#97 Co-Packing 101: Tapping into a Motherlode of Co-Packing Wisdom

The Startup CPG Podcast · 4 Jul 2023 · 56m · Episode 74

What this episode covers

Kit Maxfield, CMO and Partner, and Adam Bender, New Product Development Manager at Motherlode Co-Packing, explain the complexities of working with contract manufacturers. They discuss the co-packer business model, the critical importance of volume and brand readiness during outreach, and the technical challenges of scaling recipes from benchtop to production. The conversation covers best practices for onboarding, including the necessity of weight-based formulas, in-person R&D sessions, and understanding financial terms like MOQs and tiered pricing.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • People of Packaging · 29m

    217 - Erica Rankin on her packaging pivot at Bro Dough

    Erica Rankin, founder of Bro Dough, explains her pivot from selling functional cookie dough in 6-ounce tamper-evident tubs to single-serve flow-wrapped bites to solve scaling and consumer experience issues. She details the operational nightmare of manual labor for tubs and the high minimum order quantities (MOQs) for printed packaging, which forced her to buy 20,000 manually labeled units at a premium. Rankin advises startup founders to prioritize buying for need rather than price per unit to avoid inventory risk and cash flow traps, a lesson she learned while navigating supplier pitches and SKU changes.

  • How I Built This · 49m

    Advice Line with Katlin Smith of Simple Mills

    Katlin Smith, founder and CEO of Simple Mills, joins Guy Raz to answer questions from three founders about scaling physical product businesses. She advises Scott of Upcycle Foods on adapting recipes for contract manufacturers, Tim of Grumpy Dad Sauce Company on the financial risks of going 'all-in,' and Marissa of Sweet Paws on focused marketing strategies for their silicone pet products. Smith shares her own journey from kitchen experiments to a brand sold in nearly 30,000 stores, recently acquired by Flowers Foods for nearly $800 million.

  • People of Packaging · 1h 09m

    360 - Beyond the Die Line - The pitch was awful. They liked the bar! Tom Seymour and Ree Dolnick

    Ree Dolnick, founder of JECA Energy Bars, explains how she transitioned from cancer research to building a self-manufacturing CPG brand after co-packers rejected her clean-label recipe and demanded unfeasible run sizes. She details the company's pivot to in-house production developed with RIT engineers, which allowed JECA to control quality and offer short turns that retailers like Whole Foods and Wegmans prefer. Dolnick also discusses the iterative packaging journey, moving from plain film to digital printing and finally to ePac pouches, while emphasizing the importance of customer discovery at UB Cultivator to identify the true buyer profile.

  • How I Built This · 44m

    Advice Line: Scaling Strategies

    Guy Raz hosts a special Advice Line episode with former guests Travis Boersma of Dutch Bros. Coffee, Michael Preysman of Everlane, and Chris Ruder of Spikeball to answer scaling questions from three callers. Andy Atkins of Bad Luck Burger Club asks whether to bootstrap to a brick-and-mortar location or raise capital, with Travis advising on cash flow and overhead. Tiffany Narbonne of T Giselle seeks advice on entering large retailers, receiving guidance from Michael on simplifying her brand story for packaging and retail displays. Finally, Peter Hauk of Rink Rabbit evaluates expanding his figure skating accessories brand internationally, with Chris and Guy advising him to focus on his rapid US growth before tackling complex logistics.

  • How I Built This · 51m

    Advice Line with Chieh Huang of Boxed

    Guy Raz and Boxed co-founder Chieh Huang advise three early-stage founders on scaling physical products. Alec of Surfing Cow discusses moving his beef tallow skincare from his kitchen to a contract manufacturer, while Jessica of Tail Cinch weighs the risks of listing her equine products on major pet distributors like Chewy. Eli of Makor Coffee seeks solutions for brewing issues with his anti-inflammatory spice blend, prompting ideas for product format innovation.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Startup CPG Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.