Food manufacturing
10 CPG consultants
Each of these ten people currently works as a CPG consultant or advisor to consumer packaged goods and food brands. Readers can learn how a CPG consultant approaches retail sales and broker management, distribution, operations and supply chain, and growth plans for emerging and established brands.
Professionals to explore
01—10Caroline Scharton
LinkedInExperience: Executive CPG Consultant · Independent Consultant
Executive CPG Consultant as an Independent Consultant since 2026. She was Global Commercial Director (Vice President) at Waldencast (2024–2026) and Vice President of Retail at Divi (2023–2024). Her profile describes a sales leader in personal care and consumer packaged goods skilled in national account management and cross-category product launches with national retailers.
Christine Shepherd
LinkedInExperience: Fractional Sales Director CPG Growth Consultant · Independent Consultant
Fractional Sales Director CPG Growth Consultant as an Independent Consultant since 2025. She was General Sales Manager - Southeast at The Lemon Perfect Company (2023–2024) and National Sales Director at Malibu Mylk (2021). Her profile describes a CPG sales leader specializing in broker management, sales team leadership and go-to-market strategy across natural and conventional channels.
David Pannor
LinkedInExperience: Consultant Principal · Health & Beauty CPG Specialists
Consultant Principal at Health & Beauty CPG Specialists since 2013. He was Vice President Operations at Murad (2006–2011) and acting Vice President Operations at PackIt (2015–2016). His profile describes an operations and supply chain executive with experience in CPG wholesale/retail, manufacturing and direct-to-customer, for personal care, cosmetics, dietary supplement and food and beverage organizations.
Fred Malampy
LinkedInExperience: Executive Business Consultant · FJM Consulting - CPG Industry
Executive Business Consultant at FJM Consulting - CPG Industry since 2020. His profile says he led executive leadership initiatives for emerging companies in the CPG industry focused on sales, development and distribution, and managed P&L and EBITDA. He was Director of Sales - East Coast at Stellar Snacks (2025–2026) and Chief Executive Officer EVP at Sweetzels Foods Llc (2018–2020).
Joanne Peña
LinkedInExperience: Managing Partner Commercial Operations & Business Development · Summit CPG
Managing Partner Commercial Operations & Business Development at Summit CPG since 2025. Her profile says Summit CPG helps CPG brands turn momentum into mastery and that she leads commercial operations and business development, connecting strategy to execution. She was Director Sales Planning and Operations S&OP Lead at Flow Hydration (2023–2025).
John Bennett
LinkedInExperience: External Advisor - Food CPG · Bain & Company
External Advisor - Food CPG at Bain & Company since 2023 and at Kearney since 2026, and Founder of Chesapeake Growth Consulting since 2022. He has also been Board Member Interim Chief Revenue Officer at Celtic Sea Salt® since 2025. His profile describes partnering with growing companies and private equity to unlock growth and says he was previously a Division President in the food industry.
John Brewster
LinkedInExperience: Food CPG Consultant · Brewster Consulting
Food CPG Consultant at Brewster Consulting since 2015. He was Director of Marketing at Coleman All Natural Meats (2005–2006) and Marketing Manager at Wells Enterprises (1998–2004). His profile describes a hands-on CPG and food products marketing executive with expertise in new product development, product management, advertising, promotions and marketing research.
Julie Pryor
LinkedInExperience: Chief Executive Officer · EmergeCPG
Chief Executive Officer of EmergeCPG since 2020. Her profile describes her as a CPG growth advisor who partners with founders to turn belief in their brands into revenue and channel growth. She was Director, Emerging Brands at FMI- The Food Industry Association (2018–2020) and Management Consultant at Jackman (2014–2015).
Kevin Kelly
LinkedInExperience: Owner · Kelly CPG Consulting
Owner of Kelly CPG Consulting since 2007. He was Regional Sales Director at Vi-Jon (2001–2007) and District Sales Manager - Household Products Division at Bayer (1983–1994). His profile describes a consumer packaged goods manager with expertise in sales, marketing, manufacturing, DSD distribution, POS data analysis and logistics.
Kumar Venkataraman
LinkedInExperience: Senior Advisor - Strategy and Operations Transformation - Consumer & Retail · Independent Consultant
Senior Advisor - Strategy and Operations Transformation - Consumer & Retail as an Independent Consultant since 2024. He was Partner at McKinsey & Company (2016–2023) and Partner, Head of Midwest Americas at Kearney (2000–2016). His profile describes consulting experience across the retail, CPG and restaurant sectors, advising CXOs and leading the design and execution of growth strategies and profit improvement initiatives.
Choose the right perspective
Match the consultant's background to your gap, such as national account sales, brokers and distribution, operations and supply chain, marketing and new products, or corporate strategy. Ask which categories and retail channels they know best and what they would deliver in the first few months.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What should an emerging CPG brand have in place before pitching a national retailer?
- 02How do you decide between building a direct sales team and working with brokers or distributors?
- 03Which operations or supply chain problems most often limit a CPG brand's growth, and how do you fix them?
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot and may describe past or present roles. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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