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Inventory Management 101: What Every Growing Brand Needs To Know with Cin7 | Startup CPG Webinar

Startup CPG
Startup CPG•May 13, 2026

Why It Matters

Effective inventory management frees cash, reduces errors, and scales profitably across channels—critical for CPG brands aiming to grow rapidly.

Key Takeaways

  • •Inventory ties up cash; optimize levels to free working capital.
  • •Real‑time visibility prevents overselling and costly emergency replenishment.
  • •Set reorder points early using demand forecasting and lead‑time data.
  • •Consolidate sales channels in a single system for true profitability insight.
  • •Adopt a scalable ERP like Cin7 before processes become entrenched.

Summary

The Startup CPG webinar introduced inventory management fundamentals for fast‑growing consumer brands, with Cin7 demonstrating how a unified platform can replace ad‑hoc spreadsheets. Kenny outlined why inventory is essentially cash, emphasizing that excess stock ties up capital and inflates 3PL fees, while real‑time stock visibility averts overselling and costly rush orders. Key insights covered lead‑time analysis, demand forecasting, SKU rationalization, and the need to treat each sales channel—Amazon, Shopify, Walmart—separately because fee structures and margins differ. The speakers stressed setting reorder points early, tracking batch numbers and expiration dates, and building strong supplier relationships to negotiate better terms. Examples included Austin from Real Z illustrating a brand that scaled by consolidating orders in Cin7, and the cautionary tale of companies stuck on spreadsheets that eventually faced data silos and staffing risks. The presenters also highlighted a limited‑time 50%‑off three‑month Cin7 offer for attendees. The overarching implication is clear: adopting an integrated inventory/ERP solution early prevents entrenched manual processes, improves cash flow, and provides a single source of truth for profitability across multiple channels, enabling brands to focus on growth rather than firefighting stock issues.

Original Description

Are you trying to scale your CPG brand but drowning in spreadsheets, going out of stock at the worst moments, or struggling to get a clear picture of your true inventory costs?
In this Startup CPG webinar, Kenny Freeman, Inventory Specialist at Cin7, and Austin, Co-Founder of Realzy, break down everything emerging brands need to know about inventory management — from the foundational principles of tracking stock and cash flow, to practical demand planning strategies and the technology that makes it all scalable.
The inventory management revolution is already here, and real-time visibility is at the center of it. Brands that get their ops right early move faster, waste less, and grow more profitably. This session gives you the operational foundation, real-world context, and hands-on system guidance to move forward with confidence — whether you're managing your first SKUs on a spreadsheet or ready to graduate to a full inventory platform.
Kenny and Austin walk through the key inventory management concepts every brand needs to understand, including lead times, reorder points, SKU rationalization, lot tracking, and demand forecasting, and explain how each one impacts cash flow, fulfillment, and the customer experience. They also tackle the practical realities of scaling inventory operations — sales channel complexity, working capital, co-manufacturer coordination — and share Realzy's real-world journey from kitchen startup to nearly 4,000 retail doors.
If you're building a growing brand and want to understand how to leverage one of the most important operational disciplines in CPG, this is the session to watch.
Takeaways:
Inventory equals cash — excess stock is a cash flow problem, not just a storage problem.
Real-time inventory visibility across all channels is essential as you scale.
Different sales channels — Amazon, Shopify, retail, TikTok Shop — have distinct cost structures and should never be treated the same.
Successful demand planning requires understanding lead times, promo calendars, and historical velocity data.
The gap between when brands implement inventory systems and when they should have is a major source of lost revenue.
Messaging around your ops maturity signals credibility to retailers and investors alike.
Regulatory and traceability considerations — lot tracking, expiration dates — are a critical part of inventory management for consumable brands.
Real-world case studies show how brands are successfully integrating inventory platforms to reduce overstock, improve forecasting, and free up founder time.
Cin7 offers deep implementation support and integrations to help brands bring their operations to the next level.
Key Topics:
00:00 Introduction to Inventory Management
02:59 Understanding Inventory Basics 05:46 Common Mistakes in Inventory Management
12:14 Stages of Inventory Management
17:48 Real-World Application: Realzy's Journey
31:42 Navigating Stock Challenges
34:06 Retail Forecasting Insights
36:30 Managing Working Capital Effectively
39:02 Leveraging Inventory Management Systems
52:02 Implementing Inventory Management Solutions
Connect with Guests: Kenny Freeman — Inventory Specialist, Cin7
Austin — Co-Founder, Realzy
Daniel Scharff — Founder, Startup CPG
About Startup CPG: Startup CPG is the largest community for emerging brands: 30,000+ 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
Resources:
Cin7 Inventory Management Software — https://www.cin7.com/
Realzy Snacks — https://www.realzy.com/
Cin7 White Glove Service — https://www.cin7.com/services/white-glove/
Cin7 API & Integrations — https://developer.cin7.com/api/
Startup CPG members get 50% off 3 months of Cin7 — visit startupcpg.com for the deal.
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