We're officially in dupe era.

CPG and Retail news from the week of 7/28/25

Hello hello!

Happy National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day! To celebrate, Tate’s Bake Shop pulled out all the stops, launching its first-ever Times Square billboard, which features a QR code offering passersby a free bag of Tate’s (which anyone can redeem at home, too). Pretty damn iconic for this NY-born, 45-year-old brand.

Now, let’s get into the news of the week →

News From the Week

Quince—a company that openly sells $50 cashmere sweaters identical to $400 designer versions—just raised $200 million at a $4.5 billion valuation. The funding round, led by Iconiq Capital (which manages wealth for Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey), more than doubled Quince's valuation in just six months.

This isn't just a successful startup story—it's validation that consumers no longer see “quality” tied up in brand names. Let’s get into it →

This isn’t your typical “knockoff” story. Quince didn't win by being the cheapest possible alternative—think SHEIN mocking designer styles with obviously inferior materials…