--- title: Best CPG Launch Agencies Compared for 2026 description: Compare six CPG launch agencies for food and wellness brands by channel distribution fit, launch strategy, and category expertise to choose the right partner. image: https://ladder17.com/hubfs/Canva%20images/Canva%20Design%20DAHYFpROD7M.png --- [![Ladder17 Logo - Alt](https://ladder17.com/hubfs/Ladder17%20Image%20Assets/Ladder17%20Logo%20-%20Alt.svg "Ladder17 Logo - Alt")](https://www.ladder17.com) - [Home](https://ladder17.com) - [Services](https://ladder17.com/services) - [Tech & FoodTech Marketing Consulting & Strategy](https://ladder17.com/marketing-consulting-strategy) - [Marketing Planning](https://ladder17.com/marketing-plan-development-and-implementation) - [Thought Leadership & PR](https://ladder17.com/foodtech-thought-leadership-and-pr) - [New Product Launches](https://ladder17.com/new-product-launches) - Case Studies - [Famous Software](https://ladder17.com/famous-software-case-study) - [Pairwise](https://ladder17.com/pairwise-case-study) - [Conscious Greens](https://ladder17.com/conscious-greens-case-study) - Insights - [News, Events & Content](https://ladder17.com/ladder-17-events-and-content) - [Blog](https://ladder17.com/on-purpose-blog) - [FoodTech Stories Podcast](https://ladder17.com/foodtech-stories-podcast) - [2025 Report - Understanding the U.S. Consumer for FoodTech Foods](https://ladder17.com/understanding-us-consumers-for-foodtech-foods) - [Contact](https://ladder17.com/ladder-17-contact) - [Team](https://ladder17.com/team) - [Careers](https://ladder17.com/careers) [![Ladder17 Logo - Alt](https://ladder17.com/hubfs/Ladder17%20Image%20Assets/Ladder17%20Logo%20-%20Alt.svg "Ladder17 Logo - Alt")](https://www.ladder17.com) - [Home](https://ladder17.com) - [Services](https://ladder17.com/services) - [Tech & FoodTech Marketing Consulting & Strategy](https://ladder17.com/marketing-consulting-strategy) - [Marketing Planning](https://ladder17.com/marketing-plan-development-and-implementation) - [Thought Leadership & PR](https://ladder17.com/foodtech-thought-leadership-and-pr) - [New Product Launches](https://ladder17.com/new-product-launches) - Case Studies - [Famous Software](https://ladder17.com/famous-software-case-study) - [Pairwise](https://ladder17.com/pairwise-case-study) - [Conscious Greens](https://ladder17.com/conscious-greens-case-study) - Insights - [News, Events & Content](https://ladder17.com/ladder-17-events-and-content) - [Blog](https://ladder17.com/on-purpose-blog) - [FoodTech Stories Podcast](https://ladder17.com/foodtech-stories-podcast) - [2025 Report - Understanding the U.S. Consumer for FoodTech Foods](https://ladder17.com/understanding-us-consumers-for-foodtech-foods) - [Contact](https://ladder17.com/ladder-17-contact) - [Team](https://ladder17.com/team) - [Careers](https://ladder17.com/careers) [Purpose-Driven Brands](https://ladder17.com/on-purpose-blog/tag/purpose-driven-brands) [Marketing for Founders](https://ladder17.com/on-purpose-blog/tag/marketing-for-founders) [Brand Building](https://ladder17.com/on-purpose-blog/tag/brand-building) # Best CPG Launch Agencies Compared for 2026 By [Ladder 17 Team](https://ladder17.com/on-purpose-blog/author/ladder-17-team) Oct 15, 2026, 10:56:36 AM 10 Minutes Read Picking the right [CPG launch agency](https://ladder17.com/) requires more discernment than many brand leaders apply to the decision. You need a partner who understands your category, your distribution channels, and the strategic gap between having a product and building a sustainable position in the market. However, overemphasizing branding and visual identity without vetting for distribution and marketing channel expertise can produce costly post-launch rework.![](https://codahosted.io/docs/qwN4HUxG_W/blobs/bl-g4h4i2A1xM/efd9cfcc3789fc6d81d421dc50b8b8a43c089a996f89be2ab27ed4c97b21c25e236019f4fe30cb4da415bc933a426393579a391ef9b580ca5c35dd6e370f16368323ddb713f20000bf2cd4544f213c6402b1d54d6aca046de3f8b592022d052ecb811e30) Ladder 17 helps food, FoodTech, and CPG brands build the go-to-market strategies that turn differentiated products into validated retail presences. This guide compares six agencies across the dimensions that matter for CPG market entry: retail distribution fit, launch strategy depth, and category expertise. Each agency on this list approaches CPG launches differently. Your job is to match the right model to your brand's specific challenge right now. ## Quick guide: 6 best CPG launch agencies for food and beverage brands 1. Ladder 17: A CPG launch agency for food and FoodTech brands needing strategy-led market entry 2. Trebuchet: A go-to-market consultancy offering retail sales infrastructure and marketing services 3. Acosta Group: A national retail execution firm with merchandising and distribution support 4. ScalePoint CPG: A food brokerage focused on independent retail activation and distributor management 5. Hawke Media: A digital marketing firm that provides a la carte performance services for