Catapult Commercialization Services

So many emails about Expo West! Here are two interesting upcoming webinars we are hosting that have nothing to do with that - sustainability in practice and HMMA proteins. Whether you are just curious or these are a core element of your business, come see what our speakers have to say! Also, keep your eyes peeled - we have a lot of webinars queued up for the next few months. Check them out on our site - catapultserv.com/webinars On March 5, 2024 at 3p EST, Catapult is co-hosting a webinar with Udi Lazimy at Lazimy Regenerative Impact Partners and Scott Corsi on "The Business Case for Sustainability".  Following the presentation, there will be ample time for Q&A with the presenters about the audience’s specific concerns.  Register here - https://lnkd.in/dACRJM8T On March 19 at 10a EST, Catapult is co-hosting a webinar with Volker Lammers at DIL Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik e. V. on "High Moisture Extrusion as a Key Technology in the Protein Transition".  Following the presentation, there will be ample time for Q&A with the presenter about the audience’s specific concerns.  Register here - https://lnkd.in/gMwkdQmT

Onboarding a contract manufacturer is often overlooked in timelines and budgets. It is not a simple transaction. It is the process of learning how each other communicates, reacts, prioritizes, and listens. There are a lot of details to communicate and agreements to codify (first verbally, then in writing) about who is going to be in charge of what. And if not, the brand could be lost due to simple miscommunications and a bad batch of product. We want to make dreams come true by helping to make sure that those relationships develop appropriately - not just to the point of launch, but over time as costing shifts and eventual quality issues come up. We don't want to be permanently up in anyone's business, but rather we would like to be the professionals called when help is needed. Small brands are not alone. We are here to help.

Today is about giving back locally and spending time with family. This afternoon, the PTA is putting on a Winter Dance that I will be helping to setup and staff the games for. While there, I will be in my scout uniform trying to recruit for our Pack, as we have a new scout night coming up on Wednesday. So I am checking out early to help where I am needed. Speaking of help when it is needed [*record scratch*], have you heard about our client newsletter and biweekly webinars? We highlight several groups every newsletter that offer services that we don't, for free. We send that to current and past clients every month in the hopes that we are continuing to help them build their businesses. The FREE webinars we offer to everyone as an opportunity to learn a little something and network with colleagues similarly interested in the topic - no need to be an emerging brand or even professionally working in the space. It is just meant to be for anyone curious to learn more, so we keep it less formal than other webinars. Maybe I should rebrand them from webinars to learn & chats? Salons? Something. I'll workshop it and come back to you. Or if you have a good idea, post it below?

Today I bring you a hand-selected program for emerging brands looking to grow. The MVP Series offers food-focused entrepreneurs the flexibility to learn how to successfully grow their business, one low-cost workshop at a time. These workshops will help you develop the details you need to scale and grow your business. Walk away with newfound knowledge, a clear plan with next steps, tools and resources, and possibly a new friend or three! https://lnkd.in/gHcHq95i They are able to do this because the Food Finance Institute is part of University of Wisconsin-Madison. If you are looking for a little more dedicated support from experts across numerous disciplines, I would offer up Catapult Commercialization Services's Slingshot program designed for those with more time than money. If you are further along the journey, perhaps you would like project support scaling up your product to 5x-100x existing capacity. If that is internal to your own production, with a coman, or you aren't quite sure yet which way to go, we are happy to chat about what the path forward looks like and help you get there.

Had our monthly all-hands meeting last week, and it was great to catch up with the legends on our team. I might start opening those up to those in our Bullpen - our publicly-acknowledged group of folks that we don't have the volume of projects to be able to work with yet. They share their skillsets, and we bring them in when we have projects that align with their strengths. These folks are amazing. Also, they sit on top of the team of 90 that I am always talking about. If that knowledge strikes a "hey, there might be something we could do with that" thought, give me a call. I want to help these folks get paired with great projects/roles - inside Catapult Commercialization Services or not. And while we are figuring out the attributes (like skills, talents, experiences, and interests) of people, we also like to talk to clients about the attributes of their product that set them apart AND are being demanded by their target consumer. If you ever want insights into what your target consumer is purchasing and where, let us know - bit.ly/catapultserv.

Alright, things are going to start stacking up, so if you see something that I post about that interests you, click on it ASAP because the posts are going to get more jam-packed with content as we get into Expo West. See if you can follow along :) Sneaking this in here - if you need help and you aren't even sure how to name the help you need, drop me a message. Happy to chat through your issues and give you the name of what it is called and who I know that does it. On March 11, 2024 at 12p EST, Catapult Commercialization Services is co-hosting a webinar with Claire Sand at Packaging Technology and Research on "Keep Warm with 3 Hot Topics in Packaging".  Following the presentation, there will be ample time for Q&A with the presenter about the audience’s specific concerns.  Register here - https://lnkd.in/gybC8RQH. We're thrilled to announce our sponsorship of the Alley Rally Party during Expo West, the biggest party at the show! Join us on March 14th from 7-10 PM as we support Startup CPG and the innovative backpack brands showcasing their products. One lucky brand will win a free booth at Expo West 2025, and you can help them by voting for your favorite one. Come meet our team and connect with over 1k CPG enthusiasts! We encourage everyone to grab their tickets now, before they sell out - https://lnkd.in/gD3fCxs3  

Checked in for my flight down to Dallas where I was requested to give a presentation on the tactical uses of contract manufacturers. Should be interesting. If you are interested in the deck, let me know. We are talking to comans literally 5 days/week now. This is a growth area of the food industry - perhaps a long term move to divorce manufacturing from the design and sale of food products? I don't know, but it is provocative to consider the possibilities - even if it is just a pendulum that swings over the long arc of history. Got asked again this morning if there is tactical value in a coman owning a brand's formula. I have yet to find a compelling reason in the US to support this business strategy in the long term. Feel free to debate me, but it seems predatory to me. Instead, have someone (like us) talented at making products make something unique and meaningful to consumers.

With Expo West starting only 4 weeks from today, we see a lot of folks asking for proposals on what our support would look like, if their Expo West experience goes well. No problem. Happy to help plan for success - whether that is throughput increases via equipment/procedure modification, new production partners, or packaging upgrades to extend shelf life. We know how to assemble scrappy short term plans while long term rebuilding/expansion is taking the time it needs. While we "wait" for Expo West, consider joining us for our next webinar on repositioning sustainability as complementary to a business case, not counter to it. On March 5, 2024 at 3p EST, Catapult Commercialization Services is co-hosting a webinar with Udi Lazimy at Lazimy Regenerative Impact Partners and Scott Corsi on "The Business Case for Sustainability".  Following the presentation, there will be ample time for Q&A with the presenters about the audience’s specific concerns.  Register here - https://lnkd.in/dACRJM8T