In this episode of Recipe to Revenue, host Leah Messina sits down with Steve Seely, the founder of Elitefill. Steve exposes the “dirty little secrets” of the co-packing industry and reveals how his company offers a true end-to-end solution for emerging CPG brands. He also discusses Launch 360, an innovative program helping influencers and athletes bypass lengthy R&D timelines to launch custom products in just weeks by utilizing a vast library of pre-approved formulas.
What Contract Manufacturers Wish Founders Knew Before Scaling Production
by Sinuate Media | Recipe to Revenue
Many early-stage food and beverage founders treat contract manufacturing like a simple vendor transaction, but in reality, it is a critical partnership that can make or break a brand. From hidden formulation clauses to the supply chain nightmares of color-matching packaging across different materials, scaling production is filled with expensive, unforeseen pitfalls.
Watch or listen to learn more about:
- The “dirty little secret” of formula ownership and why you must secure your intellectual property before signing a co-packing agreement.
- How separating formulation, secondary packaging, and fulfillment slows down time-to-market and creates major logistical bottlenecks.
- The hidden complexities and real costs of color-matching across different substrates like flexible film and paper cartons.
- How creators and athletes are leveraging formula libraries to launch high-quality custom supplements in under 10 weeks.
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Why treating your contract manufacturer as a true partner—rather than a replaceable vendor—is the ultimate key to surviving supply chain crises.
Whether you are preparing for your first commercial run or looking to switch contract manufacturers to scale, Steve breaks down the exact plays needed to build a resilient and predictable revenue engine.