B2C brands 6. Creatives On Call: A creative and marketing talent network for CPG campaign execution ## How we chose the best CPG launch agencies for food brands We evaluated agencies that work directly with food, beverage, and CPG brands on new product launches. The focus was on firms that combine strategic marketing with channel distribution readiness. - **Category expertise in food and CPG:** You need a partner who understands the specific dynamics of food retail, from category reviews to buyer relationships, rather than a generalist simply applying a template. - **Strategic perspective beyond execution:** Your agency should refine your positioning, help you define your target consumer(s), and build a launch plan anchored in your business goals, not just run tactical campaigns. - **Retail distribution readiness:** Getting your product on shelf or noticed in e-commerce requires active channel management, buyer outreach, and effective trade strategy, so we looked for firms that address this directly. - **Proven CPG launch track record:** We prioritized agencies with demonstrated results launching consumer products into a variety of channels, including e-commerce, specialty, natural, and conventional grocery. - **Integrated marketing and sales alignment:** The strongest launches connect marketing strategy to sales execution without handing off between separate teams, and we favored agencies that work this way. - **Scalability from startup to growth stage:** Your launch partner needs to serve you at your current size and scale as distribution expands. ## The 6 best CPG launch agencies for food and beverage brands ### 1. Ladder 17: A CPG launch agency for food and FoodTech brands Ladder 17 is a [marketing consulting](https://ladder17.com/marketing-consulting-strategy) firm built specifically for food, FoodTech, and CPG brands navigating product launches and market entry. The firm brings 35-plus years of experience launching differentiated products, from alternative proteins and functional foods to personal care products. Ladder 17 starts with a diagnostic: what is your strategic position, who exactly are you building for, and what is your specific, repeatable way of winning? Nailing how your brand or product beats the competition on key features and benefits is a must-have that should carry through every element of the launch plan. Ladder 17 connects [marketing planning](https://ladder17.com/marketing-plan-development-and-implementation) directly to business strategy. The firm develops integrated 12-month or quarterly plans that link owned and earned channels to drive awareness, trial, and distribution support. For consumer brands, that means pre-launch awareness building that relies on budget-efficient PR and social media, followed by launch campaigns built around shopping behavior. For time-pressed startups, the firm also offers a QuickLaunch approach that gets market-ready products into active marketing within 90 days. That speed matters when your launch window is compressed and every week of delay costs you sales. ### **Ladder 17 features** - **Go-to-market strategy development:** Ladder 17 builds launch plans anchored in your business strategy and competitive stance, so your marketing investment maps directly to revenue and market growth goals. - **Brand positioning and messaging:** The firm develops differentiated positioning and messaging pillars that give your brand a clear, ownable identity at shelf and in digital channels. - **Consumer research:** Ladder 17 partners with research partners to validate your positioning before you invest in launch execution, decreasing the risk of misaligned messaging. - **Integrated campaign execution:** From digital advertising and social media to influencer engagements and PR, the firm runs campaigns across owned and earned channels to build awareness and drive trial. - **Science communication expertise:** For FoodTech brands working with emerging technologies like precision fermentation or gene editing, Ladder 17 translates complex science into consumer-ready stories that build trust and acceptance. - **QuickLaunch 90-day activation:** The firm's QuickLaunch approach compresses the path from market-ready product to active marketing, giving you velocity without sacrificing strategic rigor. ### **Ladder 17 pros and cons** **Pros:** - Deep specialization in food, FoodTech, and CPG categories with validated [case studies](https://ladder17.com/conscious-greens-case-study) demonstrating consumer acceptance and brand-building results - Strategy-first approach that connects marketing to business outcomes rather than running isolated campaigns - Proven ability to launch first-to-market products in emerging categories, including the first CRISPR-edited food product in the U.S. market **Cons:** - Focused on food, FoodTech, and CPG verticals, so brands outside these categories may find a larger agency a closer fit. - As a specialized consultancy, the team is intentionally small to maintain