Max Stepanian Email & Phone Number

Naperville, Il, Us

Connecting quality producers, manufacturers and brands to the marketplace.Strategic consulting for producers, brands, manufacturers, and equity organizations seeking counsel on product development, category landscapes, supply-chain optimization, sales presentations, pricing, promotions and product commercialization through launch.Niman Ranch broker/agent for Costco Wholesale, Grass fed beef from Uruguay to USA, Llano Seco pork, last-mile distribution systems for California producers, fair trade sourcing and distribution planning, cleaning products, Pet/Companion specialty food & treats, and other soft/hardlines.

San Rafael, California, Us

Cultivating Wellness is a commercialization, marketing, and distribution platform for Hemp-derived CBD products in the USA. Responsible for pioneering, launching and building new business for for Cultivating Wellness.

Walnut Creek, California, Us

Ignite Farm development group, food & beverage - Special ProjectsSupporting the incubation and launch of new brands and innovative supply chains. Managing commercialization of new products, and engaging with the marketplace to support placement, launch and growth.

Global brokerage firm focused on Costco Wholesale - acquired by Acosta Sales & Marketing in 2014 and Carlyle Group shortly thereafter.Business Manager and Regional and National team lead for organic - sustainable - specialty - local producers/manufacturers. Large book of business on my desk / participating influencer for ongoing and new business for our brokerage nationally.Business Focus - Represent brands and manufacturers for Kirkland Signature private label. Managed everyday business and worked with vendor business units to develop and launch new items & categories.Worked in collaboration with Costco Bay Area buying office to shepherd and lead the Costco organization into a new era of support and growth in placement for sustainable/organic/clean products in all relevant categories.Sales & account management, strategy, category management, new vendor acquisition, product development, formulation development, package design, branding, projections & forecasting, freight/logistics optimization, new item launch and management of promotional budgets to drive sales.National brands managed Annie’s Homegrown (national lead), Justin’s (national lead), Stonyfield Farms (national team), Niman Ranch (national lead) Barbara’s Wheetabix NA (national launch lead), Del Monte Foods & Big Heart Pet (regional), Mars Foods (regional), Fini (regional)Private Label Kirkland Signature: undisclosed

Sustainable & Clean meat supply from cooperative of US family farmers.Connected Niman Ranch alternative meat supply chain to all applicable channels of trade including, distributors, regional/national retail, local & corporate food service and Costco Wholesale. Managed sales team and worked with operations to efficiently deliver to new markets. Brought harvest to table with carcass balance and in support of family producers.

Start-up fresh, refrigerated soup company: small batch then volume build using Odwalla DSD fulfillment model for retail and 10lb bag for food service.

First foray into food businessProduced fresh herb compound butter and honey butter for retail & foodservice.

4th employee connecting cords / grew to 30+ employeesFinished in business development departmentPioneering cloud file storage startup, with support for sending and receiving documents via fax or email.