Victoria J Ho

Very fair perspective @Luradball, and I appreciate your spirit of community in looking out for our fellow members at any stage of growth. There may be some misunderstanding in my post, as tone is difficult to capture at times in written text. Hopefully the archive of my previous responses to members can give some insight on the depth of response I try to give in any forum where startups ask for help. I couldn’t actually assume anything here because there’s not enough information to provide timely, specific and accurate referrals from either my network or my experience. I ask about some of those basic metrics in my post so that I can follow up with greater value. It’s tough for me when any member receives no responses to a very common issue (building a relationship of clarity, integrity and respect with an exceptional copacker.) I like to provide more than an aggregated list, so I need some facts and numbers. Hopefully that takes some of the edge off; though your feedback is still taken to heart. Always open to learning and improving, as we must to survive in this industry.

Yes! Star K is a well-respected mark with a robust roster of specialty food brands under its supervision.

Product specifications? Ingredients? Certification or SQF requirements? Volumes and annual production projections? Number of SKUs? Looking for turnkey, hybrid or tolling? Without these basic metrics, any seasoned copacker is unlikely to engage in a substantive conversation, and it's also difficult to provide a truly helpful referral. If you've been approaching any copackers with cold emails or calls without having the above info as well as a solid statement of process, it would not be surprising if there has been limited response. It's not you, it's the nature of the industry and copackers not having the time or need to entertain projects that cannot prove that they are buttoned up and ready for outsourced manufacturing. A list of copackers is not equivalent to vetting the essential relationship that will help YOU succeed in scaling . Please share if you can.

Hey Becky, for Kosher certifications the goal is to align with your customers who follow a kosher diet, so any organization you choose for this needs to have a reputation that is credible, and a hescher that is recognized. If a bubbe doesn't approve of a kosher mark (and there are bazillions of them) then it doesn't matter if it's "certified kosher"--it fails the sniff test. As an emerging brand, however, cost and practicality of maintenance are also factor, as well as whether your current copacker or manufacturing facility is able to accommodate inspection or facilitate proper protocols for your supply chain. An organization with high repute that specializes in CPG food and beverage is Earthkosher. They're accepted by every US retailer and are affordable.

Hey Michael, let me try and give you some more specific guidance. For those volumes you might want to reach out to California Olive Oil Co-packers. They're located in Fairfield and have a ton of packout capabilities as well as organic certification and SQF status. https://www.coocpca.com/contact BEFORE reaching out to them, I'd highly recommend that you have your COO documentation, inbound packaging details and product specification sheets fully updated and ready to present. Good luck!

Hey Bored and Grazed, I don't need the $1000 but I can share some best practices for you to find success in this essential piece of your launch journey. As an innovation and commercialization company, we work with co-packers all day (and night). The most effective way to begin your search is to set your product up with the right document bundle that allows you to attract a low volume copacker. 1000lbs of finished product is not typically how bakery copackers measure volume; they are looking for projections that give them insight on the number of saleable units you need, per quarter, and they will establish terms and tolling based on that number. To facilitate a meaningful convo, or even have a copacker pick up the phone, you also need to have a tight product specification sheet for each SKU at minimum, and better would be a scaled ratio based formulation. For raw materials, you should have a working matrix of vetted wholesale suppliers and their documentation; if you're looking for the copacker to supply materials then you should also have very clear specs for each ingredient (i.e. what % fat of cocoa powder at what mesh size; what varietal cinnamon; what country of origin for flaxseed, etc -- these are baked goods specific). Most importantly is your statement of process, which will include all codifications of fill weights, bake times and temps, holding protocols and packout. Packaging prototypes or renders help the copacker visualize the packout equipment you'll need. Lastly for the set up is your certification requirements. Co-packers tend to enjoy dealing with operational experts with CPG knowledge, so I'd enter the convo with investor background as a gentle sidebar. Speaking the language of copackers gets them to play nice. Best of luck.

