Name

Startup CPG

Legal name

Startup CPG, Inc.

Website

https://startupcpg.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Monica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship & Partnership Revenue: Startup CPG monetizes through paid sponsorship opportunities where industry product and service providers can reach the thousands of brands in the community. Partners sponsor newsletters, blogs, podcasts, webinars, awards, and events to gain thought leadership and brand visibility.
2. Partner Discount Administration: Facilitates exclusive partner discounts for community members from service providers (NIQ, Daybreak, Grassroots, Cin7, EPG, Wagon, Minisocial, Wherefour, The Malin, Gawronski, Canworks, Blue Chip, Circle Beverage). Revenue derived from partnership arrangements rather than direct fees from members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Startup CPG operates a free, Slack-based community platform for emerging consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands, supplemented by proprietary resource databases, a podcast, webinars, an annual awards program, in-person events across 17+ cities, a free newswire, and the Opportunity Knocks sourcing campaign that connects brands directly with retail buyers. The platform is provided at no cost to brand founders and is monetized through paid sponsorships and partner discount arrangements with industry service providers.

Product overview

Startup CPG is a free community platform for emerging food, beverage, beauty, wellness, and pet CPG brands, offering a unified ecosystem of resources, media content, and networking opportunities. The core offering is the free Slack community (30,000+ members) supplemented by databases (Retail Tracker, Investor Database, Brokers, Distributors, 3PLs, Freight Carriers, Expiring Product Outlets), media properties (podcast, blog, newswire, quarterly magazine), educational programming (webinars), award programs (Shelfie Awards), in-person events, and the Opportunity Knocks sourcing campaign. All resources are provided at no cost to brands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Slack Community The central community platform where CPG founders, experts, and industry professionals connect, share advice, discuss industry news, post jobs, and access opportunities. Free for emerging CPG brand founders.
• Startup CPG Podcast The #1 global CPG podcast featuring founder features, investor spotlights, ops spotlights, and expert interviews on CPG topics. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
• Quarterly Digital Magazine Digital magazine sharing insights from CPG founders and service providers, featuring startup brand stories and industry trend analysis.
• Webinars Live educational webinars featuring industry experts covering CPG topics from foodservice to sustainable sourcing, with a library of past recordings available on-demand.
• Shelfie Awards Free annual awards program exclusively for emerging CPG brands, providing recognition, exposure, and opportunities for first and second-time trade show exhibitors.
• In-Person Events 50-100+ annual events including panels, community meetups, virtual celebrations, trade show sections (Expo West, Summer Fancy Food, Newtopia Now), founder dinners, and networking gatherings across 17+ cities.
• Newswire Free press release submission platform for brands to share news with the community and industry.
• Retail Tracker Comprehensive database listing every retail chain and its associated distributors to help brands benchmark competitors and showcase their performance, including access to Whole Foods data through NIQ.
• Product Developer Directory Directory connecting brands with product developers to support CPG product development needs.
• Top Investor Database Curated database of 300+ active CPG investors with information on average check size, past investments, location, contact information, and podcast episode links for outreach support.
• CPG Financing Databases Resources for brands seeking financing options including various funding sources and financial partnerships.
• CPG Broker Database Crowdsourced list of CPG brokers to help brands find representation and distribution support.
• CPG Distributor Database Database of distributors to help brands find distribution partners for their products.
• Warehouse & 3PL Fulfillment Database Crowdsourced list of 3PL providers fulfilling e-commerce orders with data on temperature capabilities, integrations, and services.
• Freight Carrier Database Database of freight carriers and brokers with filterable data on shipment types (LTL, FTL, refrigerated/frozen), specialties including drayage, air, ocean, international shipping, and new brand-friendly options.
• Expiring Product Outlets Database Database of closeout retailers, resellers, and food banks to help brands sell or donate expiring and surplus inventory, including Grocery Outlet, DollarTree, and TJ Maxx.
• Marketing Plan Templates Resource templates and guides for developing comprehensive marketing plans for CPG brands.
• Major Opportunities Program Centralized guide to trade show exhibitions, sampling opportunities, buyer meetings, and awards applications for emerging CPG brands, including sections at Expo West, Summer Fancy Food, and Newtopia Now.
• Partner Discounts Exclusive discounts from industry partners including NIQ, Daybreak, Grassroots, Cin7, EPG, Wagon, Minisocial, Wherefour, The Malin, and various beverage co-manufacturers (Canworks, Blue Chip, Circle Beverage). 50+ partner discount programs for community members.
• Opportunity Knocks Sourcing campaign connecting emerging brands with retail buyers, distributors, and industry stakeholders through curated submission forms, virtual fireside chats, and organized application delivery to participating retailers such as Earth Fare, Whole Foods Market UK, Fresh Thyme, Thrive Market, and 10+ other retailers.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Earth FarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026First retailer to launch Opportunity Knocks sourcing campaign in May 2026. Mara Reitzfeld, Director of Center Store Category, seeking innovation brands to bring to shoppers.
• Whole Foods Market UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026First international retailer to adopt Opportunity Knocks, giving US-based brands opportunity to expand overseas. Izzie Peskett, Senior Team Leader Marketing, seeking challenger brands for UK market.
• Fresh ThymecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Participating retailer in Opportunity Knocks May 2026 cohort, seeking emerging brands for their stores.
• Happier GrocerycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Participating retailer in Opportunity Knocks May 2026 cohort.
• HungryrootcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Participating retailer in Opportunity Knocks May 2026 cohort.
• Metropolitan MarketminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Participating retailer in Opportunity Knocks May 2026 cohort.
• Raley'sminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Participating retailer in Opportunity Knocks May 2026 cohort. John Lane, Product Innovation Manager, featured panelist at events.
• The Fresh MarketminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Participating retailer in Opportunity Knocks May 2026 cohort.
• Thrive MarketcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Participating retailer in Opportunity Knocks May 2026 cohort. April Lane, Chief Merchandising Officer, featured panelist at events.
• Northwest GrocersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Participating retailer in Opportunity Knocks May 2026 cohort.
• PTL ONEminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Participating retailer in Opportunity Knocks May 2026 cohort.
• Specialty Food Association (SFA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Collaboration on 34-booth dedicated Startup CPG Pavilion at Summer Fancy Food show.
• NIQcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNIQ (formerly NielsenIQ) provides affordable retailer, brand, and category sales data to benchmark competitors and showcase brand performance. They are the only source for Whole Foods data. Offering Startup CPG members special access packages including $10K unlimited annual subscription.
• DaybreakcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon agency with very reasonable retainer (~$2K/month vs. typical $5K), used by many brands in the Startup CPG community. Offering $600 free design credits to members.
• GrassrootscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational in-store demo provider covering Whole Foods, Sprouts, Central Market, etc. Official demo partner for Erewhon. Offering $180/demo for first 3 months, $125/co-branded demo first 3 months.
• Cin7coreTechnology or IntegrationInventory management software ranked #1 by Forbes and US News, with 700+ integrations to QuickBooks, Shopify, Amazon. Offering free trial plus 50% off first 3 months for Startup CPG members.
• EPGcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides one-stop logistics procurement to reduce operating costs through exclusive vendor contracts. Offering up to 86% discount on small parcel discounts, UPS, DHL, etc.
• MinisocialcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFully-managed solution pairing brands with high-quality micro influencer creators who produce fully-licensed content. No long-term commitments. Offering 15% off first campaign and free UGC brief audit.
• The MalinminorOthersMembership-based workspace with hospitality-driven approach. Offering 50% discount on meeting rooms and 2 complimentary day passes per month.
• WagonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDesign studio crafting bold, concept-driven designs for brand packaging and web design. Offering 10% discount on all services.
• Gawronski MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPerformance-driven paid media agency built exclusively for food, beverage and CPG brands. Expertise in Meta, Google, TikTok, and retail media platforms like Instacart, Walmart Connect, Roundel.
• CanworksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest and most experienced digital can printer in US with three production locations (San Diego, Austin, Atlanta). Offering digitally printed cans at comparable cost to plastic sleeves, fully recyclable.
• Blue Chip Group (BCG Beverage)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFull-service beverage co-manufacturer with 50 years of experience offering contract manufacturing, private labeling, product development. Facilities are SQF, USDA Organic, and FDA certified.
• Circle BeverageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTurnkey beverage co-manufacturer based in Indianapolis specializing in gut-health sodas, clean-energy drinks, protein sodas, mocktails, and teas. Full Circle Manufacturing Method covers liquid processing to fulfillment.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• NOSH: NOSH is a media and community platform covering natural, organic, and specialty food CPG brands, providing industry news, events (NOSH Live), and growth resources. It directly parallels Startup CPG's mission of supporting emerging CPG brands with education, networking, and visibility, though with a narrower focus on natural products.
• BevNet: BevNet is a media, events, and community platform serving the beverage CPG industry with news, the BevNET Live conference, and the Project Juice accelerator. It is a direct peer to Startup CPG in providing editorial content, events, and community infrastructure for emerging beverage brands, though Startup CPG spans a broader CPG category set.
• RangeMe: RangeMe, operated by ECRM, is a product discovery and brand-to-retailer platform that connects emerging CPG brands with buyers at major retailers including Kroger, Target, and Albertsons. It is the most direct competitive analog to Startup CPG's Opportunity Knocks sourcing program, with the key difference that RangeMe is a paid B2B SaaS platform rather than a free community-anchored offering.

