Hardware Podcasts

Founder Feature: Francesca Pittaluga of Ciao Pappy

The Startup CPG Podcast · 27 Jun 2025 · 33m · Episode 165

What this episode covers

Francesca Pittaluga, founder of Ciao Pappy, explains how she transitioned from fashion to building a premium 'Italifornia' pasta sauce brand rooted in her father's recipes and California sourcing. She details the strategic decision to launch in high-end specialty retailers like Erewhon before expanding to Whole Foods, and the challenges of finding reliable co-packers to scale production while maintaining quality. Pittaluga also discusses the difficulties of fundraising in the current climate, her focus on sustainable regional growth within California, and the importance of community resources like the Startup CPG Slack for finding partners.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Whole Foods, Bristol Farms, Erewhon, Goop, Startup CPG, Belmark
Products
Ciao Pappy, Rao's

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