success storiesoperationshiring

Success Story: From Test Batch to Global Distribution — The Operations Roles That Made It Happen

oonlinejobs

2026-02-16

11 min read

How Liber & Co. scaled from a stove-top batch to global distribution — and the exact operations hires that let growth stick.

From Stove to 1,500-Gallon Tanks: A Hiring Playbook for Growth-Stage Food Brands

Hook: You built a product customers love — but production delays, inconsistent quality, and shipping nightmares are eating margins and attention. If your team is still patching processes together, this narrative case study shows the exact operations hires that move a craft food brand from test batch to global distribution — and when to make each hire so growth doesn't buckle under the load.

The DIY-to-scale arc: why the right operations hires matter

Liber & Co., the Texas-based craft cocktail syrup maker that started with a single pot on a stove, now produces in 1,500-gallon tanks and sells worldwide. Their story is a classic DIY-to-scale arc: founders handled everything for years, then progressively added specialists as complexity hit points — quality variance, regulatory paperwork for exports, co-packer coordination, and logistics for wholesale and DTC channels.

"We handled almost everything in-house for a long time. If something needed to get done, we learned it ourselves." — Chris Harrison, co-founder, Liber & Co.

The lesson: rapid growth demands three operational multipliers at defined milestones — a production lead, a quality control (QC) manager, and a logistics manager. Hire too late and you risk shipments delayed, customers lost, and costly recalls. Hire too early and you burn cash on roles that have little to do.

Scaling milestones that signal it's time to hire

Watch for these concrete signals (not feelings) before opening a requisition:

Volume trigger: consistent weekly output >10x your test-batch run or >500 gallons/week for beverage syrups.
Complexity trigger: more than one production shift, multiple co-packers, or two+ packaging SKUs requiring separate BOMs.
Quality trigger: more than 3% batch variance, repeated customer complaints, or failing lab tests for shelf stability.
Distribution trigger: first international orders, multiple wholesale partners, or a dedicated DTC fulfillment queue (consider travel-retail channels like those covered in Dubai travel retail 2026 when you start servicing airport or travel-retail buyers).
Compliance trigger: need for FSMA documentation, GFSI audit readiness, or export paperwork becoming recurring.

The three operations hires that power scale (and exactly when to add them)

1) Production Lead — When: after repeatable volume and pre/post-bottleneck

Hire signal: You’re running multi-gallon batches regularly, founders are on the production floor more than strategy, and uptime or throughput is a limiting factor.

Core responsibilities:

Run day-to-day manufacturing: line setup, batch scheduling, and raw material staging.
Translate product recipes into scalable SOPs and train operators.
Implement preventive maintenance schedules for kettles, fillers, and CIP systems.
Drive efficiency: OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), yield, and cycle time improvements.

KPIs to expect in the first 90 days:

Reduce batch downtime by 25%.
Increase yield to target (e.g., 98–99% finished product vs. theoretical).
Implement SOPs for 90% of core SKUs.

Interview questions:

Describe a production bottleneck you eliminated. What data did you track and how did you prioritize fixes?
How do you convert a small-batch recipe into a scale-ready SOP? Walk me through a real example.
Which maintenance strategies have you used on kettles, fillers, or pumps to reduce unplanned downtime?

30-60-90 day onboarding:

30 days: shadow current processes, audit existing SOPs, and document three immediate wins.
60 days: roll out revised SOPs for primary SKUs and set baseline OEE and yield metrics.
90 days: implement preventive maintenance calendar and train team on changeover procedures.

Comp & structure (2026 benchmarks): For U.S.-based craft food brands in 2026, expect production leads to range from $70k–$110k base plus performance bonuses or equity for high-growth startups. Contract/consult options exist for brands hesitant to carry full headcount.

2) Quality Control (QC) Manager — When: before scale-up or export

Hire signal: you’re facing inconsistent lab results, more frequent customer complaints, or preparing for wholesale or international buyers that require audits and certificates.

Core responsibilities:

Design and enforce testing protocols for incoming raw materials, in-process checks, and finished goods.
Manage lab partnerships (or in-house lab) for microbial, chemical, and shelf-life testing.
Maintain regulatory documentation: FSMA records, traceability logs, allergen control, and export compliance.
Lead internal audits and prepare for GFSI or customer-specific audits.

KPIs to expect in the first 90 days:

Establish an incoming material acceptance rate and reduce supplier non-conformance by 30%.
Bring finished product test pass-rate to >98% for critical parameters.
Implement a full traceability log for the last 12 months of production.

