Kory Dogs
January 14, 2025
Jamie Valenti-Jordan, CEO of Catapult Commercialization Services, has built a successful consulting firm dedicated to helping food and beverage companies scale. With over 20 years of experience in the food industry, Jamie has held key roles in major companies like Campbell Soup, Del Monte Foods, and Eat Just. His career journey led him to create Catapult in 2018, where he and his 90-person team provide technical and operational solutions for companies in the food and beverage sector. Their main focus is guiding businesses from $1 million to $200 million in sales, although they also support emerging brands and large companies with specific needs.
Jamie’s entrepreneurial journey was shaped by his mentors and his willingness to adapt to changing business environments. He emphasizes the importance of doing the right thing for others, a lesson that became clear during the COVID-19 pandemic when a colleague’s initiative, Startup CPG, inspired him to stay focused on creating value. He also shares insights about the challenges of scaling a business, including the need to rebuild systems and infrastructures as the company grows. Jamie’s story reflects the lessons of flexibility, resilience, and the ongoing evolution of business operations to meet new demands and opportunities.
Podcast Transcript:
Kory Dogs: Hello, everyone! This is Coach Kory Dogs from ActionCOACH. I’m excited to have Jamie Valenti-Jordan, CEO of Catapult Commercialization Services, with us today. Jamie brings over 20 years of experience in the food industry. He’s successfully launched over 1,000 products, managed multi-million-dollar production facilities, and even holds a patent for tomato peeling. Before founding Catapult in 2018, Jamie worked at Campbell Soup, Del Monte Foods, and Eat Just, specializing in process research and development, engineering, and operations. He also teaches food engineering and food processing at Mount Mary University and serves on the board of directors for IFT. An advocate for emerging and scaling brands, Jamie is also the cup master for his son’s Scout Pack.
Catapult Commercialization Services is a 90-person consulting firm focused on providing technical and operational solutions for food and beverage companies. Whether you need scrappy commercialization, ingredient application research, or in-depth technical analysis for quality and/or cost improvements, Catapult has the team to help you excel. And, something unique about Jamie—he’s also a dungeon master for his weekly Dungeons and Dragons campaign. It’s my pleasure to welcome Jamie Valenti-Jordan to the show today. Welcome, Jamie!
Jamie Valenti-Jordan: Hey there! How’s it going?
Kory: Great, great! So, first question: tell us a bit about your personal story. Where were you born? Where do you live now? What’s your family like? And what are some of your hobbies?
Jamie: Absolutely! Here’s a quick rundown. I was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and moved around the East Coast during my childhood as my parents relocated. We finally settled in Georgia, where I attended Georgia Tech, studying chemical engineering. I fell in love with the food industry through a couple of internships at General Mills, after realizing the textile industry wasn’t for me at Milliken.
After graduation, I turned down a six-figure offer from Exxon and instead pursued a master’s in food science at Madison, which brought me to Wisconsin. I met my wife there, followed her to New Jersey, and worked with Campbell Soup for a few years in process R&D, scale-up, and commercialization, primarily focusing on their soup and beverage lines, like V8.
Afterward, we moved to the Bay Area for ten years—initially for her job—and then I joined Del Monte Foods. I worked in corporate engineering, designing and building systems to scale products from benchtop to full scale. My largest design project was a $17 million facility for sweet potato processing, which was later used as feedstock for grain-free dog food.
After Del Monte went through an acquisition, I helped a colleague navigate a headcount reduction, which led me to work with Hampton Creek (now Eat Just). There, I managed operations and relaunched all 140 SKUs in four months, which gave me stress-induced pneumonia. That was my wake-up call to slow down, so my wife, our two-year-old son, and I moved back to Wisconsin. We wanted a slower pace of life for balance, and I wanted my son to have a yard. That decision eventually led to me founding Catapult, where I continue to give back to the food industry and help meet its evolving needs. It’s been quite a journey!
Kory: Sounds like it! You’ve worked with major companies, had a huge impact, and learned a lot. All of that seems to have set you up perfectly for Catapult.
Jamie: Absolutely. I’ve had many great mentors throughout my career, and I owe all of my success to them. Right now, I’m working on a report that will be about 12 pages long, focusing on the details of powder handling. I gathered all the necessary information from the client in just one day. That’s just how it goes these days.
Kory: So, when you decided to move back to Wisconsin, did you already have Catapult in mind, or did you land here, get settled, and then think about what to do next?
Jamie: It was more the latter. I tried finding positions in the food industry, where my expertise in both technical and leadership roles would be a good fit. However, I couldn’t find anything. I interviewed for positions ranging from third-shift maintenance mechanic to VP of Operations, but I was either overqualified or under-experienced for every role. I even sat down with hiring managers and asked where I could fit, but they didn’t know what to do with me. So, instead of waiting for someone to see my potential, I decided to create it myself.
Kory: That’s awesome, great! So you have a wife and a son, right?
Jamie: Yes, that’s right!
Kory: So, moving on to question number two—what’s a funny story your family tells about you that you’d be willing to share?
