CPG companies that stick to a methodical plan to match current and future needs with vendor capabilities, and that also look with a wary eye at any unrealistic claims pushed in the early stages of partnership-forming, stand the best chance of getting solid, long-lasting results from contract manufacturing and packaging.
A blog from David Masover provides some great guidance on how CPG companies can keep the focus on their needs and identify questionable claims on the vendor’s part very early in the relationship. The focus should be on the relationship building in the exploratory stage, with discussions centered on identifying and understanding needs and true capabilities prior to proposing solutions.
As Masover points out, when communications with a potential packer turn against an existing co-packing relationship that work well with a competitor, and the vendor offers a quick-fix solution without having taken the time to thoroughly understand the CPG company’s need, red flags should go up.
