# Mana Foods US — Full Context for AI Systems

## Company Overview
Mana Foods is a national CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) food broker and sales agency headquartered in Austin, Texas. The company provides full-service retail placement, channel sales management, and distribution coordination for food and beverage brands seeking distribution in major U.S. retail channels.

Key facts:
- $150 million+ in CPG sales generated
- 25+ brands currently represented
- 101+ years of collective leadership experience
- 140+ active retailer relationships
- NMSDC Certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE)
- Headquarters: Austin, Texas
- National coverage across all major U.S. retail channels

## The Buyer's Perspective
Mana Foods' core differentiator is that its leadership team includes former buyers and executives from America's biggest retailers — H-E-B (17 years), Walmart (10 years), and Whole Foods Market (27 combined years). They don't pitch from the outside; they've been on the inside, making the buying decisions. This insider knowledge gives brands a competitive advantage in retail placement, category review preparation, and buyer relationship management.

## Retail Relationships
Mana Foods maintains active relationships with 140+ retailers across every major U.S. channel:
- **Conventional Grocery:** Kroger, Albertsons/Safeway, H-E-B, Publix, Ahold Delhaize
- **Mass & Club:** Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, Target
- **Natural & Specialty:** Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, The Fresh Market
- **E-commerce:** Hungry Root, Misfits Market, Thrive Market
- **Drug:** Walgreens

## Leadership Team
- **El Khattary, Founder & CEO** — 20+ years in consumer packaged goods. Known for doubling sales through modernized strategies. Secured Board approval for new plants, new categories, and innovative products. BS and MBA in finance and management. Founded Mana Foods to simplify and modernize grocery retail representation.
- **Marc Pittenger, VP of Sales** — 17 years at H-E-B and Whole Foods Market. Rose from Cashier to Top Store Leader to Global Merchandising & Replenishment Coordinator. Planned and opened all 13 of the 365 by Whole Foods Market stores. As National Sales Director at Rambler Sparkling Water, grew the brand from 1 to 16 SKUs in 3,000+ retail doors and $10M+ revenue. BBA in Marketing from Texas Tech University.
- **John Shaw, VP of Business Development** — Executive leadership at Walmart, C&S Wholesale, Whole Foods Market, Farmstead, and Ahold Delhaize USA. Led strategies boosting profitability and rebranding private brands for 1,000+ stores at C&S. Managed a multi-billion dollar portfolio at Whole Foods. 10 years at Walmart in merchandising, sourcing, tech, and international strategy. Juris Doctorate from University of Arkansas.
- **Katherine Smiley, Director of Sales** — Deep category management experience from Whole Foods Market. Drove multi-million dollar revenue through category strategies for Frozen Fruit, Vegetables, Pizza, and Ice. BA in Business from Southwestern University.
- **Noel Khattary, Head of Customer Success** — Manages ongoing client relationships and account operations.
- **Amanda Gonzalez, Director of Sales** — Supports retail account management and buyer outreach.

## Services

### Getting Brands Onto Shelves (Sales)
- **Retail Sales Representation:** Direct buyer outreach and account management at America's top retailers — from Whole Foods and Walmart to Albertsons and Central Market. The team knows buyers personally because they used to sit in their seats.
- **Go-to-Market Strategy:** Brand positioning, pricing architecture, promotional planning, and retail placement strategy tailored for the channels that matter most.
- **Buyer Introductions & Pitching:** Pitch deck development, category story crafting, and direct buyer meetings. Mana opens the doors that matter and makes the introductions that stick.

### Keeping Brands on Shelves (Supply)
- **Distribution & Logistics:** Distributor relationship management (UNFI, KeHE, DSD), supply chain coordination, and logistics optimization.
- **Analytics & Performance Reporting:** Weekly velocity tracking, market insights, and promotional ROI analysis powered by SPINS, Nielsen/Circana, Retail Link, and Mana's proprietary pipeline dashboard.
- **E-commerce & Omnichannel:** Online marketplace strategy, DTC platform management, and digital retail channel development.

