Feb 24, 2026
How to Get Into Retail as an Early-Stage CPG Founder
Getting into retail is not about exposure, trade shows, or luck. It is a repeatable go to market process. For early-stage founders, the goal is not scale. The goal is proof. This guide breaks down exactly how first-time CPG founders get into retail, step by step.
How Early-Stage CPG Brands Get Into Retail
Retail success comes down to five fundamentals:
Readiness
Focus
Targeting
Materials
Execution
Miss one, and everything slows down.
Readiness: Are You Retail Ready Yet?
Before you contact a single buyer, you must clear the minimum bar.
You need:
Finished product, compliant packaging and healthy inventory levels ready to ship
Clear wholesale pricing (with discounts for larger orders)
Suggested Retail Price with margins that allow retailers to make money
The ability to fulfill small, repeat orders reliably
Bonus: Promotional calendar with quarterly discounts for consumers
If you reach out without these basics in place, you may not get a second chance to pitch that retailer.
Focus: Pick One Clear Retail Wedge
Early founders fail by trying to sell everywhere.
Retail buyers need fast clarity.
You should be able to say:
What category you are in
Who the product is for
Where it belongs on shelf
Example:
A premium functional beverage for independent health food stores.
If you cannot explain your wedge in one sentence, buyers will not help you find one.
Focus creates momentum.
Targeting: Start With the Right Retailers
Do not start with national chains.
Early-stage brands win by targeting:
Independent retailers
Regional specialty chains
Stores where the buyer or owner is accessible
These buyers take more bets and give real feedback. They connect with the story as much as the pricing and product.
Ten right stores beat one hundred wrong ones, every time.
To see how we used the most advanced AI to target retailers, chat with us HERE
Materials: Build a Simple Sell Sheet That Buyers Actually Read
You do not need a pitch deck.
You need 2 clean pages that answer buyer questions fast.
Your sell sheet should include:
Hero product photo (page 1)
One sentence value proposition
Product features, barcode, case size, pricing (Page 2)
A clear next step
Buyers scan.
They do not study.
We have seen 100’s of sell sheets, for best practices click HERE
Execution: Reach Out Like a Professional, Not a Marketer
Retail outreach is sales, not branding.
What works:
Short, relevant emails
A clear reason you chose their store
Asking for a sample or quick chat
What does not work:
Long brand stories
Big attachments
Vague asks
Follow up matters more than the first email.
Most early wins happen on the second or third touch.
Remember this is a numbers & data game, do not take rejections personally.
WARNING: do not use your primary email for cold outreach, as you could get flagged for spam and lose access to your email.
See how we’ve built a system to keep your brand assets safe and scale outreach effortlessly HERE