Join us for an inaugural CPG Club meetup! We’ll hear from a panel of exciting CPG entrepreneurs while creating wonderful connections amongst our members. This evening’s event is hosted by Daniel Scharff, WG’09, founder of Startup CPG, a media company home to the world’s largest community of CPG brands.
About the Speakers:
Daniel Scharff (WG’09, Lauder) is the founder of Startup CPG, the world’s largest community of consumer brands and experts, and host of the world #1 CPG podcast. He’s formerly the CEO of Machu Picchu Energy, an organic beverage company, and a 13 year industry veteran.
Ilay Karateke is the co-founder and CEO of BEZI— a maker & purveyor of labneh, a Mediterranean dairy dip, currently offered in plain, everything, red pepper and hot honey flavors. An ex-Mckinsey consultant and graduate of Columbia Business School, she launched BEZI in September 2024. Moving into its second year, BEZI will be on shelves at Whole Foods, Erewhon, and many independent chains, leading the way in creating labneh as a category and as a healthier alternative to cream cheese and dips.
Damiano Messineo is an Italian entrepreneur and NYU Economics graduate, founder & CEO of Loopini—the high-protein, lupini-bean–based frozen pizza brand handcrafted in Naples and recognized with a Shelfie Award and a 2025 Food Network Editor’s Pick. In 2025 he won Whole Foods Market’s Pitch Slam and Naturally New York’s competition, and earned Audience Choice awards at the NYU Entrepreneur Challenge and the National Naturally Pitch Slam, drawing interest from leading U.S. retailers. Splitting his time between New York and Southern Italy, Damiano is advancing proprietary dough innovations that fuse Italian culinary heritage with better-for-you food technology to deliver exceptional taste, nutrition, and sustainability at scale.
Lauryn Bodden is the Founder & CEO of S’NOODS, the first noodle-inspired chip brand she launched after winning Netflix’s "Snack vs. Chef." A trained chef and culinary producer, Lauryn has spent the last decade developing recipes and working alongside leaders like Gail Simmons, Martha Stewart, and Marco Canora, with her work featured in The Kitchn, Simply Recipes, Delish, and more. With S’NOODS, she’s transforming one of the world’s most beloved foods into bold, better-for-you snacks — building a brand that celebrates global flavors, sparks curiosity, and redefines what innovation in snacking looks like.
When:
Monday, December 15, 2025
6:00 PM ET – 8:00 PM ET
Where:
Flatiron District (Note: Address will be sent via email to all registered guests 24-48 hours prior to the event to the "Primary Email" address listed in your profile. Please review your profile to confirm that the email address listed is correct.)
Cost:
WCNY Supporting Members - $30 (WCNY supporting membership costs $95/yr at Join/Renew Membership)
Other Wharton Alumni & Alumni Guests - $50
Gold & Benefactor Members - $0
Pre-registration is required. Please register early as events can and do sell out quickly.
Registration is subject to availability and will close on Monday, December 15th at 9:00am.
Cancellations must be made at least 48-hours (business day) prior to the event date by sending an email to Gabriela Sanchez. Refunds or credits for future events are not available for any no-shows or late cancellations. Click here for full details.
About the Speakers:
Daniel Scharff (WG’09, Lauder) is the founder of Startup CPG, the world’s largest community of consumer brands and experts, and host of the world #1 CPG podcast. He’s formerly the CEO of Machu Picchu Energy, an organic beverage company, and a 13 year industry veteran.
Ilay Karateke is the co-founder and CEO of BEZI— a maker & purveyor of labneh, a Mediterranean dairy dip, currently offered in plain, everything, red pepper and hot honey flavors. An ex-Mckinsey consultant and graduate of Columbia Business School, she launched BEZI in September 2024. Moving into its second year, BEZI will be on shelves at Whole Foods, Erewhon, and many independent chains, leading the way in creating labneh as a category and as a healthier alternative to cream cheese and dips.
Damiano Messineo is an Italian entrepreneur and NYU Economics graduate, founder & CEO of Loopini—the high-protein, lupini-bean–based frozen pizza brand handcrafted in Naples and recognized with a Shelfie Award and a 2025 Food Network Editor’s Pick. In 2025 he won Whole Foods Market’s Pitch Slam and Naturally New York’s competition, and earned Audience Choice awards at the NYU Entrepreneur Challenge and the National Naturally Pitch Slam, drawing interest from leading U.S. retailers. Splitting his time between New York and Southern Italy, Damiano is advancing proprietary dough innovations that fuse Italian culinary heritage with better-for-you food technology to deliver exceptional taste, nutrition, and sustainability at scale.
Lauryn Bodden is the Founder & CEO of S’NOODS, the first noodle-inspired chip brand she launched after winning Netflix’s "Snack vs. Chef." A trained chef and culinary producer, Lauryn has spent the last decade developing recipes and working alongside leaders like Gail Simmons, Martha Stewart, and Marco Canora, with her work featured in The Kitchn, Simply Recipes, Delish, and more. With S’NOODS, she’s transforming one of the world’s most beloved foods into bold, better-for-you snacks — building a brand that celebrates global flavors, sparks curiosity, and redefines what innovation in snacking looks like.
When:
Monday, December 15, 2025
6:00 PM ET – 8:00 PM ET
Where:
Flatiron District (Note: Address will be sent via email to all registered guests 24-48 hours prior to the event to the "Primary Email" address listed in your profile. Please review your profile to confirm that the email address listed is correct.)
Cost:
WCNY Supporting Members - $30 (WCNY supporting membership costs $95/yr at Join/Renew Membership)
Other Wharton Alumni & Alumni Guests - $50
Gold & Benefactor Members - $0
Pre-registration is required. Please register early as events can and do sell out quickly.
Registration is subject to availability and will close on Monday, December 15th at 9:00am.
Cancellations must be made at least 48-hours (business day) prior to the event date by sending an email to Gabriela Sanchez. Refunds or credits for future events are not available for any no-shows or late cancellations. Click here for full details.