# #162 - Ops Nightmares, Powered by Crstl

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2024-09-24
- Length: 45m
- Episode: 79
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-09-24-162-ops-nightmares-powered-by-crstl
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/88a4b9a1

## Summary

Hosts Daniel Scharff and Jamie Valenti-Jordan of Catapult Commercialization Services interview founders about operational failures. Katherine Harvey of Bare Bones Broth details a disastrous launch with Costco involving a fraudulent co-packer broker who ghosted them and delivered contaminated product. Brady DeLong of Clean Age recounts a massive inventory mix-up with Walmart caused by incorrect EDI unit-of-measure settings, requiring frantic manual intervention to save the launch. Brett Perrotta of Chubby Snacks shares how his team lost $10,000 on a co-packer's first production run because they failed to follow SOPs, leading to the decision to oversee future runs personally.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Ops Nightmares and Jamie Valenti-Jordan
2. Katherine Harvey's Costco Launch Disaster
3. Brady DeLong's Walmart Inventory Chaos
4. Brett Perrotta's Co-Packer Production Failure
5. Crstl EDI Sponsor Segment

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Logistics & fulfilment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/logistics-and-fulfillment)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Bare Bones Broth (company)
- Costco (company)
- Clean Age (company)
- Walmart (company)
- Chubby Snacks (company)
- Crstl (tool)
- Catapult Commercialization Services (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Target (company)
- Shopify (tool)
- QuickBooks (tool)
- Amazon (company)

## 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)
- [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)
- [Hardware Startup Horror Stories and How to Avoid Them with Dave Millman of BizDev.Global](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-03-23-hardware-startup-horror-stories-and-how-to-avoid-them-with-dave-millman-of-bizde) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [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)
- [MadeGood: Salma and Nima Fotovat Lost Their First Business. They Grew Their Next One Into a Snack Giant.](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-08-10-madegood-salma-and-nima-fotovat-lost-their-first-business-they-grew-their-next-o) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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