Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford
Imagine a food, drink & pet food packaged goods industry where both small and large players coexist on a level playing field, consumers have choice, there’s integrity in what they’re buying and they experience innovative, sustainable products.
In this weekly podcast, hosted by founder, award-winning coach, consultant & CPG advocate, Chelsea Ford, you'll hear interviews with incredible founders and hard-to-reach industry specialists as well as practical and actionable content that directly supports your food, drink & pet food CPG business to grow, become more profitable and thrive.
Learn more at www.chelseaford.com .
Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford
#141 Manufacturing at Scale: What Every Brand Owner Can Achieve
Scaling up from the bench top to commercial manufacturing is one of the biggest turning points for food, drink, and pet food brands. It’s exciting but it comes with challenges too: ingredient integrity, process changes, minimum order quantities, and the founder’s mindset all play a role in whether scaling feels like a breakthrough or a breakdown.
In Episode 141, I’m joined by Naishad Dalal of Food Entrepreneurship Academy, who has worked with countless startups and established brands to take them from idea through to commercial launch.
We unpack:
🌶️ The common misconceptions about scaling up to manufacturing at scale.
🦀 How to navigate trade-offs between artisanal quality and operational reality.
☺️ Real-world stories of founders who’ve made tough but smart compromises.
🧠 Why founder mindset and consumer communication are crucial to success.
Whether you’re just starting to think about scaling or you’re already managing commercial runs, this conversation will give you practical insights - and a dose of hope - that growth is possible without losing a product’s soul.
This Season of Foodpreneur with Chelsea Ford is brought to you by Chelsea Ford Co.’s tenth anniversary. Ten years in, I’m more committed than ever. The next decade is wide open for those ready to do things differently and back themselves to grow.
LINKS & RESOURCES:
- Food Entrepreneurship Academy website
- Food Entrepreneurship Academy LinkedIn Company LinkedIn Page
- Naishad Dalal LinkedIn Page
- #134 Industry Insights from Foodpreneurs Festival 2025
- #128 Burnt Out & Broke: How to Afford a Co-Manufacturer
- #107 How to Develop a Commercially Viable Food or Drink Product.
- HydraCelt from Overtime Labs
- Your Free Pitch Plan
- Become A Foodpreneurs Festival Insider
- Chelsea Ford Co. website
Season 14
Season 14, out now, is 'Scale Season' and is being presented by Chelsea Ford Co.’s 10th anniversary.
For a decade, Chelsea Ford has backed Foodpreneurs and pushed to shake up an industry that too often plays it safe and leaves smaller players behind. She champions bold products, smarter tech, and better ways of working - because the future of CPG should be shaped by ideas, not just deep pockets.
Chelsea believes every emerging brand deserves a fair shot - not crumbs from the big end of town. Founders, no matter their gender, ethnicity, cultural background, spiritual path, sexual orientation, or beliefs, deserve their place on the shelves.
Chelsea stands for healthy competition - real competition - where brave ideas and fresh brands rise up because they’re good, not because they’re bankrolled.
This podcast is part of that mission. Every episode sparks bigger thinking, practical action, and the connections you need to get your products into more hands - and more money in your pocket.
Ten years in, she’s more committed than ever. The next decade is wide open for those ready to do things differently and back themselves to grow.
Click this link to see how you can be part of it.
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