A ROADMAP TO CO-PACKING

An online, open-access workshop series with expert and guide, Ashley Sutterfield

Community Co-Pack NW, a low-barrier contract manufacturer that incubates and scales BIPOC- and women-led businesses, in partnership with Xcelerate Women, a nonprofit that supports Oregon’s growing women-owned businesses, announce A Roadmap to Co-Packing, a six-week online workshop-based community learning experience.

After re-thinking the cohort-based Co-Pack Xcelerator, we’re offering an open-invite series that is inclusive of all interested businesses. This workshop series supports those in the co-pack discovery phase, self-manufacturing food businesses that are curious to choose what is next for their business. Each workshop will include 20-minutes of presentation time, and for those who attend live, 25-minutes of facilitated discussion to get into nitty gritty, sticky points of the day’s topic. Co-packing expert and workshop guide, Ashley Sutterfield, of Co-Packing with Ashley, takes a story-telling approach to the sometimes-overwhelming topic, making the steps and content more accessible to a feminine way of learning.

MEET OUR GUIDE

Co-packing expert and workshop guide, Ashley Sutterfield, of Co-Packing with Ashley offers empathy-based food production support to help food brands understand their production options so they can get the answers they need to feel empowered to partner with the right co-packer and understand every step of the process along the way. Ashley brings her insights from working with hundreds of co-packers, a wide variety of food entrepreneurs, and owning her own product brand to small business owners across the country. Ashley shares her thoughts with hundreds of entrepreneurs in a weekly newsletter called Sage Advice as well.

Thanks to Oregon Community Foundation’s Thriving Entrepreneurs Grant Program, cost of the program is sponsored.

WORKSHOP DETAILS

Each workshop takes place Wednesday at 9am PST and will include 20-minutes of presentation time, and for those who attend live, 25-minutes of facilitated discussion to get into nitty gritty, sticky points of the day’s topic. We encourage you to join each session, but in the case you miss one, we will share recordings so you can get caught up before the next workshop. If the workshop time does not work at all for your schedule you are able to sign up for the recording

SERIES OUTLINE

April 12: Holistic Business Review: We start with a grounding in your long-term goals, vision and values for your business. This process helps direct the co-pack search ensuring it is truly a right fit for your business.

April 19: Production Options: A partnership with a co-packer can seem like a silver bullet solution, let’s dive in closer to understand production options and their implications.

April 26: Formulation and Sourcing: Learn how to prepare your formulation and sourcing for a co-packer.

May 3rd: Co-Packer Search Process: Tips, tricks and which questions to ask.

May 10th: Testing and Pricing: Understand the testing and pricing process.

May 17th: Production & Beyond: Day of production details and product logistics

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

You can expect the following at the completion of the series:

Build your capacity as an owner to successfully manage and grow a co-packing relationship.
Gain clarity around your production strategy so you can successfully manage your growth with intention.
Build your capacity as an owner to make more strategic and informed decisions about complex business topics
Guide you to leveling up to the next stage of growth that is right for you and your business.
Build community with other founders who are in a similar phase of growth, promoting mentorship and collaboration over competition.