senior-level involvement on every engagement. - Does not provide direct retail brokerage or in-store merchandising execution, though the firm's launch strategies are built to match with distribution partners ### 2. Trebuchet: A go-to-market consultancy for U.S. retail market entry Trebuchet acts as a go-to-market consultancy that combines marketing services with retail sales infrastructure. The firm works with consumer goods brands entering U.S. retail, featuring a launch system that covers buyer outreach, brand development, and demand generation under one roof.The firm's retail launch process follows a structured sequence: readiness assessment, retail strategy, buyer engagement, and post-launch demand support. ### **Trebuchet features** - **Retail readiness assessment:** Trebuchet evaluates whether your brand, pricing, and sales materials have been prepared for retail buyer conversations. - **Brand development and package design:** The firm offers name development, logo creation, and packaging design oriented toward retail shelf presence. - **Shopper marketing collateral:** Trebuchet develops point-of-sale materials and retailer-specific sales tools for in-store activation. ### **Trebuchet pros and cons** **Pros:** - Combines marketing and sales services in a single engagement, reducing coordination between separate vendors - Structured launch system provides a repeatable process for brands entering U.S. retail for the first time. - Fractional CGO model gives brands access to senior growth leadership without the cost of a full-time hire. **Cons:** - Does not specialize exclusively in food and beverage, covering multiple verticals including SaaS and professional services - The firm does not offer food science communication or FoodTech-specific positioning. - Retail sales execution is structured around the firm's own system, which may require brands to adapt their existing processes. ### 3. Acosta Group: National retail execution and merchandising at scale Acosta Group is a large-scale retail services organization that provides headquarter sales, retail merchandising, and distribution management for CPG brands. The firm operates across more than 200,000 retail locations in the U.S., with buyer relationships at national and regional chains. Services include category management, promotional planning, and in-store execution. The firm has handled national relaunches for major CPG companies, including retailer negotiations and distribution expansion. ### **Acosta Group features** - **National retail coverage:** Acosta provides sales representation spanning conventional, natural, and specialty retail channels at national scale. - **In-store merchandising:** The firm executes shelf resets, promotional displays, and product placement across thousands of retail locations. - **Shopper marketing and connected commerce:** Acosta offers digital shopper marketing and e-commerce content management to support omnichannel retail presence. ### **Acosta Group pros and cons** **Pros:** - Sheer size of its footprint reaches more than 200,000 retail locations, providing distribution infrastructure that smaller firms can't match - Delivers specialized programs for emerging natural and organic brands entering retail for the first time - Handles trade promotion management and deduction resolution, reducing the back-office burden on small brand or product teams **Cons:** - Does not provide brand positioning, go-to-market strategy development, or marketing consulting - As a large organization representing many brands simultaneously, individual attention may vary by account size - The scope of services is focused on retail execution, not upstream strategic planning ### 4. ScalePoint CPG: Food brokerage for independent retail activation ScalePoint CPG is a food brokerage firm that focuses on getting food, beverage, and wellness brands onto retail shelves through direct buyer outreach and distributor management. The firm is led by a founder with over 24 years of CPG and grocery experience, covering conventional, natural, and specialty retail channels. ScalePoint's service tiers range from a self-serve platform for managing category reviews and pipeline to managed retail activation programs. The firm's LaunchPad program focuses on independent retail placements, building the reorder data and velocity story that regional and national buyers require. ### **ScalePoint CPG features** - **Independent retail activation:** ScalePoint conducts direct connections to independent grocery outlets. - **Distributor management:** The firm handles setup and day-to-day management across national and regional distributors, including pricing and promos. - **Deduction recovery:** ScalePoint audits distributor statements and disputes invalid deductions, recovering trade spend that would otherwise be lost, minimizing your sales support load. ### **ScalePoint CPG pros and cons** **Pros:** - Provides hands-on retail selling rather than advisory-only services, with direct buyer