Case Study: Building the Commercial Machine
Client: (Plant-Based Beverage)
Category: CPG Strategy, Growth, Content Production
Client: (Plant-Based Beverage)
Category: CPG Strategy, Growth, Content Production
Note: This post is a living document. I believe in working with the garage door up. Here is what we are building in real-time.
Overview: The Velocity Imperative
In CPG, "brand" gets you on the shelf, but only velocity keeps you there. Most early-stage founders die in the gap between the first purchase order and the reorder. They fly blind on the numbers, mistaking "door count" for revenue, and they run out of cash before they figure out the unit economics.
This brand has a world-class product (banana milk), but needed to bridge the gap from "cool product" to "commercial engine." I came on as a fractional growth partner to build that bridge, using data, not just intuition.
The Story: Engineering Velocity
We stopped treating "Marketing" and "Sales" as different departments. In a startup, they are the same P&L line item.
1. The "Value Bomb" Pivot
We dug into the competitive landscape and realized the original pitch ("sustainable smoothie base") was too small for the price point. We re-engineered the commercial argument to focus on Radical Versatility.
The Math: We proved to buyers that one carton wasn't just a drink; it was a whole banana + protein.
The Result: We shifted the product from a "nice-to-have" to a "pantry essential," increasing the basket size.
3. The "Growth OS" (The Next Step) The Data-Driven Ecosystem
You can't manage what you don't measure.
I deployed a "Growth OS" approach to track the metrics that actually matter: Sell-Through Rate and Inventory Turns. Instead of spraying and praying, we used this data to deploy a sniper-like distribution strategy:
The Volume Play: Partnering with Jonluca Neal to attack major retail (leveraging my deep relationships from Culcherd).
The Brand Play: Partnering with Big League to hit the top 50 "Tastemaker" cafes (leveraging the Haven network).
The Bottom Line
We aren't just making content; we are building a financial fortress. Every photo, every email, and every handshake is measured against one metric: Does it move the needle on velocity?
The Brief:
Re-engineer the visual identity to stop the scroll.
Develop a multi-channel distribution strategy (Volume + Brand).
Create assets that support "Founder-Led Sales."
Develop a multi-channel distribution strategy (Volume + Brand).
Create assets that support "Founder-Led Sales."
Mindset | Skillset | Toolset:
Mindset: Founder-Led Sales. No task is too small; focus on velocity.
Skillset: Retail Negotiation, Visual Storytelling, Distribution Strategy.
Toolset: The "CPG Growth OS" (Proprietary dashboard for tracking velocity), Cannon Cinema Line (for content).
Skillset: Retail Negotiation, Visual Storytelling, Distribution Strategy.
Toolset: The "CPG Growth OS" (Proprietary dashboard for tracking velocity), Cannon Cinema Line (for content).
The Results:
Strategy: Established a multi-channel approach with Jonluca Neal (Volume) and Big League (Tastemaker Cafes).
Asset Creation: A library of high-velocity visual assets designed for conversion.
Systems: Implementation of a data-driven approach to inventory and sell-through.
Asset Creation: A library of high-velocity visual assets designed for conversion.
Systems: Implementation of a data-driven approach to inventory and sell-through.
