The Biggest Fallacy I See Every Day: “I Just Need a Co-Man.”

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If I had a dollar for every email that starts with “I have a recipe and all I need is a co-man,” I could probably fund a few startups myself.

Here’s the truth most founders don’t realize:

Finding a contract manufacturer isn’t where your journey begins — it’s where it ends. It’s the result of months of preparation, validation, and investment.

The Real Cost of Getting Started

In today’s CPG landscape, it takes about $100,000 just to get a new brand off the ground — even when you’re being smart, scrappy, and lean.

That budget typically covers:

  • R&D and scale-up work
  • Packaging design and print runs
  • Your first production run (and those MOQs keep rising)
  • Shelf-life testing, labeling compliance, and certifications
  • Storage, freight, and logistics
  • Early marketing and sampling to test velocity

Most co-mans won’t even quote your project if you’re not at that level of readiness. Not because they don’t want to help, but because they’ve seen too many great ideas fail for lack of capital and planning.

A Great Recipe Isn’t a Business

After building four snack bar facilities and helping dozens of brands launch, I can say with confidence: the founders who succeed are the ones who prepare.

That means dialing in your formulation, understanding your true cost of goods, getting your packaging right, and ensuring you can actually meet the minimums your production partners require.

The Payoff Can Be Enormous

Here’s the encouraging part — when you do it right, the investment pays off.

Snack bar brands with strong velocities and clean margins are currently seeing 2–5x revenue exit multiples.

A brand doing $3–5 million in annual revenue might sell for $6–$15 million, sometimes more.

So yes, the startup costs can feel daunting. But for founders who build their foundation right, it’s often the best investment they’ll ever make.

Start with a Plan

Before you start searching for a co-man, ask yourself:

  • Do I have the capital to support at least six months of operations?
  • Have I validated my pricing, packaging, and margins?
  • Do I have a clear brand story and go-to-market strategy?

If not, that’s the real work — and it’s where we can help.

At Snackteva, we work side-by-side with founders to bridge the gap between idea and execution. From formulation and facility readiness to strategic operations and AI-enabled systems, we’ve been on both sides of the table — as founders, co-mans, and advisors.

Because you don’t just need a co-man.

You need a plan.

 

Stop Guessing—Start Knowing Your Profit Potential

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