Did your special spicy pickles sell like gangbusters at the school fundraiser? Does everyone beg you to bring your crunchy coconut granola to their dinner party? Are your oatmeal raisin cookies always the hit at the church potluck? With the ever-increasing demand for natural foods, and more customers than ever willing to pay more for them, today is the day to use those old family recipes to fatten your bank account.But as with most things, turning your kitchen into a moneymaker is easier said than done. The path to retail success is strewn with obstacles--Who is your target market? What sets your product apart? What’s your perfect price point?--unless you have the guidance of someone who’s been there and done that. In Recipe for Success, natural foods specialist Abigail Steinberg has provided for you the benefit of an expert’s in-depth experience, taking you from initial concept of an idea to cashing out, and covering everything in between. Learn to:• Package and launch your product• Work effectively with distributors• Win the fiercely competitive battle for store placement• Prepare for trade shows• Negotiate broker partnerships• And moreMake no mistake: the natural foods industry is not user-friendly, but with this indispensable guide you can avoid the common--and highly expensive--traps many start-ups fall into . . . and make your dream business a delicious reality. "If you're an entrepreneur with a strong desire and a great new product, make sure you add Abigail Steinberg's book to your library." -- Deborah Bailey Coach Blog "There's a wealth of information packed into this book which address both wholesale and retail concerns, making it an invaluable guide for any who contemplate bringing their natural product into the marketplace." -- Midwest Book Review Get out of the kitchen—and into the stores! Your special spicy pickles. Your crunchy coconut granola. The cookie recipe so good that no one believes it’s gluten-free. . . .With the ever-increasing demand for natural foods, the time may be right to turn your culinary hobby into a moneymaker. But the path to retail success is strewn with obstacles—unless you have the guidance of someone who’s been there and done it. Who is your target market? What sets your product apart? What’s your perfect price point? Recipe for Success gives you the benefit of an expert’s in-depth experience, taking you from initial conception to cashing out—and covering everything in between. Filled with real-life examples, the book helps you: • Package and launch your product • Work effectively with distributors • Win the fiercely competitive battle for store placement • Prepare for trade shows • Deal with slotting fees, “free fills,” promotions, discounts, and demos • Negotiate broker partnerships • And more Make no mistake: The natural foods industry is not user friendly, but with this indispensable guide you can avoid the common—and highly expensive—traps many start-ups fall into . . . and make your dream business a delicious reality. Abigail Steinberg is a senior executive in the natural foods industry. As a specialist in the natural products arena, Steinberg has offered her expertise to companies at various stages. Always sales driven, she was instrumental in scaling up the natural soda company Zevia for its ultimate venture capital sale and acquisition. ABIGAIL STEINBERG began her career at Zevia, helping it become the fastest-growing natural product in the country. She has worked as a successful consultant and senior manager in the natural food industry for almost a decade. You have the greatest new natural product, and it is sure to be a smash success! Your friends can’t stop talking about it, so grocery stores across the country will never know what hit them, right? Before you risk thousands of dollars, though, bringing your product to market, keep reading. With this book I will show you how to navigate common problems, emotional pitfalls, and highly expensive traps that start-ups fall into and remain in on the path to success. I have seen firsthand the many mistakes natural foods manufacturers make when trying to get their new product onto store shelves, costing themselves millions of dollars. For example, launching a product so similar to competitors’ products that customers cannot tell the difference. Changing Universal Product Codes (UPCs) midlaunch and losing every account the company worked so hard to gain. Pushing a product that did not sell, slowly bankrupting the manufacturer. I don’t want you to suffer the same self-inflicted wounds. Others will try to wound you themselves. Buyers, stores, employees, distributors, brokers, and brand ambassadors all love new products, and surprisingly that is true even when a new product fails. Why? Because all of these players skim cash from your product. You will be encouraged to spend an exorbitant amount of cash on slotting fees, ads, MCB (Merchant Charge Back) and OI (Off Invoice), distr