Ep. 137 - This Program Helps Arkansas Entrepreneurs Scale
Tue Feb 03 2026
Retail is hungry for fresh products, but getting from a beloved local item to a national shelf spot is a steep climb. We sit down with the University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the team at Act Two to unveil the Ozark Retail Accelerator, an Arkansas-backed program built to help consumer packaged goods founders cross the retail chasm without wasting years on preventable mistakes. If you’ve sold at farmers markets or independents and you’re eyeing Walmart, Sam’s Club, or Kroger, this is your roadmap.
We break down who qualifies and why the accelerator focuses on Arkansas-based or Arkansas-committed brands, then dig into the nuts and bolts of scale. Expect straight talk on packaging that really wins the aisle, channel-specific pricing and pack sizes, trade math, and working capital planning for your first big PO. We map out what buyers want to hear, how to craft a compelling pitch, and the realities of mod change calendars that can stretch six to eighteen months. From copacker readiness to reformulation with a food scientist, the conversation centers on making your product manufacturable, compliant, and margin-positive across club, mass, and grocery.
The cohort opens with an in-person kickoff in Bentonville at the end of March, followed by twelve weeks of targeted virtual sessions and a June demo day. Supported by AEDC funding, there’s no equity taken and costs are minimal, so founders can focus on execution, not dilution. With mentors and partners from OEI, Act Two, and the Bentonville Chamber, you’ll learn from operators who’ve placed real products in real aisles and navigated scale the hard way. If you’re ready to turn local traction into sustainable growth, apply at OzarkRetailAccelerator.com before February 15.
Subscribe, share with a founder who needs this, and leave a review to help more Arkansas makers find their path.
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Retail is hungry for fresh products, but getting from a beloved local item to a national shelf spot is a steep climb. We sit down with the University of Arkansas Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the team at Act Two to unveil the Ozark Retail Accelerator, an Arkansas-backed program built to help consumer packaged goods founders cross the retail chasm without wasting years on preventable mistakes. If you’ve sold at farmers markets or independents and you’re eyeing Walmart, Sam’s Club, or Kroger, this is your roadmap. We break down who qualifies and why the accelerator focuses on Arkansas-based or Arkansas-committed brands, then dig into the nuts and bolts of scale. Expect straight talk on packaging that really wins the aisle, channel-specific pricing and pack sizes, trade math, and working capital planning for your first big PO. We map out what buyers want to hear, how to craft a compelling pitch, and the realities of mod change calendars that can stretch six to eighteen months. From copacker readiness to reformulation with a food scientist, the conversation centers on making your product manufacturable, compliant, and margin-positive across club, mass, and grocery. The cohort opens with an in-person kickoff in Bentonville at the end of March, followed by twelve weeks of targeted virtual sessions and a June demo day. Supported by AEDC funding, there’s no equity taken and costs are minimal, so founders can focus on execution, not dilution. With mentors and partners from OEI, Act Two, and the Bentonville Chamber, you’ll learn from operators who’ve placed real products in real aisles and navigated scale the hard way. If you’re ready to turn local traction into sustainable growth, apply at OzarkRetailAccelerator.com before February 15. Subscribe, share with a founder who needs this, and leave a review to help more Arkansas makers find their path.