FMN 009: Bootstrapping a Food Startup to Explosive Growth with Lizzi Ackerman

What's up guys, this is Alex Oesterle and thank you for tuning into episode 9 of Food Marketing Nerds. We've all heard stories of food startups that have achieved insane growth in a short period of time. If you're anything like me, those stories leave you thinking, Ok so I know what they achieved, but how did they go about doing it? Today's guest is Lizzi Ackerman, who is the COO of the all-natural pancake mix brand, Birch Benders. Over the past two years, Birch Benders has gone from a distribution of just under 20 stores to now over 5000. And after talking with Lizzi, I can tell you that it wasn't luck, but smart, well thought out strategy that led to Birch Benders' success. A lot of which, you'll get to hear from Lizzi. In this episode, we'll be discussing: How your distribution strategy will make or break you Where to focus marketing budget when funds are limited What tools Birch Benders uses to stay lean And many more insights from an entrepreneur who is practicing what she preaches.