Packaging & Operational Readiness Checklist (CPG Retail Edition)
- Jordan Harper
- Jun 15
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 19
Is Your Brand Actually Ready to Scale?
Before You Scale, Know Your Score.
That big PO or national retailer pitch? Feels like a win—until you realize your backend can't keep up.
Stockouts. Chargebacks. Broken packs. Late shipments. Missed retail resets. We’ve seen it all—and it’s usually because brands scale fast without a clear operational foundation.
That’s why we created this: CPG Operational Readiness Checklist A simple but rigorous 40-point scorecard to help you audit your ops, avoid chaos, and scale with confidence.
In this post:
A 5-part packaging and operations readiness checklist for scaling brands
Key points for optimizing your packaging strategy and cost structure
A quick DTC logistics and fulfillment audit
Critical checks for supplier and sourcing readiness
Systems and tools for ops planning and infrastructure
Bonus: Prep tips for retail launch and investor due diligence
What’s Inside This CPG Operational Readiness Checklist?
This isn’t bs. It’s the same framework we use when diagnosing operational gaps for funded consumer brands. You’ll score yourself across:
6 Core Readiness Areas
(1 point per box, 5 per category)
📦 Product & Packaging Alignment
🔁 Sourcing & Supplier Readiness
🚚 Fulfillment & Logistics Preparedness
🧠 Operational Systems & Planning
💪 Team & Execution Support
🧩 Stakeholders, Approvals & Speed to Market
5 Strategic Enhancements
(5 bonus categories to test investor-grade or retail launch readiness)
🏪 Retail Channel Readiness
💵 Margin Compression Stress Testing
🏷️ Regulatory & Compliance Assurance
📈 Data Infrastructure Readiness
🧯 Crisis Readiness & Scenario Planning
Your Operational Readiness Score
Score | Readiness Level |
35–40 | 🚀 Retail-ready, investor-attractive operations |
28–34 | ✅ Scale-ready with minor blind spots |
21–27 | ⚠️ Risk-prone—patch ops before launching retail |
<21 | 🔧 High fragility—pause and rebuild ops |
Why This Packaging and Operations Readiness Checklist Matters
We’ve helped brands scale through every phase—from DTC 1PL to omnichannel 3PL—and this is where things usually break:
Packaging that kills margin instead of protecting it
Sourcing strategies with no backup plans
Freight and fulfillment processes built on guesswork
Founders doing ops on Slack at 2am
Zero alignment between brand, ops, and retail partners
Timeline chaos from siloed approvals
This checklist doesn’t just reveal those cracks—it shows you where to fix them, fast.
Who Should Use This Checklist?
This tool is for:
VC-backed or bootstrapped founders prepping for retail expansion
Growth-stage consumer brands under investor pressure
Heads of ops building internal systems—or deciding to outsource
Brands building due diligence reports for fundraising or retail placement
Whether you’re presenting to buyers or prepping for Series A, your ops readiness is a direct reflection of your ability to scale. Investors are asking: “Can this brand scale without chaos?” This helps you answer with confidence.
✅ Download the Packaging and Operations Readiness Checklist ✅
Score your ops. Spot your risks. Scale smarter.
⬇️ Click the Download Link Below ⬇️
🛠️ Need help fixing what the checklist reveals? Logic is your embedded full-stack operations partner—packaging, sourcing, logistics, and go-to-market systems all under one roof.
We’ll help you go from high-fragility to retail-ready, without hiring a full ops team.
👉 Learn more at logicagencyinc.com