outreach on your behalf - Tiered engagement model allows brands to start with a self-serve platform and scale into managed sales - Deduction recovery service operates on contingency, requiring no upfront cost to recoup lost trade dollars **Cons:** - Does not offer marketing strategy, brand positioning, or campaign development services - Category focus is concentrated on food, beverage, and wellness, with less coverage in non-food CPG - The firm's managed services are structured around its own platform and workflow, so connection to existing tools may be a heavier lift ### 5. Hawke Media: Digital performance marketing for consumer brands Hawke Media is a digital marketing agency that provides a la carte services across paid social, paid search, email and SMS, SEO, and web design. The firm works with consumer brands across multiple industries, including food and beverage, and defines itself as an outsourced CMO. The firm's model lets you select individual marketing services a la carte, permitting flexible budgeting. Hawke has worked with CPG brands on launch campaigns, including crowdfunding activations and e-commerce builds. The agency also offers an analytics platform for audience and competitive insights. ### **Hawke Media features** - **A la carte service model:** Hawke allows you to engage specific marketing channels individually, from paid social to lifecycle email, without a bundled commitment. - **Amazon services:** The firm manages paid media campaigns, creative production, and inventory across Amazon platforms for CPG brands. - **Analytics platform:** Hawke's proprietary analytics tool provides audience insights as well as competitive benchmarks to inform campaign decisions. ### **Hawke Media pros and cons** **Pros:** - Flexible engagement structure allows brands to add or remove services as launch needs evolve - Experience across multiple digital channels, including social media logos, providing broad digital reach - Has worked with over 6,000 brands, providing a wide range of category experience **Cons:** - Does not specialize in food, FoodTech, or CPG categories, so campaigns may lack category-specific positioning depth - Focuses on digital performance marketing rather than strategic go-to-market planning or retail distribution strategy - The a la carte model means coordination across multiple service lines falls to the brand or product team rather than a single strategic lead ### 6. Creatives On Call: On-demand CPG marketing talent for campaign execution Creatives On Call is a marketing and creative consultancy that provides on-demand talent for CPG brands. The firm staffs specialists in areas like product demonstration advertising, launch event management, and content development, drawing from a network of more than 950 food, beverage, and grocery subject matter experts.The firm's model is project-based, matching brands with specialized marketing professionals for specific campaign needs. Creatives On Call has supported CPG launch events, in-store sampling programs, and brand marketing campaigns for food and beverage companies. ### **Creatives On Call features** - **On-demand marketing staffing:** Creatives On Call matches your project needs with specialized CPG marketing professionals from its network. - **Product launch event management:** The firm plans and executes product demonstration events and sampling campaigns for retail environments. - **Content development:** Creatives On Call provides technical writing, creative development, and campaign content for CPG brands. ### **Creatives On Call pros and cons** **Pros:** - Access to a network of CPG-specific marketing talent allows brands to scale project teams on demand - Experience with food, beverage, and grocery categories spanning both consumer and trade marketing - Project-based engagement model provides flexibility for brands with variable launch timelines **Cons:** - Does not provide ongoing strategic advisory or retained consulting relationships - As a talent network, the consistency of the team working on your account may vary between engagements - The firm does not offer retail sales, distribution strategy, or brokerage services ## Comparison table: The best CPG launch agencies for food brands | Agency | Food/FoodTech Specialization | Go-to-Market Strategy | Consumer Research | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Ladder 17 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Trebuchet | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | | Acosta Group | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | | ScalePoint CPG | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | | Hawke Media | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | | Creatives On Call | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ## What should you evaluate before hiring a CPG launch agency? The right question is not "which agency has the most services?" It is "which agency's strategic model matches my unique launch situation?" A brand