# R&D RADIO: Commercialization, Pilot Runs, and Scaling Food Products the Right Way with Jamie Valenti-Jordan

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2026-06-22
- Length: 29m
- Episode: 327
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-06-22-r-d-radio-commercialization-pilot-runs-and-scaling-food-products-the-right-way-w
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/152bf6a1

## Summary

Jamie Valenti-Jordan, founder of Catapult Commercialization Services, explains the iterative nature of commercializing food products, emphasizing that founders must navigate trade-offs between product characteristics and safety metrics like water activity and pH. He advises against skipping pilot-scale production, recommending founders leverage equipment manufacturers' pilot labs to de-risk the transition from benchtop to full-scale co-manufacturing. Valenti-Jordan also discusses the strategic use of natural flavors versus whole ingredients and highlights that successful founders are those who listen to multiple stakeholders, including consumers and investors, rather than relying on stubborn internal opinions.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Jamie Valenti-Jordan and Catapult Commercialization Services
2. The Iterative Nature of Commercialization and Water Activity
3. Natural Flavors vs. Whole Ingredients in Formulation
4. The Critical Role of Pilot-Scale Production
5. Leveraging Equipment Manufacturers for Free Pilot Testing
6. Understanding Stakeholder Incentives and Supply Chain Dynamics
7. Founder Psychology: Listening vs. Stubbornness
8. Consumer Feedback and Retail Ecosystem Mismatches
9. Emerging Trends: AI, GLP-1s, and Ultra-Processed Foods

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Catapult Commercialization Services (company)
- Hampton Creek (company)
- PepsiCo (company)
- Erewhon (other)
- Berkeley Bowl (other)
- Whole Foods (other)
- Walmart (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [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)
- [169: Critical Testing Stages in New Product Development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-03-30-169-critical-testing-stages-in-new-product-development) (Product Startup)
- [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 with Pete Maldonado and Rashid Ali of Chomps](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-02-19-advice-line-with-pete-maldonado-and-rashid-ali-of-chomps) (How I Built This)
- [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)

## Citing this page

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