In this episode of the Startup CPG Podcast, host Caitlin Bricker sits down with Marc Brown, founder of ONOIN — a line of shelf-stable, pre-chopped and flavored onions in 100% olive oil designed to save you time and tears in the kitchen. ONOIN comes in four flavors — original, garlic and herb, jalapeño lime, and ginger and lemongrass — and is designed to go on or in anything, from eggs to meatballs to savory oatmeal bowls.
Marc is a food scientist with a master's degree from Drexel University and a seriously stacked background: R&D and industrialization at Danone, Head of R&D as employee #8 at Clio Snacks, and R&D and contract manufacturing work at Hain Celestial. He came to founding ONOIN with a rare 360-degree view of the food industry — from bench science to co-manufacturer negotiations to retailer conversations — and shares hard-won lessons throughout this conversation.
Together, Caitlin and Marc dig into why chopped onions in a jar hadn't been done before (and why it should have been), the origin story of the ONOIN name (credit goes to his brother-in-law at a backyard grill), and what makes a co-manufacturer relationship truly work. Marc breaks down the three-part pricing transparency framework every brand should demand from their co-man — raw, pack, and toll — and explains why trust and belief in your vision are just as important as the contract.
They also get into the realities of early-stage distribution, how to build a velocity story with the right retail partners, and why knowing your product well enough to tell a buyer exactly why they need it on the shelf is non-negotiable.
Listen in as they cover:
- How a graduate school innovation exercise sparked the idea for ONOIN
- Why shelf-stable pre-chopped onions solve a problem that fresh never fully could
- The naming journey from "Yun" to ONOIN — and why the name works on shelf
- The three things every brand must demand from their co-manufacturer: raw, pack, and toll
- Red flags when vetting a co-man and why trust is the ultimate filter
- How Marc's background at Danone, Clio Snacks, and Hain Celestial shaped his approach to founding
- Building a velocity story with retailers who actually believe in your product
- Why knowing your product's ideal placement in store can change your whole sales conversation
- Reducing food waste — one of ONOIN's often-overlooked benefits
Whether you're a founder navigating co-manufacturer relationships, a food scientist thinking about making the jump to your own brand, or a buyer looking for the next smart pantry staple, this episode is for you.
Episode Links:
ONOIN Website: https://eatonoin.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eat.onoin/
Marc Brown on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-brown-41500546/
Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.
Show Links:
- Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)
- Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)
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- Visit host Caitlin's Linkedin
- Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at podcast@startupcpg.com
- Episode music by Super Fantastics