Jamie: My family likes to joke about me starting my own company and creating my own little universe. It humbles me, which is good, but I think the funniest story they tell is related to that. Honestly, it’s hard to pick a specific one.
Kory: I see you’re a cub master, right? That must be fun with the boys. Is your wife involved in the business as well?
Jamie: No, she’s not. We had that conversation early on. She’s actually a lawyer, and we decided it would be best if she didn’t get involved with the business.
Kory: Got it! So, tell us more about Catapult. I gave a brief overview, but we’d love to hear more.
Jamie: Sure! I created Catapult to “weaponize” my network. Over the years, I built a strong network just by being genuinely interested in other people’s work. When it was time to market myself in the services industry, I was able to tap into that network. I called people up, ran ideas by them, and was introduced to other consultants and clients. This led to larger projects that I couldn’t handle alone, so I teamed up with experts who had 20 to 40 years of experience. We partnered on projects that went really well, and we figured out a scalable business model.
Now, I have a team of 90 people across the US, and we’re able to take on almost any technical and operational challenge. We also dabble in marketing and sales, but our main focus is providing support to food and beverage brands and helping them excel in what they do best.
Kory: That sounds great! Do you have a specific size of food and beverage company that you prefer to work with, or do you handle all kinds of businesses?
Jamie: Our sweet spot is working with companies that are scaling, typically those going from about $1 million in sales to $200 million. The challenge is that these companies don’t stay in that range for long—they either grow or shrink. So, we also work with companies at both ends of the spectrum. We work with groups that don’t yet have a product in the market, providing advisory support. At the same time, we collaborate with large brands that have very specific, sometimes hard-to-define needs. We help them define their scope and see if we can assist. But, yeah, scaling companies are where we can add the most value by coaching them through what’s ahead and helping them build toward it.
Kory: Do you work internationally, like with the EU, or is it mostly domestic?
Jamie: If it’s international, it’s usually companies looking to enter the US market. They want to understand US consumers and the regulatory framework, which is my area of expertise. I don’t focus on EU regulations, though I have partners who handle that side of things.
Kory: Thanks for that! Now, can you tell us a story about someone who pushed or inspired you, making you realize that you could achieve your goals?
Jamie: Someone who really inspired me to think bigger was a former colleague of mine, Daniel Scharff. At the start of COVID, when everything was shutting down, there was a large industry event called Expo West that got canceled less than 24 hours before it was set to open. They had already set up booths and delivered everything. I was sitting at the airport, and the event was across the street from Disney in California. I had called my family, and we were all going to go there—I’d work, and they’d have fun at Disney. When the event got canceled, I thought, “We can go home, or we can make the best of it and have a great time at Disney.” So, we flew out there.
Long story short, there were no lines, and we stayed at a Disney Resort with barely anyone there. We rode every ride before lunch, took a break for lunch, and went back to do it all again. It was ridiculous! At one point, they even asked if we wanted to ride again without getting off.
But while all this was happening, it severely impacted the food and beverage sector, as that event was their primary selling point, and no one knew how to recover. So, Daniel decided to build a platform to address the need. He created a Slack channel for free and invited people who were frustrated by the situation. This turned into a space for exchanging ideas—like helping each other find solutions for unsold products by connecting to local food banks.
Daniel really wanted to keep the platform for entrepreneurs only, so it was entrepreneurs helping each other. As a service provider, I understood his hesitation to include people like me, but I had a lot to offer. So, we had a discussion, and he allowed us on a provisional basis, as long as we didn’t try to sell anything. The food industry is all about goodwill. Sales and money will flow naturally, but at its core, it’s about supporting one another. Because even if I’m the service provider today, tomorrow you might be the one hiring me.
That lesson really stuck with me. It helped me keep Catapult’s mission pure and focused on doing the right thing, rather than chasing every dollar. Daniel and I have been supporting each other ever since. His platform, Startup CPG, now has over 20,000 members, and he’s in the top 1% of global podcasts. He’s secured big deals with various groups, and while I’m a little envious of what he’s built, he always reminds me that I’m still the number one contributor to the platform. I’ve answered more questions than anyone else by far. I still keep the platform open on my screen because I want to stay involved and add value where needed.
So, that’s someone who pushed me to stay focused on doing the right thing for others, and everything else would follow.
Kory: So you can trace where you are today back to COVID, Disney, and that free Slack channel?
Jamie: Exactly.
Kory: That’s amazing. What would you say is your biggest lesson learned as a business owner over the past five or six years?
Jamie: Whatever you build, you’ll eventually need to rebuild. Every time you grow, you stretch your infrastructure, and at some point, that infrastructure becomes more of a hindrance than a help. You’ll have to replace it. When you do, it might work for a couple of years, but that’s just buying time. You might not have the cash flow yet for a long-term solution, but in two years, you might. So you’ll build, rebuild, and realize, “This thing I built two years ago? It’s not working anymore. Let’s start over and do it better this time.” Someone might suggest, “Why not just get an ERP?” But when your cash flow isn’t there yet, it’s not the right time for an ERP.