Interview questions:

Explain a time you prevented a product recall. What controls did you create and who did you engage?
Which QC technologies (LIMS, digital checklists, AI anomaly detection) have you implemented?
How do you design an allergen control plan for a facility producing syrups and flavorings? (See practical flavor and receptor guidance in Chef’s Guide to Using Fragrance and Receptor Science in Food for context on how aroma and ingredient choices affect formulation and shelf stability.)

30-60-90 day onboarding:

30 days: baseline audit of current QC checks, supplier certificates, and lab relationships.
60 days: roll out a standardized in-process and finished-goods testing protocol and incident response plan.
90 days: complete a mock audit and resolve top 5 non-conformances.

Comp & structure (2026 benchmarks): QC managers in growth-stage food brands typically command $80k–$130k base, depending on lab oversight and export compliance responsibilities. Consider bonuses tied to audit readiness and reduction in non-conformances.

3) Logistics Manager — When: once wholesale and international orders become routine

Hire signal: fulfillment errors, rising freight spend, customs delays, or complexity across multiple carriers and destinations.

Core responsibilities:

Manage carrier relationships, negotiate rates, and optimize freight lanes.
Own order-to-delivery SLA and returns processes for wholesale and DTC.
Coordinate export documentation, harmonized codes, and incoterms with customs brokers.
Implement or manage a Transportation Management System (TMS) and 3PL integrations.

KPIs to expect in the first 90 days:

Reduce freight spend per unit by 10–20% via lane optimization or consolidation.
Increase on-time delivery to customers to >95%.
Resolve customs or export issues within 72 hours on average.

Interview questions:

Describe how you reduced LTL/FCL costs without increasing delivery times.
How do you select and manage 3PL partners for seasonal surges?
Explain how you prepared documentation for an international launch — incoterms, HS codes, and traceability.

30-60-90 day onboarding:

30 days: map current shipping lanes, carriers, and 3PL performance.
60 days: negotiate at least one improved carrier contract and pilot consolidated pick/pack runs.
90 days: deploy TMS rules for preferred lanes and set up customs pre-clearance for top export markets (regional logistics playbooks like Regional Recovery & Micro-Route Strategies for 2026 are useful when you’re building short-haul networks and regional co-packer lanes).

Comp & structure (2026 benchmarks): Logistics managers for SMB food brands range $75k–$120k, often with incentive pay tied to freight savings or delivery SLAs.

How these three hires unlocked global distribution for Liber & Co.-style brands

When founders stop firefighting and hire these specialists at the right triggers, the company converts chaos into systems. In practice that looked like:

Production lead standardized batch instructions and reduced changeover time, enabling consistent daily throughput and volume predictability for buyers.
QC manager introduced finished-goods testing and traceability logs, which turned casual buyer interest into international orders because customers could see consistent shelf-life and safety data.
Logistics manager negotiated consolidated freight and set up export pre-clearance, reducing transit time and dropped shipments for overseas buyers.

Combined, these hires shifted the company from reactive to proactive: sales could promise lead times, operations could plan production weeks in advance, and compliance paperwork no longer blocked customs clearance.

Tech stack and processes that scale

In 2026, efficient scale is a mix of people, SOPs, and software. Recommended stack:

ERP for food manufacturing with batch records and lot traceability (e.g., dedicated SME-focused ERPs).
LIMS or digital QC to log tests and integrate with QC dashboards; newer systems add AI anomaly detection for trends.
TMS and 3PL portals for freight optimization, rate shopping, and consolidated invoicing.
Digital checklists and mobile SOPs to replace paper and ensure audit-ready records. For advice on selecting where to host public playbooks or internal docs, consider practical comparisons like Compose.page vs Notion Pages when you publish templates or 30-60-90 plans.

Adopting a modular approach (add-on integrations instead of giant rip-and-replace) helps brands scale affordably and avoid tech debt. Many vendors matured in late 2025; if you’re running popup tastings or micro-retail events, combine TMS/ERP integrations with pop-up payment and billing toolkits (see Portable Payment & Invoice Workflows for Micro‑Markets) and point-of-sale guidance for temporary stalls (Portable POS & Pop‑Up Tech).

Practical playbook: hiring, onboarding, and first 6 months

Follow this pragmatic hiring and onboarding timeline to minimize disruption.

Step 1 — Define the role with production data

Build a one-page role brief tying responsibilities to measurable outcomes (e.g., increase throughput by X; reduce non-conformances by Y).
List must-have skills and nice-to-have experiences like co-packer management or export documentation.