Hey John, A fellow member had asked a similar question in preparation for last year's show, and I provided a birdseye list that I'm hoping you can find some value in as you begin planning. The fact that you recognize the power in making your show experience a triumph before you're on the floor, is a great advantage. Never let the foot traffic be the only opportunity for success at a tradeshow--drive decision makers to YOU and wow them when they arrive. Foremost: keep in mind that your booth aesthetic might be what initially draws in a curious guest, but you (and your team) will be what keeps them engaged once they've arrived. Know your numbers backwards and forwards, or keep a cheat sheet handy so that talking logistics doesn't take away from telling your story. Really hone in on how your product differentiates within the category, and also how it delivers solutions for daily life. This isn't just rattling off a list of product attributes, which are certainly important--but really finding the point of resonance that makes Beloved Cafe worth the shelf space. With an authentic an polished pitch ready for action, my advice for booth design is always to keep it simple. Even if your packaging or brand aesthetic utilizes a lot of intricate patterns or detailed illustrations, your booth should be easy to identify from half an aisle away. Some key investments that you'll be able to get use out of for many shows to come: - A backdrop/banner. Standard tradeshow booths around the world are 10 x 10 feet , with an 8' pipe and drain height. So a quality fabric banner or tension fabric system should be designed at 10' wide by 8' tall. Emphasize your logo, loud and proud. If you have a PMS brand palette, splash it on! If there's a key value proposition or qualified claim that you feel defines your product integrity, like being certified organic, perhaps include that logo prominently. Otherwise, I would keep a backdrop sleek and to-the-point. If you're using any photography, make sure it's exquisitely sharp--blurry, low res images detract from all the effort you've made. In the same vein, too many graphic elements or text can become distracting, and can also be a limiting factor if you decide to change things up later in the year. - A table throw or table runner. If you're keeping your standard booth package, which is a cost-effective way to build out structure in your booth, there will be a low table you can place in front of your booth to display your product line, present key collateral or literature, and conduct sampling. Personally, I prefer a more open booth layout that invites people into the space for conversation (on comfy, classy chairs -- not the ubiquitous convention hall chairs), but having a separation between the inside and outside of a booth is still dominant at trade shows. To tie together the branding of your booth, a table throw can complement your backdrop really nicely. Perhaps it's the same color, or perhaps it brings in another core color of your brand palette. I usually recommend that any color you choose be on the darker side, to hide the inevitable spills, pen marks, scuffs and wrinkles of tradeshow life. Since your logo will be shining brightly on the backdrop, your table throw may or may not have printing on it, but it's an opportunity to add more energy and welcoming messaging to your visual footprint without much work or cost. - Merchandising examples. If your product is currently being sold in any retail outlets, or you have a clear idea of where in a store you see it selling best, SHOW THIS TO BUYERS! Bring shelves (even a nice, classy bookshelf repurposed as a display shelf works great) to show how your product looks as a set. If you're a gifting item, show off the branded packaging you offer, including seasonal exclusives or customization options. If you have single serving products like bagged tea, show how they look in a sectioned tray; or if you have pillow-pack or pouched snacks, put them on a clip strip. Essentially, you want buyers to be able to envision you in their stores, with a presentation that aligns with their own store aesthetic (or boosts it!) -Sales collateral. A crisp, well designed sell sheet is a must-have at any show. Shows your product and pallet specs, salient purchasing info and product images (everything a buyer needs to know to make a purchase decision, minus the wholesale pricing). Put these, along with any marketing collateral, in a nice, tidy holder. - Meeting Space. If you take the time to conduct pre-show outreach to guests, and have an alluring product to share, your booth will always be hopping with interest. To have more meaningful business conversations onsite, set up a small meeting area in your booth so that you can invite people to rest their feet for a while and learn more about why your brand is the next big thing. Bistro height stools and tables work well since people can choose to sit or to stand, and you have a better birdseye view of what is happening in and around your booth at any time. - Storage area. We're all human beings. We need jackets, water, snacks, cell phone chargers, etc. But no one else needs to SEE these things. Keep your booth looking sharp, organized and free of clutter. A clean stage really helps your product shine. If you are using a table and table throw, the covered space beneath the table is perfect for hiding samples, creature comforts, and just "stuff" - The Outfit. You are part of your booth display, and the absolute best ambassador for your brand. So dress the part! It may not mean a branded tee for your particular brand--maybe it's a colorful apron, a three-piece suit, a flannel button down. Whatever it is that you feel represents the spirit of your brand, and that makes you feel confident and happy--wear THAT. This is hardly comprehensive for a list on booth strategy, but I think it's a solid start for a first time exhibitor looking to maximizes impact at minimal cost. Have fun. Celebrate the milestone. Take good notes. Best, Victoria