entering retail for the first time has a fundamentally different need than a brand scaling from regional to national distribution. Match your agency model to your specific challenge. Start by defining three things: your target distribution channel (s), your launch timeline, and the gap between where your positioning is today and where it needs to be, including category insights, for a buyer conversation. If you cannot articulate your positioning in a sentence that a retail buyer would repeat to their category manager, you have a strategy problem, not an execution problem. Agencies that lead with execution solve execution problems. Agencies that lead with strategy, positioning, consumer research, and competitive differentiation solve the upstream problem that determines whether execution works at all. According to a [NielsenIQ analysis](https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/education/2025/innovation-essentials-for-emerging-brands/), only 7% of companies grow innovation sales year-over-year. One in four new product innovations decrease total brand sales. That gap traces back to whether the launch had a validated strategic foundation. ## Why Ladder 17 is the best CPG launch agency for food brands Most agencies in this space solve one piece of the launch puzzle. Brokerage firms get you onto shelves. Digital agencies drive online traffic. Merchandising firms maintain your presence in-store. Ladder 17 solves the strategic problem that sits upstream of all of them: [building the positioning](https://ladder17.com/on-purpose-blog/how-to-crush-your-product-launch), messaging, and go-to-market plan that makes every downstream investment work harder. Ladder 17 gives you a [marketing strategy](https://ladder17.com/services) built specifically for food and FoodTech brands. The firm's work with clients like Pairwise and Conscious Greens demonstrates what happens when positioning is treated as the foundation of a launch. Consumer acceptance, media coverage, and market trust all followed from getting the strategic position right first.If you are a food or FoodTech brand leader planning a new product launch, the question is which partner will force the strategic clarity that determines whether your tactics produce results. Download[the 2025 FoodTech consumer report](https://ladder17.com/understanding-us-consumers-for-foodtech-foods) to see what and how consumers are looking for in new food, foodtech, and wellness products. ## FAQs about CPG launch agencies ### What does a CPG launch agency do? A CPG launch agency develops the strategy and executes the marketing plan to bring a new consumer packaged goods product to market. Ladder 17 approaches this by starting with positioning and consumer research, then building an integrated plan across owned and earned channels to drive awareness, trial, and retail distribution. ### When should a food brand hire a launch agency? Hire a launch agency before your product is market-ready, ideally three to six months before your target shelf date. Ladder 17 uses a QuickLaunch approach that compresses this timeline to 90 days when your product is ready, giving you speed without skipping the strategic work that makes launches succeed. ### What is the difference between a CPG launch agency and a food broker? A food broker focuses on retail sales execution: getting your product listed with distributors and retailers. A CPG launch agency like Ladder 17 works upstream, developing the brand positioning, messaging, and marketing plan that make your product compelling to buyers and consumers before the sales conversation starts. ### How do you evaluate a CPG launch agency's category expertise? Ask for case studies in your specific category and look for evidence of validated outcomes, not just campaign metrics. Ladder 17 publishes detailed case studies showing results such as consumer acceptance rates, website traffic growth, and media impressions tied to strategic positioning. ### Can a CPG launch agency help with retail distribution? Some agencies provide direct retail brokerage, while others focus on the strategic and marketing side of launch support. Ladder 17 builds launch strategies designed to work with your distribution partners, including plans for specialty retail targets like Whole Foods and GNC, so your marketing investment directly supports shelf velocity. #### Ladder 17 Team Author ## Recommended For You [![](https://ladder17.com/hubfs/Hidden%20Launch%20Webinar%20Header%20(640%20x%20360%20px)%20(1080%20x%20360%20px)-1.png)](https://ladder17.com/on-purpose-blog/the-hidden-launch-that-your-new-product-may-not-be-ready-for) [Purpose-Driven Brands](https://ladder17.com/on-purpose-blog/tag/purpose-driven-brands) [Marketing for Founders](https://ladder17.com/on-purpose-blog/tag/marketing-for-founders) [Marketing Leadership](https://ladder17.com/on-purpose-blog/tag/marketing-leadership) 2 Min Read ### [Are You Ready for Market Entry? 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