Swish, a startup reinventing how brands connect with shoppers, raised a seed round to expand its AI-driven CPG product sampling platform. The funding, led by BD Ventures, includes support from prominent investors in retail tech and shopper marketing.
Swish integrates full-size product samples directly into consumers’ online grocery orders. Powered by artificial intelligence, the platform uses real purchase data to target shoppers most likely to convert. By tracking repeat purchases, Swish closes the loop between trial and loyalty, giving brands measurable returns on their investments.
“Ultimately, brands want customers to try and then buy their products,” said Adam Stave, CEO and co-founder of Swish. “Swish treats the product itself as media—placed directly into baskets, at the right time, for the right people.”
The approach cuts costs associated with in-store demos or mailers while offering retailers a growth engine that builds larger baskets and improves shopper satisfaction.
Strategic Backing from Retail Innovators
The funding round was led by BD Ventures, founded by Jonathan Opdyke and Roger Ehrenberg. Both bring decades of experience in retail media and consumer technology.
Opdyke co-founded HookLogic, which pioneered sponsored products in retail media and was later acquired by Criteo. He also advised Symbiosys, another retail media platform acquired by DoorDash. Ehrenberg launched IA Ventures, a seed-stage firm behind early investments in The Trade Desk, Datadog, DigitalOcean, and Wise.
“Product sampling is the fundamental goal of all consumer-packaged goods marketing,” Opdyke said. “Swish is reinventing this for digital commerce, creating a win-win-win for brands, retailers, and consumers.”
The round also attracted industry leaders, including Jordan Berke, former head of Walmart China’s e-commerce division; Scott Friend of Bain Capital Ventures; Anil Aggarwal, founder of ShopTalk and Groceryshop; Mathieu Azorin of Storetail; Al Muzaurieta of Good Apple; and former executives from HookLogic and Citrus Ad. Early backers, including ID Ventures and MI Rise Pre-Seed Fund, also participated.
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Driving Growth Through Smart Sampling
Swish pilots with retailers such as Stater Bros. demonstrated how targeted trials increase household penetration, category adoption, and long-term loyalty. Each sample counts as a full sale for retailers, feeding into purchase histories and retail media algorithms that encourage future “buy again” behavior.
“Retailers need profitable ecommerce, bigger baskets, and happier shoppers. Brands need measurable, targeted ways to win new customers,” Stave said. “With this round, we’re ready to scale Swish to major retailers and make merchandise the next powerful form of media.”
The company’s headless design enables seamless integration through partners like Upshop or within a retailer’s existing e-commerce systems.
Why AI-Driven CPG Product Sampling Matters
Traditional sampling often struggles with cost and measurement. Swish addresses both by using AI to identify households most likely to adopt new brands quickly. Tracking new-to-brand purchases and repeat sales provides clarity on return on investment for marketers.
For retailers, Swish creates a new revenue stream within e-commerce, strengthens retail media programs, and enhances customer loyalty. For consumers, it offers personalized discovery without interrupting the shopping journey.
Swish positions itself at the intersection of retail media, e-commerce, and shopper marketing. With fresh capital and support from seasoned investors, the company plans to expand partnerships across major grocery retailers.
By redefining product sampling as a measurable, data-driven channel, Swish aims to become a key player in how consumer-packaged goods brands bring products to market.