Gail Kurpgeweit is the founder of Pivot North Consulting, which helps restaurant brands commercialize their products and get them onto grocery store shelves through their "Menu to Market" system. She discussed the challenges restaurant owners face in scaling their businesses through consumer packaged goods, and how Pivot North takes a fully managed approach to handle all aspects of product development, manufacturing, distribution, and sales and marketing. Some key points covered included finding the right co-packer, legal compliance, distribution challenges, building consumer followings to prove concepts to retailers, and the importance of innovation. Gail also shared case studies of developing products like soft-serve milkshakes and scones. Overall, the interview provided a lot of valuable advice and insight for beverage and restaurant brands looking to expand into retail markets.
Some key takeaways and lessons learned from the interview include:
- Restaurant owners face many challenges in commercializing products and need expertise to navigate CPG processes.
- Innovation and creative problem-solving techniques are crucial for developing unique, premium products.
- Building a loyal consumer following on social media helps prove concepts and drive sales to retailers.
- Coming fully prepared with packaging, formulas, sourcing, etc. is important for finding the right co-packer partner.
- Legal compliance, distribution challenges, and production planning must be addressed.
- Treating retail shelf space as valuable real estate requires ongoing sales and marketing support.
- Case studies provide insights on overcoming obstacles like shelf-stable milkshakes or frozen scones.
- A fully managed approach can help restaurant brands overcome barriers to retail success.
Gail Kurpgeweit
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