In this episode of R&D Radio, host Adam Yee sits down with Drake Nickell, founder of Dimitri's Greek Kitchen, to talk through how he used Startup CPG's Product Developer Database to find the right partner for reformulating his brand's pita chips.
Drake and his sister built Dimitri's Greek Kitchen around traditional Greek and Mediterranean snacks with a modern twist, starting with whipped feta before pivoting into pita chips after finding a manufacturing partner who could bring the product to life. With the chips now in over 300 stores, including all 189 Jewel-Osco locations across Illinois, Drake turned to the Product Developer Database to level up the product with a well-defined scope of work rather than spending months experimenting in his own kitchen.
Adam and Drake dig into how Drake filtered and vetted eight different product developers, why having a clear scope of work upfront made those conversations more efficient, how founders and food scientists can use shared reference points like well-known snack brands to communicate flavor and texture, and what "soft skills" mattered most in choosing the right long-term partner.
Listen in as they discuss:
- How Drake and his sister built Dimitri's Greek Kitchen around whipped feta and pita chips
- Why a viral TikTok moment around spicy whipped feta helped validate the product idea
- How Drake used Startup CPG's Product Developer Database to find and filter relevant experts
- Why having a clearly defined scope of work made his vetting conversations far more efficient
- What matters most when choosing a product developer beyond price, including communication style and personality fit
- Why quick follow-up and pricing transparency were strong signals in choosing the right partner
- How food scientists use a "gold standard" reference product to reverse-engineer texture and flavor
- How Drake described mouthfeel and flavor using widely available snack brands as a shared reference point
- Why founders shouldn't take early "no's" from experts personally, even when they sting
- What's next for Dimitri's Greek Kitchen, including new pita chip flavors and a whipped feta relaunch
Episode Links:
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Show Links:
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- Episode music by Super Fantastics
