# 013: From Kitchen to Amazon, Launching All-Natural Cake Mix for Dogs with Kelly Costello of Puppy Cake

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2016-07-26
- Length: 55m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-07-26-013-from-kitchen-to-amazon-launching-all-natural-cake-mix-for-dogs-with-kelly-co
- Listen: https://theproductstartup.com/episode-13-kelly-costello-puppy-cake/

## Summary

Kelly Costello, founder of Puppy Cake, explains how she launched an all-natural cake mix for dogs in five months with under $5,000, manufacturing in-house from her kitchen. She details her strategy of lowering barriers to entry for retailers through small case sizes and free shipping, and how adding product lines like Puppy Scoops ice cream mix doubled her sales. Costello also shares a critical lesson from a near-bankruptcy event with H.E.B. grocery store, emphasizing the importance of never fulfilling orders without a legally binding purchase order.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-07-26-013-from-kitchen-to-amazon-launching-all-natural-cake-mix-for-dogs-with-kelly-co#t=0) Introduction: Filip Valica and Episode Overview
- [2:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-07-26-013-from-kitchen-to-amazon-launching-all-natural-cake-mix-for-dogs-with-kelly-co#t=128) Puppy Cake Origins and Product Line
- [4:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-07-26-013-from-kitchen-to-amazon-launching-all-natural-cake-mix-for-dogs-with-kelly-co#t=249) From Idea to Launch: $5,000 Budget and In-House Manufacturing
- [12:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-07-26-013-from-kitchen-to-amazon-launching-all-natural-cake-mix-for-dogs-with-kelly-co#t=760) Pricing Strategy, Market Validation, and Retailer Barriers
- [22:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-07-26-013-from-kitchen-to-amazon-launching-all-natural-cake-mix-for-dogs-with-kelly-co#t=1327) Amazon FBA Transition and Channel Management
- [27:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-07-26-013-from-kitchen-to-amazon-launching-all-natural-cake-mix-for-dogs-with-kelly-co#t=1625) Puppy Scoops Ice Cream Mix and Seasonal Strategy
- [37:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-07-26-013-from-kitchen-to-amazon-launching-all-natural-cake-mix-for-dogs-with-kelly-co#t=2272) Trade Shows and Marketing Tactics
- [43:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-07-26-013-from-kitchen-to-amazon-launching-all-natural-cake-mix-for-dogs-with-kelly-co#t=2624) The H.E.B. Mistake and Near-Bankruptcy
- [49:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-07-26-013-from-kitchen-to-amazon-launching-all-natural-cake-mix-for-dogs-with-kelly-co#t=2993) Recovery, Future Products, and Advice

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Puppy Cake (product)
- Puppy Scoops (product)
- Shark Tank (other)
- H.E.B. (company)
- Amazon (company)
- Global Pet Expo (other)
- Mako Design + Invent (company)

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- [Founder Feature: Maxi Heidenblut of Häppy Candy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-04-04-founder-feature-maxi-heidenblut-of-happy-candy) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
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## Citing this page

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