How a Family Recipe Turned Into a National Supply Chain Story
Next Level Supply Chain with GS1 US · GS1 US
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (traffic.libsyn.com) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
From Sunday suppers to 2,000 stores… and almost losing them all. Andrew Arbogast turned his dad's cheese dip recipe into a fast-growing CPG brand, only to face the harsh realities of shelf life, co-packing, and retailer expectations. In this episode, he joins Liz Sertl to share how he scaled Arbo's Cheese Dip, what nearly sank the business, and the turning point that gave him a second chance.
Listeners will hear the unfiltered story behind bringing a homemade recipe to the national stage, and the resilience, partnerships, and supply chain decisions that made survival possible.
In this episode, you'll learn:
-
How shelf life testing and packaging decisions directly impact scalability
-
Why rapid national expansion without brand awareness creates costly supply and demand mismatches
-
What strategies helped Arbo stabilize its operations
Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain
(02:33) Family traditions that inspired Arbo's recipe
(04:25) Why barcodes matter for brand credibility
(06:03) Shelf life challenges with early co-packers
(08:11) Reformulating products for large-scale production
(09:24) Rapid retail expansion that backfired
(11:31) Winning Walmart Open Call and scaling mistakes
(13:28) Debt crisis and asking for help
(17:33) Grants and innovation with Real California Milk
(19:31) Favorite flavors and unexpected uses for cheese dip
Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.orgGS1 US on LinkedIn
Connect with the guests: Andrew Arbogast on LinkedIn Check out Arbo's Cheese Dip