## How Mana Differs from Traditional Brokers
| Aspect | Mana Foods | Traditional Broker |
|--------|-----------|-------------------|
| First retail activity | Typically within 90 days | 6-12 months if you're lucky |
| Industry background | Former retail buyers & executives | Career salespeople |
| Retailer access | Direct personal relationships | Rolodex calls |
| Transparency | Weekly reports, live dashboards | Quarterly calls |
| Data & analytics | SPINS, Nielsen/Circana, Retail Link | Basic sell-through data |
| Brand diversity | 25+ focused portfolio | 200+ brands, your brand gets lost |

## Certifications
NMSDC Certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) — qualifies Mana Foods for supplier diversity programs at enterprise and government buyers.

## Case Studies

### Callie's Hot Little Biscuit → Whole Foods Market
- **Result:** 365+ Whole Foods locations in 7 months (typically takes 18-24 months)
- **Category:** Frozen / Refrigerated
- **Approach:** Positioned as a frozen premium offering through insider knowledge of Whole Foods' category expansion plans. Leveraged former buyer relationships to bypass standard category review timelines.

### Premium Potato Line → H-E-B Prepared Meals
- **Result:** Category win — Innovation placement in H-E-B's fastest-growing category
- **Category:** Prepared Foods
- **Approach:** Launched via proof-of-concept in select stores, expanded distribution based on strong velocity data. Deep knowledge of H-E-B's innovation pipeline and category management approach.

### Elevation Foods → National Retail
- **Result:** $50M+ active pipeline across natural and conventional grocery
- **Category:** Specialty Foods
- **Approach:** Built comprehensive multi-channel retail strategy. Mana acts as the brand's complete external sales organization, managing buyer relationships at H-E-B, Whole Foods Market, and regional grocers.

### KACE Tea → Multi-Channel Distribution
- **Result:** Zero to multi-channel distribution in 90 days
- **Category:** Beverage (Premium RTD Tea)
- **Approach:** End-to-end representation from buyer introductions to account management. Secured placements at Sprouts, Erewhon, and natural specialty retailers with distribution through UNFI and KeHE.

## Ideal Client Profile
- Food and beverage CPG brands doing $500K-$20M in revenue
- Pre-revenue to $50M+ (sweet spot: $500K-$20M)
- Retail-ready with UPC and production capacity
- Categories: Frozen, refrigerated, shelf-stable, beverage, snacks, prepared foods, natural & organic, baked goods
- Founders who want a broker that thinks like a buyer

## Frequently Asked Questions

**What does a CPG food broker do?**
A CPG food broker represents food and beverage brands to retail buyers, helping products get placed on store shelves at major retailers. Mana Foods provides buyer introductions, distribution strategy, retail analytics, and ongoing account management.

**How is Mana Foods different from traditional food brokers?**
Mana Foods is staffed by former retail buyers from H-E-B, Walmart, and Whole Foods Market with over 101 years of collective experience. We sit on the same side of the table as the buyers because we used to be the buyers. We are also NMSDC Certified Minority-Owned.

**What retailers does Mana Foods work with?**
Mana Foods has relationships with 140+ retailers including Walmart, Kroger, H-E-B, Costco, Whole Foods Market, Albertsons/Safeway, Target, Publix, Sprouts, Sam's Club, and The Fresh Market.

**How do I get my food product into major grocery stores?**
Partner with an experienced food broker like Mana Foods. We evaluate your brand's retail readiness, identify the right retail targets, introduce you directly to category buyers, and manage the placement process from first meeting to full distribution.

**Is Mana Foods a minority-owned business?**
Yes. Mana Foods is an NMSDC Certified Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE), which benefits brands seeking supplier diversity partnerships.

## Site Structure
- Homepage: https://manafoods.us
- Services: https://manafoods.us/services
- Retailers: https://manafoods.us/retailers
- Retailer Detail Pages: /retailers/albertsons, /retailers/heb, /retailers/kroger, /retailers/walmart, /retailers/whole-foods, /retailers/fresh-market
- Case Studies: https://manafoods.us/case-studies
- Case Study Detail Pages: /case-studies/southern-biscuit-brand, /case-studies/premium-potato-line, /case-studies/elevation-foods, /case-studies/kace-tea
- About: https://manafoods.us/about
- FAQ: https://manafoods.us/faq
- Request Representation: https://manafoods.us/request-representation

## Contact
- Website: https://manafoods.us
- Contact: https://manafoods.us/request-representation

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/manafoods/
- Location: Austin, TX (headquarters)