Catapult

What Catapult does

Catapult Commercialization Services is a privately held, founder-led professional services firm founded in 2018 and headquartered in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, that provides outsourced commercialization support to early-stage and fast-growing food and beverage brands. The firm operates a decentralized model in which a nationwide network of 90+ specialists — described as former heads of R&D, operations, commercialization, and quality assurance with 1,000+ years of combined experience — are embedded into client teams on a project basis, functioning as an external product development and operations department without the client adding permanent headcount.

The offering is structured into four integrated service modules: Design (market research, consumer insights, product ideation, and brand positioning), Build (formulation, regulatory compliance, labeling, and packaging), Sell (contract manufacturing search, facility assessment, equipment selection, and co-manufacturer onboarding), and Grow (COGS analysis, supply chain optimization, channel strategy, and sales enablement). There is no proprietary technology platform; delivery is entirely human-expert-led across the full commercialization lifecycle from concept through scale-up.

Revenue is generated through custom-quoted professional services engagements, with go-to-market executed primarily via direct sales, a free 30-minute senior-specialist consultation funnel, content marketing through the company's blog (The Launchpad), and earned media including CEO podcast appearances and placements in trade publications. The firm has served 240+ brands across categories such as plant-based, dairy alternatives, functional beverages, snacks, condiments, and canned goods. The firm appears to be bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding, no parent company, and no M&A activity on record.

Name

Catapult

Legal name

Catapult Commercialization Services

Website

https://catapultserv.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Catapult Commercialization Services is a US-based professional services firm that embeds senior food and beverage specialists into early-stage and growth-stage CPG brands, providing outsourced support across product development, regulatory, manufacturing, supply chain, and commercialization without requiring clients to add permanent headcount.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Wauwatosa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Catapult provides embedded specialists who work alongside client teams. They offer services across market analysis, product development, scale-up, manufacturing, process optimization, operations, supply chain, regulatory, and quality assurance. Services are tailored to specific client needs and project requirements.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Catapult provides plug-in commercialization consulting for food and beverage brands, embedding experienced senior specialists into client teams on an as-needed basis. Services span market analysis, product development, scale-up, manufacturing, process optimization, operations, supply chain, regulatory, and quality assurance across four integrated phases: Design (research and design), Build (formulation and development), Sell (manufacturing and distribution), and Grow (scaling and profitability).

Product overview

Catapult is a food and beverage commercialization services company offering a unified consulting platform with four integrated service modules: Design, Build, Sell, and Grow. The Design module covers market research, consumer insights, and product ideation; Build handles formulation, regulatory compliance, and packaging; Sell manages manufacturing, co-manufacturer relationships, and distribution; and Grow focuses on scaling operations, profitability optimization, and sales strategy. The company embeds experienced specialists (90+ consultants with 1,000+ years of combined experience) into client teams on an as-needed basis, functioning as an outsourced product development and operations department without adding headcount.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercialization Consulting Services Plug-in consulting service that embeds 90+ senior food and beverage specialists into client teams across four integrated phases - Design (research and design), Build (formulation and development), Sell (manufacturing and distribution), and Grow (scaling and profitability) - to take products from concept to shelf without the client adding headcount. Designed for fast-growing CPG brands launching new products, reformulating, or managing growing operational complexity.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trusted by 240+ food and beverage brands
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• The Eggcelerator LabminorOthersEgg Innovation Accelerator - Catapult connects clients to this resource for egg innovation and startup support
• Chapman University Food InnovationminorOthersFood Processing Lab - Catapult connects clients to university food innovation resources and lab facilities
• Caminus VenturesminorOthersAccelerator for Black Entrepreneurs - Catapult refers clients seeking funding and support for underrepresented founders
• VEGPRENEURminorOthersPlant-Based Business Community - Catapult connects plant-based clients to this industry community
• The Drexel Food LabminorOthersUniversity Food Lab - Catapult connects clients to Drexel's food innovation research and development facilities
• FoodChain IDminorOthersTesting and Compliance - Catapult connects clients to food safety testing and regulatory compliance services
• Handel Food LawminorOthersLaw Firm specializing in food regulations - Catapult refers clients for legal counsel on food law matters
• Emerge CPGminorOthersCPG Support organization - Catapult connects clients to startup support resources
• Startup CPGminorOthersCPG Community - Catapult participates in and refers clients to this CPG community
• Specialty Food AssociationminorOthersNetworking Organization for specialty food industry - Catapult connects clients to industry networking opportunities
• Good Food InstituteminorOthersPlant-Based Protein Think Tank - Catapult connects alternative protein clients to industry research and resources

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mattson: Mattson is one of the largest independent food and beverage innovation firms, offering product development, consumer insights, and commercialization services to CPG brands. It is the closest like-for-like peer to Catapult in terms of full-stack food innovation consulting.
• CCD Innovation: CCD Innovation is a food and beverage product development and R&D consulting firm serving startups and established brands. Its formulation, sensory, and commercialization services overlap almost entirely with Catapult's Build and Design modules.
• Sterling-Rice Group (SRG): Sterling-Rice Group is a brand and innovation consultancy specializing in food, beverage, and wellness CPG. It competes directly with Catapult on the strategic, brand, and go-to-market side of commercialization for emerging food brands.
• BevSource: BevSource is a beverage development and commercialization consultancy covering formulation, co-manufacturing sourcing, and regulatory support. It is a direct competitor within Catapult's beverage client segment (Mantra Matcha, Pricklee, elari).
• Hatch Innovation: Hatch provides consulting and resource services specifically for emerging food and beverage CPG brands, including co-manufacturing matching and commercialization support. It is a direct competitor for the same early-stage brand client segment.
• Food Consulting Group: Food Consulting Group provides regulatory, labeling, and product development consulting to food companies. It competes with Catapult in the Build and regulatory modules, especially for emerging brands needing FDA/USDA compliance guidance.
• Elohi Strategic Foods: Elohi Strategic Foods is an advisory firm focused on growth strategy, fundraising, and commercialization for early-stage and scaling food brands. It competes with Catapult for the strategic planning and go-to-market portion of engagements.

Broad incumbents

• Daymon Worldwide (Advantage Solutions): Daymon is a large-scale CPG services and retail media firm (part of Advantage Solutions) that touches private label development, brand strategy, and commercialization. It is a broad incumbent with overlapping capabilities but at much larger scale and broader scope than Catapult.

Emerging players

• Curion: Curion is a consumer insights and product testing firm specializing in sensory and claims validation for CPG brands. It overlaps with the consumer research and product validation portions of Catapult's Design module but does not offer execution or co-manufacturing support.
• The Hatchery Chicago: The Hatchery is a food and beverage business incubator in Chicago providing shared kitchen space and commercialization resources to early-stage brands. It is an emerging player that supports the same startup customer base, though via shared infrastructure rather than embedded consulting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/catapultserv
• Facebookfacebook.com/catapultserv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Catapult