I know what the right size looks like. As an entrepreneur, I’m still growing too. For example, I had to guide my team through different organizational communication models. At one point, we were a hub-and-spoke model, which gave me total control but was inefficient because I had to field everyone’s questions. Then we shifted to a web model, which worked for a while because people could communicate directly with each other. But once we hit about 25 people, it stopped working, and we had to switch to a departmental model, which is easier for people to understand.
But a departmental model only works if people fit neatly into categories. The reality is people don’t fit into neat boxes—they have roles that extend beyond their department. So, it’s about adapting your communication model to support growth. That’s part of being a business owner, especially early on. As you grow, every element of your business, even your culture, sometimes needs to change.
Kory: Absolutely. I’m glad you mentioned that because a lot of people experiencing fast growth don’t realize how much the company has to change to support that growth and unlock the next level. It sounds like you’ve experienced that a few times—and hopefully, you’ll continue to do so, right?
Jamie: Yeah, well, as long as I’ve got the cash flow to support it!
Kory: Right. Next question: If you had to pick three people who have helped you most on your business journey—people you’re most grateful for—who would they be?
Jamie: First, I’d start with my CFO. I met him when he was a stay-at-home dad in his basement. He had worked as a bank teller and a teacher. Now, he’s my CFO and one of the most sought-after people for finding contract manufacturers in the U.S. He’s incredibly diligent, going through every line in QuickBooks to catch any miscategorization. If I need something done, whether it’s printing documents or looking into PPP loans to see if we qualify, he’ll make sure it gets done, no questions asked.
Next is my VP of Operations, who continually upgrades our systems. I “stole” her from Ghirardelli to join me at Eat Just, and then from Eat Just to join me here. She’s amazing—very independent and always improving systems and training our team on how to use them. She’s the superuser for all our platforms, from our CRM to everything else.
Lastly, there’s my old COO, who’s no longer with us. She was the first person I partnered with on a project, and we quickly realized we had something special. She helped me build the foundational structures of our system, from understanding how to court new clients to making sure we prioritized meeting their needs rather than just billing them for every dollar. Early on, we had some tough conversations about mission alignment, but we eventually figured it out.
Kory: But once you land on it, it’s powerful, isn’t it?
Jamie: Exactly. If multiple people can reach the same destination by the end of your discussions, that’s awesome. That’s exactly what you want to happen. So, that’s just one of the key points I wanted to share.
Kory: The power of the team—really, you can’t do it by yourself.
Jamie: Exactly. And honestly, if you think you can do it on your own, find someone who thinks you can’t. Bring them along and let them challenge your logic so you can have someone to gut-check your decisions.
Kory: Alright, last question. What advice do you have for business owners who are trying to do it on their own? You’ve just touched on that, but do you want to add anything more?
Jamie: Sure. It’s admirable to want to do it on your own, but it’s more important to recognize where your strengths lie—and where they don’t. Time management is a skill in itself, and there are priorities beyond just technical competence or sales skills when it comes to owning a business. If you want to go solo, at least surround yourself with experts in certain areas who can guide you and make sure you’re heading in the right direction, so you don’t make costly mistakes. Experience matters—it’s meaningful.
Kory: Right, thanks. You’ve been fortunate to have some amazing people with you over the past 20+ years. Anything you’d like to say to them?
Jamie: I’ve been extremely lucky to have had these people around me. I wouldn’t have learned nearly as much without them. They know that, and I wouldn’t be where I am without them. I’ve got a slide rule here from an engineer who retired after 43 years at Del Monte. He gave it to me because he felt I aligned most with his philosophy of serving those in need within a business. At the end of the day, service is what gets things done—whether you’re in a big company or running your own business. You have to meet the needs of both clients and your team.
When cash is tight, I don’t sleep. That’s the reality when you know people’s livelihoods depend on the decisions you make. I can’t imagine how people at large multinational companies sleep at night, knowing one bad decision could ruin thousands of lives. To the people who’ve helped me get here, thank you. I’d be nothing without all the love, power, and support I’ve received along the way.
Kory: Awesome. Thank you. To wrap up, if someone wanted to reach out to learn more about Catapult, how should they do that?
Jamie: Sure. The easiest way is through our website, catapultserv.com. There, you’ll find an email for our leadership team, which includes me: leadership@catapultserv.com. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn—I’m the only Jamie Valenti-Jordan out there. Feel free to send a message; I’m always happy to connect and share what I’m doing. Those following me on LinkedIn know I post frequently—usually about three or four times a week—about things I’m doing in my daily life. I often tie it back to what we do at Catapult, and people in the food industry have started to recognize me for it.
Beyond that, I won’t be sharing my personal phone number anymore because I’ve gotten too many calls, but I’m always available through that leadership team email, and I typically respond within hours.
Kory: Alright, awesome. It was a pleasure speaking with you, Jamie. Thank you for being on the show.
Jamie: Absolutely, thank you, Kory.