# 92 - Combining faith and business with Ben Steuart

- Show: [People of Packaging](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging)
- Published: 2021-12-16
- Length: 34m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-16-92-combining-faith-and-business-with-ben-steuart
- Listen: https://encase.substack.com/p/92-combining-faith-and-business-with-c53

## Summary

Ben Steuart, founder of Stewart Contract Packaging, discusses building a food co-packing business in rural Minnesota, transitioning from his father's production facility to serving brands with blending and filling services. He details operational challenges, including the rapid scaling during the pandemic and the subsequent cancellation of hand sanitizer contracts, which forced a pivot to nutritional powders and stick packs. Steuart emphasizes a company culture rooted in faith and mentorship, focusing on employee development, lean manufacturing, and transparent relationships with packaging suppliers to minimize waste.

## Chapters

- [0:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-16-92-combining-faith-and-business-with-ben-steuart#t=2) Introduction: Ben Steuart and Stewart Contract Packaging
- [3:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-16-92-combining-faith-and-business-with-ben-steuart#t=225) Ben Steuart's Journey: From Addiction to Entrepreneurship
- [14:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-16-92-combining-faith-and-business-with-ben-steuart#t=855) Defining Contract Packaging vs. Contract Manufacturing
- [16:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-16-92-combining-faith-and-business-with-ben-steuart#t=979) Operational Pivot: From Hand Sanitizer to Nutritional Powders
- [20:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-16-92-combining-faith-and-business-with-ben-steuart#t=1212) Managing Supply Chain Relationships and Waste Reduction
- [25:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-16-92-combining-faith-and-business-with-ben-steuart#t=1553) Addressing Labor Shortages and Investing in Production Staff
- [33:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-16-92-combining-faith-and-business-with-ben-steuart#t=2007) Company Mission, Values, and Contact Information

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Stewart Contract Packaging (company)
- Myers Printing (company)
- Dave Twight (other)
- Dave Ramsey (other)
- fillingservices.com (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep. 6: Co-Mans and Co-Packers 101 - Don't Skip the Small Stuff with Matt Suggs of PartnerSlate](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2020-06-25-ep-6-co-mans-and-co-packers-101-dont-skip-the-small-stuff-with-matt-suggs-of-par) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Ep. 8: Build a Food Business with Teeth - Chloe Sorvino, Forbes Magazine](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2020-08-13-ep-8-build-a-food-business-with-teeth-chloe-sorvino-forbes-magazine) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Reinventing the Pizza Bagel: Bagelverse's Jacob Cooper on Nostalgia and CPG](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-10-09-reinventing-the-pizza-bagel-bagelverses-jacob-cooper-on-nostalgia-and-cpg) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Taking Networking & Tortillas to the Next Level with Henri Revel, Founder of Eureka Tortilla](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2022-02-28-taking-networking-tortillas-to-the-next-level-with-henri-revel-founder-of-eureka) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Bobo’s: Beryl Stafford.  A Single Mom Turns a Baking Project into a $100M Business](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-03-09-bobos-beryl-stafford-a-single-mom-turns-a-baking-project-into-a-100m-business) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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