Hi George, I think some of the brands affected by the oat crunch may be too busy scrambling for suppliers to have seen your note. As a formulator and scale-up specialist who works directly with brands from benchtop development to commercial production, I'd be happy to share my insight on the spectrum of effects that my partners and I have seen, tackled, narrowly escaped and cried over this year. The pain with oats in particular is ongoing, as oats are a commodity crop with a huge crossover market in specialty markets like gluten free. Many emerging brands who weren't at the stage to make contract purchases of certified crop were forced to spot-buy pallet lots at an inflated price, widen supply chain searches to overseas (with Canadian and Ukranian oats also being affected by heat and drought). Brands who were relying on turnkey copackers to supply raw materials faced a uniquely frustrating battle as well, when unexpected spiked in the demand for their product (which should always be an awesome feeling) was met with an inability to fulfill those orders due to shortage. In production, I've also had cases where I need to do wrangle together a new process flow overnight to validate the cost increase when we prepare out own value-added oat products (like oat flour) out of more readily available whole oats; or when we make a switch in meaningful ingredient specifications (like baby oats vs chopped oats). Products affected: oat milk, oat milk ice cream and baby food, RTE granola, granola bars, crackers, cookies, baking mixes, oatmeal packets, bread, nutrition bars and bites, plant-based appetizers and patties. Feel free to reach out anytime for more stories from the front lines LOL.

Hey Poppy Team, Congrats on reaching a growth stage where the shift into outsourcing production is a sales-driven need. Of course, it's difficult to relish the joy in a milestone when you're staring down a warehouse stacked with kernels waiting to be handled (literally have been there, done that, and owned the factory LOL). In working with dozens of emerging brands to transition them into contract manufacturing, I can share a few best practices for how to get the process underway. Before shooting out a single email or phone call to a potential copacker, I recommend preparing your project candidacy presentation which consists of five key documents: 1. your product specifications : This is the number and brief description of the SKUs you are looking to have manufactured, including your packout instructions per unit, master case and pallet. Also included here is third party certification requirements if making qualified claims; plus facility certification requirements (i.e. SQF) to meet certain retailer standards 2. your formulations : scale-ready commercial formulas, not kitchen recipes. Standard weight-based ratios, including loss for things like topically applied seasonings or sifted popcorn hulls. No tribal knowledge measurements. 3. your statements of process : a sequence-based, step by step recording of every action it takes to make your thing correctly. Assume the copacker is blind and describe all data they would need to assess if and how your product can be mapped onto their equipment and process flow. Include all temperatures, time frames, size and gauge of pans and standard batching weights, considerations for min/max holding times, and so forth. 4. Ingredient specification: Is your butter a standard 86% butterfat or a higher European-style butter? Salted or unsalted? What grain size is the salt you use in your caramel vs topically, for best adherence and flavor? Or is it flake salt? What country of origin are the spices in your seasoning blends? Is your cinnamon Ceylon, Vietnamese, Korintje? If you're seeking a copacker who can turnkey your product, you'll want to look to them to help you bring in all your ingredients or use their house ingredients to achieve better economies of scale. Many specialty brands do a hybrid model where they bring in certain specialty ingredients, like natural flavors or cocoa or inclusions; but gain a few pennies by letting the copacker consolidate buying for commodity items like brown sugar or salt. But again, whether or not these commodity specs are suitable to your product's performance and sensory experience is 100% up to you to determine. Specifying upfront will help accelerate this convo. 5. Projections. Last but definitely not least. You want to be able to give your copacker an honest idea of your production volume per month, or at least per quarter, for the next 18 months. Copackers have leverage at this moment in history because the demand for their services is at an all time high, not only with brands like Poppy but with private label opportunities for established grocery stores and foodservice brands trying to get a slice of CPG pie. Solid data on your intentions as a long-term client with a healthy financial runway and solid growth potential is essential to giving a copacker the confidence that onboarding your brand and investing the resources in fulfilling your POs is not going to be risky. Outside of these docs, should you have a shortened version of your pitch ready for action? Sure thing. But remember that they're in business just like you, and they need to take care of their staff and keep the lights on. So as much as they are inspired by who you are and what you've done (which is delightful and amazing!!!), their consideration won't overlook the bottom line. Internally, know your costs, and know the questions you need answers to: line availability, tolling/per unit cost, pilot or validation trial costs, warehousing and additional fulfillment capabilities, assignment of key project or plant manager for your brand, familiarity with your packaging type, annual production volumes, etc A copacker won't be able to return a cost to you until you give them enough pieces to create a picture of what your production process looks like head to tail. The key is to make is look and sound easy peasy, even if you know or feel that your precious popcorn babies should all be hand-swaddled in golden blankies of lush caramel. There are co-packing brokers who can help vet the general landscape to make a good match, but most of them aren't expert in detailing items like your process or ingredient specification. There are also some open-source lists and databases that you can go through to narrow down copackers that serve your particular category, and then set sights on more "nice to haves" like location, proximity to a solid 3PL, size, gluten free facility, etc. Hope this helps a bit. Feel free to give me a poke if I can help add further insight to the commercialization process. Back in my popcorn days, I created a chai masala kettle corn flavor that I more or less lived off of from mid-summer to New Years. Popcorn is such a glorious vehicle for these spices, and I adore that you've captured this at Poppy. Such a sophisticated yet playful suite of flavors--hope to see them in more stores soon! Best, Victoria