Step 2 — Recruit with context

Use niche boards for food and beverage operations and operations-focused recruiters who know food compliance.
Offer practical paid assignments in the interview process: review a batch report and propose three improvements; audit a mock shipment and list missing documents.

Step 3 — Onboard for impact

Share a 30-60-90 plan linked to KPIs.
Assign a cross-functional sponsor (founder or head of ops) to remove roadblocks and ensure resources.
Set weekly progress reviews and a demo at 90 days showing deliverables (SOPs written, vendors vetted, cost savings documented).

Step 4 — Institutionalize knowledge

Create a centralized digital playbook (SOPs, specs, vendor contacts).
Run quarterly cross-training so single points of failure don’t exist. If you’re exploring selling at markets or pop-ups alongside wholesale, pair your digital playbook with a local activation guide like Micro‑Markets & Pop‑Ups: Winning Air‑Fryer Strategies for Food Sellers in 2026 and the broader pop-up playbooks in Micro-Events & Pop‑Ups: A Practical Playbook.

KPIs and dashboards every growth-stage food brand should watch

Data clarity prevents surprises. Track these high-impact metrics weekly and monthly:

Production: OEE, yield %, changeover time, batch lead time.
QC: % pass rate, number of deviations, supplier non-conformance rate.
Logistics: freight cost per unit, on-time delivery %, customs delay incidents.
Financial: cost per finished good, days inventory outstanding, cost of poor quality.

Realistic timeline — what to expect after hiring

Typical payoffs follow this cadence after hiring the three roles:

0–3 months: SOPs documented, basic KPIs tracked, immediate supply chain gaps closed.
3–6 months: measurable improvements — fewer complaints, improved yield, reduced freight spend.
6–12 months: ready for larger wholesale commitments, smoother international shipments, and audit-readiness for major buyers. If you plan to enter airport or travel-retail channels, align your logistics plan with travel-retail automation expectations (Dubai Travel Retail 2026).

2026 trends that affect hiring and operations strategy

Plan hires with these late-2025 to 2026 developments in mind:

Automation and AI-assisted QC: affordable vision systems and AI anomaly detection moved from pilot to production in 2025–26. QC managers who can leverage these tools scale faster.
Supply chain resilience: after a wave of disruptions in the early 2020s and geopolitical shifts in 2024–25, buyers value brands with multi-sourcing strategies and transparent traceability.
Nearshoring and regional co-packers: more brands choose regional co-packers to reduce transit time and carbon footprint — logistics managers must be fluent in cross-border and regional distribution (see Regional Recovery & Micro‑Route Strategies for 2026).
Sustainability and packaging regulations: 2025–26 saw new packaging mandates in several markets; production and procurement must collaborate on recyclable materials and shelf-life validation.
Platform consolidation: ERPs and TMS vendors specialized for SMB food brands matured in late 2025, making integrations smoother and less costly — a trend also discussed in pieces about streamlining tech stacks for teams trying to cut redundant tools.

Common hiring mistakes and how to avoid them

Hiring generalists too long: founders should hire specialists once triggers are met.
Not tying roles to measurable outcomes: every hire should have 90-day deliverables.
Ignoring cultural fit: operations hires will shape process culture; prioritize problem-solvers who document as they work.
Delaying investments in digital tooling: low-cost digital checklists and LIMS integrations pay for themselves quickly via reduced rework.

Actionable takeaways

Track signals, not hunches: use volume, complexity, quality, distribution, and compliance triggers to time hires.
Hire three multipliers in sequence: production lead → QC manager → logistics manager.
Measure fast: set 30-60-90 targets and base compensation partly on operational KPIs.
Invest in modular tech: ERP + LIMS + TMS integrations that scale as you grow.
Plan for audits and export now: don’t let paperwork block your first international order.

Final thoughts: the human side of scaling

Liber & Co.’s journey — from a single pot on a stove to international buyers — is a reminder that scale is not just equipment and contracts. It’s the right people who convert founder hustle into repeatable, auditable systems. When you hire production leadership to protect throughput, QC to protect reputation, and logistics to protect delivery, you create a flywheel that allows sales to grow without operations breaking.

Call to action

Ready to add the operations hires that will let your brand scale without chaos? Post a role with our specialized operations and food manufacturing talent network, or download our 30-60-90 hiring templates and KPI dashboard for food brands ready to go global in 2026. Let’s turn your next test batch into consistent global deliveries.

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