Broad incumbents

• FoodNavigator: FoodNavigator is a William Reed-owned B2B media outlet providing news, analysis, and insights on the food industry, including CPG innovation, ingredients, and regulation. It is a broad incumbent in the CPG media space that overlaps with Startup CPG's blog, newswire, and editorial content targeting CPG decision-makers.
• FoodBev Media: FoodBev Media is a B2B media and events company covering the food and beverage industry globally, with awards programs, conferences, and editorial content. It parallels Startup CPG in providing CPG industry content and recognition but operates at a much larger international scale with a focus on established manufacturers alongside emerging brands.
• Specialty Food Association: The Specialty Food Association is a trade association that produces the Summer Fancy Food Show, the largest specialty food B2B event in North America, and publishes industry content. Startup CPG is an active partner of SFA (collaborating on a 34-booth Startup CPG Pavilion at Summer Fancy Food 2026), making SFA both a competitor for CPG brand attention and a complementary channel.
• BeverageDaily: BeverageDaily is a William Reed-owned B2B media outlet covering the non-alcoholic beverage industry, providing news, analysis, and event coverage relevant to emerging beverage CPG brands. It is a thematic peer in the CPG media space with overlap in the beverage sub-vertical that Startup CPG serves.
• New Hope Network (Informa Markets): New Hope Network is the events, media, and data division of Informa Markets that produces Natural Products Expo West and Expo East — the largest natural and organic CPG trade shows in the US. It is a broad incumbent that overlaps with Startup CPG in serving emerging natural CPG brands and in co-locating at Expo West, but operates a much larger portfolio across the natural products industry.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@startupcpg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/startupcpg
• Instagraminstagram.com/startupcpg
• Facebookfacebook.com/startupcpg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Startup CPG