# Ep. 6: Co-Mans and Co-Packers 101 - Don't Skip the Small Stuff with Matt Suggs of PartnerSlate

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2020-06-25
- Length: 29m
- Episode: 6
- Page: 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
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/cb44b2e2

## Summary

Matt Suggs, founder of PartnerSlate, explains that co-packers are outsourced manufacturing partners for food and beverage brands, offering cost savings and supply chain relationships without the overhead of owning a facility. He advises startups to validate demand through initial sales and commercial kitchen production before approaching a co-packer, as manufacturers view these relationships as long-term investments similar to venture capital. Suggs highlights that brands must be prepared with volume projections, formulas, and packaging details, noting that the current market offers increased capacity due to shifts in food service demand.

## Chapters

- [0:03](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#t=3) Introduction: Matt Suggs and PartnerSlate
- [2:46](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#t=166) Defining Co-Packers and Co-Manufacturers
- [6:53](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#t=413) The Pain Point: Finding Hidden Manufacturers
- [8:33](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#t=513) Readiness: Sales and Validation Before Co-Packing
- [13:05](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#t=785) PartnerSlate Platform and Service Providers
- [17:48](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#t=1068) Using Commercial Kitchens and Incubators
- [25:15](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#t=1515) COVID-19 Impact on Co-Packer Capacity

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- PartnerSlate (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Kitchen Town (company)
- WeWork Food Lab (company)
- Hatch (company)
- Skew (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [345 - Beyond the Dieline - The secret success behind Junebar! Tom Seymour and Keith McCullough](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-04-17-345-beyond-the-dieline-the-secret-success-behind-junebar-tom-seymour-and-keith-m) (People of Packaging)
- [360 - Beyond the Die Line - The pitch was awful. They liked the bar! Tom Seymour and Ree Dolnick](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-10-08-360-beyond-the-die-line-the-pitch-was-awful-they-liked-the-bar-tom-seymour-and-r) (People of Packaging)
- [What It Really Takes To Build a Food Business: Part 1](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-18-what-it-really-takes-to-build-a-food-business-part-1) (How I Built This)
- [92 - Combining faith and business with Ben Steuart](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2021-12-16-92-combining-faith-and-business-with-ben-steuart) (People of Packaging)
- [Advice Line with Katlin Smith of Simple Mills](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-01-23-advice-line-with-katlin-smith-of-simple-mills) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to 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 summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Startup CPG Podcast.