In this new series on the Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff and Jamie Valenti-Jordan from Catapult Commercialization Services take callers who have had 'Ops Nightmares' that plague many brands. Joining them are Katherine Harvey, co-founder and CEO of Bare Bones Broth, who faced a bone broth launch disaster at Costco due to manufacturing and contamination issues; Brett Perrotta, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Chubby Snacks, who recounts his own ops nightmare involving production errors with a co-packer, underscoring the critical nature of founder involvement during initial production runs; and Brady DeLong, VP of Sales & Ops at Clean Age, who reveals chaos from a major inventory mix-up with Walmart.

Teva from our sponsor, Crstl, provides expert advice on leveraging Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) for managing high order volumes, as well as for reducing chargebacks and driving revenues.

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Today's topics:

• Advice on Handling Ops Nightmares
• Katherine Harvey’s Ops Nightmare at Costco
• Brady DeLong's Operational Nightmare with Walmart
• Brett Perrotta’s Operational Nightmare with a Co-Packer
• Teva's ( Crstl EDI ) Discussion
• Communication with Buyers
• Handling Freight Problems
• Legal and Insurance Considerations
• Damage Control and Transparency
• Planning and Risk Management
• Operational and Product Losses
• Common Business Challenges
• Packaging and Labeling Issues

Episode Links:

Catapult Commercialization Services Website

Jamie Valenti-Jordan LinkedIn

Bare Bones Broth Website

Katherine Harvey LinkedIn

Clean Age Website

Brady DeLong LinkedIn

Chubby Snacks Website

Brett Perrotta LinkedIn

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)

• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (20K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Daniel's Linkedin
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com

Episode music by Super Fantastics

In this bonus episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, Grace Kennedy sits down with the co-founders of Tamarind Heads— Sashi Kumar, Brittney Lim, and Jim Giberson—to explore the story behind their tamarind-based barbecue and hot sauce brand. They share how tamarind, a fruit familiar around the world but lesser-known in the U.S., became the key ingredient in their unique sauces. The founders dive into the challenges of educating consumers, their product development journey (including winning a Sofi Gold Award), and the process of scaling their business in a competitive market.

Tune in to hear about their marketing strategies, from direct-to-consumer sales and influencer partnerships to trade shows and retail expansion, all while staying true to their brand vision. Don’t miss out on their valuable insights for entrepreneurs looking to grow in the food industry.

Ready to learn more? Listen now!

Listen in as they share about:

• Tamarind Heads' Origin Story
• Challenges and Development
• Consumer and Retail Response
• Scaling and Supply Chain
• Retail Expansion
• Manufacturing and Scaling
• Marketing Strategy
• Funding and Bootstrapping
• Trade Shows & ROI

Episode Links:

Tamarind Heads Website

Tamarind Heads instagram: @tamarindheads

Brittney Lim LinkedIn

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)

• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (20K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Daniel's Linkedin
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
• Episode music by Super Fantastics
  
  

In this episode of Startup CPG Podcast, Daniel Scharff sits down with Ryan Williams, founder of FABID (Food and Beverage Investment Database) and former CFO at RISE Brewing Co., to explore the evolving landscape of fundraising and valuations in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) sector. With his extensive background in finance and investment banking, Ryan offers a deep dive into the shifting valuation trends, the tightening venture capital environment, and the growing prominence of family offices and angel investors.

They also highlight successful brand strategies, recent notable raises, and essential fundraising advice for entrepreneurs. Ryan wraps up with crucial fundraising advice, emphasizing the importance of grabbing investor attention, being selective with comparable companies, and maintaining financial clarity in pitches.

Tune in now!

Listen in as they share about:

• Valuation Multiples for Early Brands
• Current Funding Landscape
• Recent Notable Raises
• Successful Brand Strategies
• Fundraising Advice

Episode Links:

FABID Website

RISE Brewing Co. Website

Ryan WilliamsLinkedIn

Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)

• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (20K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Daniel's Linkedin
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com

Episode music by Super Fantastics