Food Biz Wiz

Food Biz Wiz I help producers of packaged products in the food industry understand how to get on the retail shelf!

I am a food industry consultant in San Francisco, CA, specializing in wholesale strategy for packaged food, beverage and taxable grocery businesses. I focus on helping packaged food producers understand the ins and outs of wholesale, and how to stand out in a crowded retail space (whether that's physical or digital!) through my online course, Retail Ready®. Since launching in 2016, Retail Ready® h

as supported about 1,000 emerging brands from all around the globe inside of our program. Join the waitlist to find out when Retail Ready® next opens for enrollment here: www.alliball.com/waitlist

Prior to launching Allison Ball Consulting, I was essential in the growth the Bi-Rite Family of Businesses in San Francisco, sourcing product and developing grocery staff for years at Bi-Rite Market on 18th Street, and then in the position of Head of Grocery and Store Manager at Bi-Rite Divisadero, building and managing a team and operations to support over half of the products in the store.

Permission to SELL the heck out of your products ⬇️I see founders who have the very best brand, dialed in ops, perfect p...
06/17/2026

Permission to SELL the heck out of your products ⬇️

I see founders who have the very best brand, dialed in ops, perfect pricing, and A+ product… and yet…

You know you’re destined for more. 💫

For your biz to be on MORE shelves and in MORE homes.

Typically the founders I work with have all the passion in the world - and need to actively do the SALES ACTIONS about 3 x as much as you’re doing right now. 🚀🚀🚀

Sending the emails, doing the follow ups, asking for the purchase, and inviting people to buy - week in and week out.

Your brand deserves for you to ACTIVELY sell, wholeheartedly, without shame or apologizing.

Does this land? Do you agree, or need a boost in confidence to get you there? Let me know below, and save this post for next time you need the pep talk!

06/15/2026

Your biz doesn’t exist without sales ⬇️

But after working with emerging brands for almost 20 years, I see the same pattern come up:

You got into this game bc of your passion for your product, not your passion for sales… 💃🏻

And that’s exactly why selling feels so hard- and exactly why I’m so hell bent on teaching founders to step up, figure out YOUR authentic way of selling and claim the shelf space that is rightfully yours. 📦🛒🌈

(FYI I start giving the tough love at minute 1:48 of this live mini training!)

🥵So quick temperature check: what emotion comes up when you think about actively selling, day in and day out? 

(Love it or hate it - no shame in whatever emotion comes up!)

Drop your word in the comments so we know where we’re starting! ⬇️

You’re a risk to a retail buyer 😬(sorrrrrry it’s true, but here’s what i mean)Bringing on a new product line is a gamble...
06/05/2026

You’re a risk to a retail buyer 😬

(sorrrrrry it’s true, but here’s what i mean)

Bringing on a new product line is a gamble for a wholesale buyer, and you gotta recognize that before you can really gain their trust.

It’s not until they place that first reorder that the buyer can finally relax and feel good about their decision to stock you. 😅

That first reorder is CRUCIAL for your new account, which is exactly why you need a rock solid plan to hit the ground running with every new retailer 🏃🏻‍♀️

I got you! ⬇️

Download my free, Reorder Checklist to get your framework started with my 10 steps to get the reorder.

Use it to create your own template with doable steps to take every time you land on a new shelf so that you actually sell off it.

Comment REORDER below and we’ll DM the free download link! 🥳

This is SALES GOLD! 🤯📓I just found a notebook from when I was a wholesale buyer in 2009 - this was back when I was manag...
06/04/2026

This is SALES GOLD! 🤯📓

I just found a notebook from when I was a wholesale buyer in 2009 - this was back when I was managing everything from coffee, to condiments, to home goods, to health + beauty, to pet, to dairy, to prepack deli, to dry grocery.

It was… intense. 

I remember that time period so well- I was enamored by the glory days of specialty grocery, but also FREAKING STRESSED, pulled in a million directions. 🥵

There are gems in here that would be helpful for emerging brands to know - what buyers are thinking, what we’re actually spending time on, and how we make decisions.

Let me know if it would be helpful to turn this into a mini series for you! ⬇️

Love is love is love is love 🌈🏳️‍🌈🌈🏳️‍🌈🌈🏳️‍🌈🌈This fierce ally (and the entire FBW team!) is a big HELL YES to supporting...
06/02/2026

Love is love is love is love 🌈🏳️‍🌈🌈🏳️‍🌈🌈🏳️‍🌈🌈

This fierce ally (and the entire FBW team!) is a big HELL YES to supporting the q***r community and celebrating pride - both this month, and year round.

So Happy Pride! I see you, love you, and support you 🩷❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙

(and hey - did you see GLAAD’s research shows 76% of Americans state they are more likely to trust a brand that sticks to its values and stands up for what is right, even when the topic is controversial?! That gets a big YES from me! 🤙🏼🔥🤙🏼)

05/26/2026

How to increase sales without a broker or distributor ⬇️

You don’t have to follow the same playbook that $100M CPG brands use.

(investors / brokers/ distributors / national accounts / trade shows / promos, oh my!)

In fact, following that playbook does more harm than good when you’re still on your way to your first million.

🛒 Ready to grow your sales sustainably, in independent stores, small chains, direct accounts, and through relationship-first wholesale accounts?

Join my FINAL live sales training this season.

👩‍💻The Wholesale Success System
📍LIVE on Wed 5/27
⏰1 PM PST / 4 PM EST

Comment SYSTEM for the free RSVP link, or find it in my bio! 🔗

See you tmrw,
Alli

😵‍💫 Disorganized + scrambling → proactive + professional 🤩If you’ve got big dreams for your packaged product brand, one ...
05/24/2026

😵‍💫 Disorganized + scrambling → proactive + professional 🤩

If you’ve got big dreams for your packaged product brand, one of the BEST way to get your time back and your sales up is to put systems in place for pitching, buyer communication, and reorders.

Wanna know how over 3,500 brands have used my systems for higher sales in our Retail Ready® sales program? 💃🏻🔥

➡️ Comment SYSTEM to join my live Wholesale Success System training on Wednesday, 5/27 at 1 PM PST!

05/24/2026

Nothing makes a wholesale buyer tune out faster than:

👅 We’re so delicious!

💜 People love us!

🔥 I started my biz bc of my passion….

There’s a time and a place to share how tasty, sustainable, better-for-you, effective, or thoughtfully sourced your products are - and it’s not in the first sentences of your buyer pitch.

✅ Instead, lead with your data story. How are you going to help the buyer WIN in your category.

Are you willing to make this shift? Give me a YES below if this is helpful!

Address

San Francisco, CA

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Food Biz Wiz posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Food Biz Wiz:

Shortcuts

Share

Category