Hey Jenn, I can 100% recommend Pacific Pickle Works of Santa Barbara. Whether your brand is a right fit will come down to volume projections and packaging format; but no co-packer I am currently aware of can handle marinated veg and classic clean-label pickles with the same level of diligence and consistency. Give owner Brad Bennett a holler at brad@pacificpickleworks.com. To get a sense of process capabilities, you can visit their website to oogle the dozens of charmingly named SKUs, Good Food Awards and (ta da!) SFA SOFI Awards. If they're not a great fit, reach out and I can share additional resources with you. Best, Victoria

Thanks @Amanda DeVries So glad this was useful--you pick up a thing or two after learning the hard way what NOT to do haha. If I can help any emerging brand avoid those things and shine brighter from the start, I'm here for it!! Feel free to shoot me an email anytime and we can connect ! Victoria

Hi Jane, the interest in zero proof in the US has certainly skyrocketed in the past 2-3 years, which makes entering the category as exciting as it is harrowing. As I'm sure much of your research has revealed, the biggest challenge facing distribution of your product is in distributor/buyer education on the true demographic and expanding use occasions for the category. If you flip the definition of challenge to "opportunity," then I think the key question that your team strives to answer is which core distribution channel will best utilize your sales and marketing dollar: D2C, foodservice (hotels, restos, airports, cruise ships, college campuses, vending machines), alternative retail (think: Cost Plus World Market, BevMo or Williams Sonoma), grocery (conventional, natural or specialty), and so on. Identifying a channel may help you craft a more compelling pricing strategy while also giving you a packaging strategy to focus on in the situation that your beverages are best presented in 4-pack caddies, standalone, gift sets, 12-pack fridge cases, etc. I don't know what format (can, bottle, multi-serve, net contents, twist cap, etc) your product has, but different retailers respond more positively to different formats. One route is to approach traditional distributors in the food and beverage category who would have the proper retail permits AND the buyer relationships to sell you into anchor accounts. Alcohol and wine distributors tend to have a difficult time working directly with grocery stores because they lack all the necessary permits. You would be positioned as an innovation that serves a trending white space...a consumer need that is unlikely to fade as people continue seeking wellness options across all generations. One you've caught the attention of a buyer and are in the store, they can merchandise where you make the most impact. An alcohol and wine distributor has its own benefits, since you would be giving them an option for their portfolio that doesn't cannibalize any of their existing brands; however, the margins on your product may also be much lower, and when push comes to shove, many account reps will spotlight topsellers. One really intriguing option would be a focused NON-ALCOHOLIC BEV distributor, like New York's PROOF NO MORE Distribution Co., which specializes only in zero and no proof bevs. A few online platforms: The Zero Proof, NA Craft Beverages, Total Wine and More (also sells alcoholic bevs), Drizly, Amazon and of course your own website if applicable. This is nowhere near a comprehensive list, and may not entail huge POs in one fell swoop, but a solid step for gaining exposure for a new brand without having to worry too much about last-mile fulfillment. If you have a tight product sheet and a clear pitch, there's great potential in reaching out and building relationships from the ground up. For brand exposure and meeting key decision makers in a cost-effective and efficient way, tradeshows (beverage specific or specialty food) and discovery platforms like RangeMe and SFA's Infinite Aisle can be a huge asset to a lean team. And one parting emphasis on positioning: very few products are built "for all people;" and in most cases, emerging brands are more successful when they brilliantly fill an unmet need and help pioneer or galvanize a category (i.e. kombucha, a fellow low ABV product and a personal obsession ). However, with zero proof beverages, it's fascinating to read the data on who is drinking it and to remind buyers that the demographic is not just people who don't drink alcohol. The most robust demographic is actually social drinkers who are making daily health more of a priority, and switching between zero proof and traditional drinks or seltzers regularly. Both younger generations and boomers want to live it up without feeling slowed down, and being vibrant and buzzy is a casual weekday event. If your product has a culinary component like special flavors, botanicals, spices, etc. or carries a very strong heritage from its country of origin, that's another way to celebrate the experience that your line is adding to the shelf. Cheers! https://www.forbes.com/sites/katedingwall/2022/01/31/meet-new-yorks-first-non-alcoholic-spirits-distributor/?sh=5e1bc5ed78a2

