Hardware Podcasts

#177 - Finding Your Co-Man: Lance Schwarzkopf of Copack

The Startup CPG Podcast · 7 Jan 2025 · 53m · Episode 109

What this episode covers

Lance Schwarzkopf, founder of Copack, explains the end-to-end process of finding and working with contract manufacturers (co-mans) for food and beverage brands. He details the critical pre-work required, including converting recipes into industrial formulas, sourcing ingredients from suppliers like Foodmaster, and creating comprehensive specification documents. Schwarzkopf emphasizes the legal and technical necessity of obtaining a process authority letter and conducting shelf-life studies to ensure safety and quality. Finally, he outlines strategies for outreach, contract negotiation, and managing the production relationship to avoid common pitfalls like ingredient shortages or quality mismatches.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Copack, Miles Comfort Foods, Tarani, Eat Smart, Campbell's, Bolthouse Farms, Univar, Bev Source, Costco
Also
IFT, Foodmaster.com

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