The Contract Manufacturing Alliance

The Journey from Idea to Shelf

The Alliance supports CPG brands at every phase of the product development lifecycle. Understanding where you are in the journey helps you find exactly the right resources.

I
Innovate
·
C
CREATE
You are here
·
L
Launch
I

Innovate

Coming up with the idea

Every great consumer product starts with an idea. The Innovate phase is about turning that idea into something real — developing recipes, testing formulations, validating with real customers, and getting the science right before you invest in production.

C

Create

Private Labeling Lives Here
Building the product for real

You've validated the idea. Now it's time to build it for real. The Create phase is about taking your proven concept and manufacturing it at scale — finding the right production partner, finalizing packaging, and building a supply chain that can support retail distribution.

Create Phase Arms

What Happens in Create

  • Production trials and test runs at pilot scale
  • Packaging finalization — retail-ready, compliant
  • Quality assurance and food safety (HACCP, SQF, GMP)
  • Scaling formulation from bench to production line
  • Cost modeling and margin analysis
  • Supply chain setup — ingredients, materials, logistics
  • Co-packer or private label manufacturer selection
Timeline: The Create phase typically takes 3–12 months. Getting the right manufacturing partner is the single most important decision you'll make.
L

Launch

Getting it to market

Your product exists. It's manufactured, packaged, and ready. Now you need to get it into the hands of consumers. The Launch phase connects you to retail channels, distribution networks, broker relationships, and go-to-market strategy — leveraging the Alliance's decades of retail relationships.

Retail Channels

Grocery & Supermarkets
Convenience Stores
Mass Retail
Club Stores
Food Service
E-Commerce / DTC
Natural / Specialty
Hotel & Gift

What Happens in Launch

  • Buyer presentations and category line reviews
  • Distribution setup and alignment
  • Broker network engagement
  • Trade spend planning and promotional strategy
  • Retailer onboarding — EDI, compliance, packaging specs
  • Market expansion — local → regional → national
  • Sales team sourcing and management
Timeline: Launch is ongoing. The Alliance's Conzumables network covers every major retail channel in the U.S. and Canada.
Your Next Step

Private Labeling Lives in CREATE

If you have a validated product concept and need a manufacturer to produce it under your brand label — you're in the CREATE phase. PrivateLabeling.org is the dedicated resource for finding private label manufacturing partners across 65+ product categories.