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

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2023-07-04
- Length: 56m
- Episode: 74
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-07-04-97-co-packing-101-tapping-into-a-motherlode-of-co-packing-wisdom
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/20c192f3

## Summary

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.

## Outline

1. Introduction and Guest Backgrounds
2. The Co-Packer Business Model and Daily Operations
3. Food Safety Standards and SQF Certification
4. Outreach: Green Flags, Red Flags, and Volume Requirements
5. Scheduling, Bottle Types, and Raw Material Logistics
6. Onboarding Best Practices: Weight vs. Volume and In-Person R&D
7. Pricing, MOQs, and Financial Terms
8. Marketing, Social Media, and Sales Expectations

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Motherlode Co-Packing (company)
- Primal Kitchen (product)
- SQF (other)
- BRC (other)
- GFSI (other)
- Shopify (other)
- Maven Agency (other)
- Kickfurther (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [217 - Erica Rankin on her packaging pivot at Bro Dough](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2023-10-10-217-erica-rankin-on-her-packaging-pivot-at-bro-dough) (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)
- [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)
- [Advice Line: Scaling Strategies](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-05-22-advice-line-scaling-strategies) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Chieh Huang of Boxed](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-04-16-advice-line-with-chieh-huang-of-boxed) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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