Host Daniel Scharff sits down with R&D Radio host and food scientist Adam Yee for a special mini episode previewing Startup CPG's first-ever Founders & Formulators event—happening July 12th in Chicago at the Palmer House Hilton, the day before the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) annual convention.

With a room full of formulators already heading to Chicago for IFT, Startup CPG is seizing the moment to bring them together with emerging brands for a speed-dating style matchmaking event. Whether you're still developing your product, struggling with a specific quality issue, or just want expert eyes on what you've built—this event is for you.

Adam brings his perspective from both sides of the table—as a food scientist, independent formulator, and former brand founder—to break down how to make the most of five minutes with a formulator, what questions to ask, and how to find the right partner before you even walk in the room.

Listen in as they discuss:

• Why Founders & Formulators exists—and why there's nothing else like it in the industry
• How formulators think about evaluating a product: vibes, questions, and tasting
• What brands should bring to the event and how to get the most out of every conversation
• How to use the Startup CPG Product Developer Directory to research and vet formulators ahead of time
• The difference between hourly vs. project-based engagements—and why deliverables matter more than anything
• Why personality and passion are just as important as technical skill when choosing a formulator
• What makes a great formulator-founder relationship—and how to avoid the most common pitfall

Episode Links:
🎟️ Register for Founders & Formulators (July 12, Chicago): https://bit.ly/4w0A75M

🔬 Startup CPG Product Developer Directory: https://startupcpg.com/product-developer-directory

⁠Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.

Show Links:

• Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
• Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
• Follow @startupcpg
• Visit host Daniel's Linkedin 
• Visit host Adam's Linkedin 
• Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at [email protected]
• Episode music by Super Fantastics