Aumpack Food Vertical: Entering a New Market

Aumpack needed growth, and food packaging offered a meaningful opportunity. The category also carried quality and working-capital risk, so I researched the market and looked for credible signals before committing raw materials and production capacity.

A salesperson from a machinery company visited our factory. His company sold pouching equipment to the same food manufacturers we wanted to serve. I built the relationship over several months, and he introduced me to decision-makers at established Kerala food brands. The shared customer base made the relationship useful to both companies and gave our conversations a credible starting point.

For one early account, I studied the customer's product mix, buying process, negotiation style, supplier pricing, and payment cycle. The customer needed prices for four products. Based on discovery about the expected mix, I proposed a single average price that remained commercially viable rather than discounting simply to win the order.

The sales process combined commercial and operational proof. The customer reviewed our capabilities, visited the factory, and inspected its systems and quality controls. Over roughly three months, we worked through specifications and design details before receiving the purchase order.

I would handle one part of that early selling differently today. I used third-party packaging samples to demonstrate what our equipment could produce without volunteering that distinction unless asked. I now prefer to state the company's stage and evidence directly, then build trust through clear expectations, research, and delivery capability.