Hi Sarah, I'm not sure whether you're looking simply to liquidate existing inventory or whether there's a more strategic result your team wants to achieve in terms of having some control over where the branded products end up and what customer demographic discovers them. If you're still maintaining any D2C presence, a closeout process may mean you don't just go to the highest bidder. As a formulation specialist who has quite a bit of experience with Low FODMAP products, I would also caution that the low FODMAP community may not have the same perception of your product if found in a closeout retailer...not because they don't love or trust your brand, but because they have such a heightened awareness of what they purchase for consumption. Possibly there could be an avenue to explore where you could contact organizations of registered nutritionists or dietary lifestyle experts who understand low FODMAP parameters and would be willing to purchase inventory to sample out at events, etc? Again, not sure what shelf life is left on your products and what volume you're sitting on. For more traditional closeout distributors, here is a shortlist of resources for you: http://whamcloseoutfoods.com/ http://closeoutfoodbuyer.com/ https://naturalchoicefoods.com/overstock-food-buyer/ https://ciswholesale.com/what-we-sell/ You may also contact closeout retailers like Grocery Outlet, which has an extremely positive relationship with its customers, directly to understand whether your volumes or wholesale closeout pricing are a good fit. I hope you find a great solution! Best, Victoria

Hi Julie, great core advice from Sarah and Patti here, with emphasis on making sure that PREPARING samples is NOT the focus of your attention during the show. The product, the pitch, making relationships, the brand experience--all yes. Physically concentrating on samples, no. I also want to add just a few product specific tips for you, having coincidentally exhibited artisan popcorn at over a dozen shows. 1. your product is very moisture sensitive, so if you don't have the resources or time to prepackage and LABEL samples to hand out, keep in mind how long your little kernels survive in the open air. If your product is coated with anything sweet, watch that moisture in the air may render them sticky or soft. 2. if your popcorn has any exciting or marquee inclusions...like sprinkles, nuts, chips, etc...try to strategize how you'll be able to deliver the "ideal" bite for each guest so they get the overall experience that you intend per serving, in just one or two bites. No need to go overboard and represent the product falsely, but buyers like to see what makes you shine. It is true that this puts the cost of each sample beyond what you would have calculated or projected at scale, but showtime is exactly that: your product at its VERY best. 3. for all exhibitors, I encourage stocking some creature comforts in their booth that acknowledge the potential effects of their product. For popcorn, this might be dental floss for wayward hulls or baby wipes for heavily seasoned pieces. It's just an extra thoughtful touch that could turn an awkward experience during a sampling event into a human one--a chance to make a different type of impression as company leader. 4. Can't stress enough to put some time into a meaningful takeaway (or digital version with a QR code) for guests. While you may not yet have ALL the bells and whistles of your operational details sorted out yet, create a sell sheet for buyers that has your core product specifications. To double down on labeling any prepacked samples so people remember where they grabbed the sample, what it is, and how to get their hands on more! Have a great show!

Hey Andrew, Yikes 300 grain--you're not fooling around over there Going straight to Fleischmann's industrial arm makes the most sense for this, IMO--have you given them a try? Most other suppliers who carry this material are probably distributing the Fleischmann stuff anyway, so depending on what "bulk" means for you, it may be worth your while to deal direct. A few aggregators who also list this in their catalog: https://essexfoodingredients.com/product/white-distilled-vinegar-ip-non-gmo-300-grain/ https://www.foodguys.com/bulk-white-vinegar-supplier Good luck, hope this helps ~ Best, Victoria