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:
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How shelf life testing and packaging decisions directly impact scalability
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Why rapid national expansion without brand awareness creates costly supply and demand mismatches
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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.org
GS1 US on LinkedIn
Connect with the guests:
Andrew Arbogast on LinkedIn
Check out Arbo’s Cheese Dip
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