In late June, my S.C.O.R.E advisor said to me, “Next time we talk you need to have a manufacturer, and packaging dialed!” I left that zoom call with direction and something to focus on. I have been looking for a co-packer for a year, but very seriously these past few months.
People say don’t reinvent the wheel, but with an innovative product I often feel like that is exactly what I am doing. It makes it very challenging, because it is not necessarily easy to find a co-packer who has all the manufacturing equipment I need. There are many ways to make this work, but all I really want is a co-packer who can say, “Yes, we have the equipment to run your product, yes we can do your MOQ( minimum order quantity), and this is our estimate for your project.” Without these yes’s, I feel like I can’t move forward on many things on my checklist, and I can’t set up another meeting with my S.C.O.R.E advisor! I have been working very closely with the Oregon Dairy Council to find a co-packer. I received contacts for the Dairy Councils in Washington, California, Idaho, and Wisconsin. Those contacts sent me more contacts, and now I have possible co-packers in Oregon, California and Wisconsin. It is like a treasure hunt; I find myself following up on every lead trying to find the one that is the perfect fit.
I have met people over this past month who have said, “I work in this industry and I have a manufacturer that can help you.” They came to me, and that actually felt easy. I know that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t put in the hard work first. Timing is everything, and it all needs to line up to make it work. I was on a flight this month and sat next to this very nice couple, and they told me they were one of the largest dairy farmers in the US. What are the chances of that? We talked the entire three hour flight about dairy farming, manufacturing, and their family. I absolutely loved hearing their story. The story is so important, and that is how we connect with others.
Last fall, I applied for a pitch contest with NC State Food Innovation Lab, which I was chosen as a top finalist, but with only a week to prepare for their on-site competition. I politely declined the opportunity, and hoped I would have another chance. I have been working on my pitch deck since, and have joined Toastmasters to help with public speaking.
Just last week I received a call from the Director of Key4women, a pitch contest I applied for in July with Key Bank. The woman on the other end of the line, introduced herself, and told me I am a Top 10 Finalist for the Oregon and Southwest Washington Pitch Contest. She said that I will receive $2000 for being a finalist, and I will be presenting my pitch to six judges on October 10th at Providence Park for a grand prize of $20,000. I am honored, elated, and grateful to receive this opportunity from Key4women, Portland Thorns FC, and MesoPDX. This will be livestreamed, so I will make sure to post the link on my newsletter in October, so you can watch my pitch.
I have been working with Portland State University’s Capstone program for the business school. There are two teams of students helping me with my physical and digital launch. They are doing market research, financials, website building, packaging design, marketing, competitor analysis, and more. I look forward to our weekly meetings to hear what their research has determined and what they think will be best for my company. Their term wraps up in a couple of weeks, and I know that we both will have big gains from working together. They have shown me that they are inspired by Hull-some Foods, and they are fired up about my project.
In an earlier posted Trail Talk, I explained how I received a match funded grant for the commercialization of Shredder Cheddar with Oregon State University’s Food Innovation Center. I have a brilliant team of food scientists Melanie Hanlon and Bryan Gaspich that I have been working with to have my products scaled up for manufacturing. We have completed this development, and we are getting amped to do our pilot run for this test batch. With the pilot run scheduled, I connected with wholesale suppliers for manufacturing. These samples will be used to pitch wholesale buyers and sponsor races. I have already begun the process of pitching to potential buyers, and the feedback is positive.
Merch is in! I have Shredder Cheddar high quality koozies and trucker hats. I purchased these from my uncle who has a promotional product business. His company is Russell’s Business Advertising Specialties www.russbas.com. I will be selling these products on my website soon, but for now you can DM me @hull_some_foods if you are interested in purchasing. The koozies are $4 and the trucker hats are $35 each. These items are shown on my Instagram posts and reels. This will inadvertently help fund Hull-some Foods launch Shredder Cheddar. I appreciate your support!
August 31st I will be sponsoring the Wildcat Ultra 100 miler in Pensacola, Florida. This will be a place you can sample two of my leading flavors of Shredder Cheddar, purchase koozies and trucker hats, and meet me! I am looking forward to meeting each of you and cheering our community on with Shredder Cheddar. I promise to keep it Real Cheesy! https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=108328
The accomplishments that I have made on this journey get me pumped. I am confident that I can do anything. I know I will find a manufacturer soon; I can just feel it. I am ready, bring it!
The patent-pending Shredder Cheddar is getting closer to launching. Stay connected and I will keep you informed with the latest updates when you sign up for my newsletter at www.hullsomefoods.com. Follow @hull_some_foods on Instagram to watch as I build my brand through community, endurance adventures, and nutrition. Join the fun, keep it cheesy, and get ready to pack Shredder Cheddar for your next adventure. Shredder Cheddar is shelf-stable natural fuel and recovery products for endurance athletes. It is real cheese packed for adventure.
Best of Luck to everyone racing and competing this month! If you are training let me know on Instagram what you are training for and send a photo of all your epicness.
Comments