’s secular belief systems (otherwise known as brands).

Everything is marketing, and we are all consumers.

Logic doesn't beat faith = Even the most flawless product formulation or pricing strategies cannot deter a true believer’s faith in a brand they love.

Physical symbols of belief = The products we buy, wear, and consume have become the physical artifacts assigned to our deepest personal values and belief systems.

Rise of the "Evangelist" = The highest-performing brands aren't just selling goods; they are building modern congregations.

Should I drop more deep dive content exploring the intersection of capitalism, marketing psychology, and the secular religions running the modern world?

The functional beverages market is booming...yet intense market expansion undoubtedly creates chaos (and opportunities) ...
10/07/2026

The functional beverages market is booming...yet intense market expansion undoubtedly creates chaos (and opportunities) for those companies that can put together this new puzzle of heightened consumer expectations, complex formulation hurdles, and strict regulatory scrutiny.

Tomorrow, October 8, at 1:00 PM EDT, I am joining an incredible panel of industry experts hosted by SupplySide Food & Beverage Journal to map out "How to engineer premium experiences in functional beverages."

🔗 Save your seat/register (link in the comments)

Shoutout to my fellow panelists Asa Waldstein and Ginger Waller, along with our moderator Cassandra Smith! Looking forward to a great 🥤 conversation.

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