Tyler Mayoras - 15+ Years of CPG Private Equity Investing

On this episode, we’re joined by Tyler Mayoras, Managing Director at Manna Tree Partners.

Tyler has spent over 15 years in private equity CPG, partnering with brands like Simple Mills, Health-Ade, New Primal, and Verde Farms. But he’s also been on the operator side, building Cool Beans from scratch, launching into retailers like Sprouts and Wegmans, and learning firsthand how to navigate the frozen aisle, regenerative sourcing, and repeat purchase velocity.

Tyler dives into the reality of regenerative, demo strategies, hero SKUs, what he focuses on when working with management teams, how he evaluates potential investment opps, and how the CPG PE landscape has changed over the past decade or so. 

Episode Highlights:
📦 Digital demos vs. in-store: what actually works
📊 Unit economics red flags (and how to fix them)
🔥 Why taste is the #1 investment filter
🧠 What makes a founder “coachable” and a brand a real target for Manna Tree
🛒 The problem with early national rollouts (velocity vs distribution)
💥 How one brutal Expo West conversation changed a founder’s trajectory
🐶 Two categories Tyler “missed”

Table of Contents:
00:00 – Intro & Background
02:00 – Regenerative Ag: Promise vs. Reality
06:00 – Digital Demo Strategy & Social Nature
11:00 – Velocity vs. Distribution: What Founders Miss
16:00 – COGS, Margins & Pricing Power
18:00 – Hero SKUs and Hyper-Focus
27:00 – Investment Criteria & Team Dynamics
34:00 – Why PE Targets $25M–$75M Brands
39:00 – Trends Tyler Missed & What He’s Watching Now
41:00 – Where to Follow Tyler

Links:
Manna Tree (join their newsletter!) – https://www.mannatreepartners.com
Follow Tyler on LinkedIn – linkedin.com/in/tylermayoras

Follow Adam on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-martin-steinberg

Check out https://www.kitprint.co/ for CPG production design support.