Food and Beverage

Choosing a Formulator 101: Demo of Our New Product Developer Directory | Startup CPG Webinar

Startup CPG
Startup CPG•Apr 2, 2026

Why It Matters

The directory streamlines CPG product development, cutting time‑to‑market and costs while protecting startups' intellectual property and expanding opportunities for formulation experts.

Key Takeaways

  • •New searchable database connects CPG brands with formulators
  • •Filters include location, specialty, and budget suitability for projects
  • •Community-driven platform reduces inefficiencies of Slack matchmaking for brands
  • •Includes podcast R&D Radio for deeper insight into formulators
  • •Enables transparent vetting, referrals, and IP protection for startups

Summary

The Startup CPG webinar unveiled a new Product Developer Directory—a searchable database that matches consumer‑product‑goods (CPG) brands with food scientists, formulators and product developers.

Daniel explained that the Slack community of 35,000 members repeatedly asks for formulation help, exposing a slow, ad‑hoc process. The directory addresses this by cataloguing over 200 professionals with filterable fields such as geographic location, specialty area, budget range and prior project experience, allowing brands to target the most relevant partner instantly.

Panelists underscored the platform’s value: Jamie noted the industry’s “hard‑to‑enter” nature and praised the portal as a bridge; Joey Savage warned that many contract manufacturers overpromise and highlighted the need for a competent formulator who can filter opportunities; Dana of Pilot R&D described receiving higher‑quality outreach thanks to the structured profile format.

By reducing matchmaking friction, the directory can shave weeks or months from development cycles, lower discovery costs, and improve IP safety for startups, while giving formulators greater visibility and a steady pipeline of projects.

Original Description

Finding the right formulator for your CPG product shouldn't come down to luck or who happens to respond in a Slack channel. In this Startup CPG webinar, Founder and CEO Daniel Scharff unveils the brand-new Product Developer Directory — the first-ever searchable database of formulators, food scientists, and product developers built specifically for emerging CPG brands — and walks through exactly how to use it to find the right partner for your project.
Joined by three experienced formulators and a branded ingredient partner, this session covers everything you need to know before reaching out to a formulator: when to find a co-manufacturer first, how to brief your formulator effectively, what a real development process looks like from ideation to first manufacturing run, and how to think about pricing. Whether you're pre-product or looking to extend an existing line, this is the foundational session for any brand navigating R&D for the first time.
Takeaways
The Product Developer Directory is free and searchable by specialty, capability, customer size, and location
Finding a co-manufacturer before a formulator is often the smarter first move, especially for complex products
A strong formulator will think holistically — flavor, nutrition, supply chain, and scale — not just the recipe
Reference products are one of the most useful things you can bring to a formulator
NDAs are fine to request, but your formula is likely safer than you think
Project pricing typically ranges from a few thousand dollars to $300K+ depending on scope and team size
Both hourly and project-based pricing models exist — know which fits your stage and needs
The right formulator will tell you when a project is outside their scope and refer you on
Key Topics:
00:00 Introduction & why the directory was built
04:20 Overview of the directory structure and how to navigate it
10:00 Live demo: filtering by specialty, capability, and customer size
18:00 When to find a co-manufacturer first
26:00 What the formulation process actually looks like, start to finish
35:00 How to price formulation projects and set expectations
44:00 NDAs, IP, and what formulators actually think of your idea
51:00 Q&A and closing remarks
Connect with our guests:
Joey Savage — CEO, & President, Savage Nutra
Jamie Valenti-Jordan — Founder & CEO, Catapult Commercialization Services
Dana Peck — Pilot R&D
Maria Stanieich — KiwiHako USA
Daniel Scharff — Founder, Startup CPG
About Startup CPG: Startup CPG is the largest community for emerging brands: 35,000+ Slack members, the #1 podcast in CPG, 100+ events per year, and award-winning resources to help brands grow. Join free today: https://startupcpg.com/sign-up
Stay connected:
#StartupCPG #CPG #ProductDevelopment #Formulator #FoodScience #CPGBrands #EmergingBrands #ProductDeveloperDirectory #FoodFormulation #BeverageFormulation #RandD #FoodTech #CPGCommunity #NewProductDevelopment #ProductLaunch #FoodScientist #ContractManufacturing #FunctionalFood #CPGStartup #BrandBuilding

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