Amazon, B2B Site & Popcorn Launch Strategy — 2026-01-02

Overview

Marketing strategy call with the Doudlah Farms team (Jason, Lucy, Mark) and Asymmetric (Karly, Gilbert, Avokerie). Four major threads: an Amazon account suspension prompting a DTC pivot, the paused B2B site launch pending tester feedback, logistics for a 169-unit Dark Red Kidney bean donation to the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA), and the upcoming 4.4 oz popcorn bag launch. A nascent institutional food supply partnership via Marty Travis (Illinois) was also surfaced.

Attendees: Jason Doudlah, Lucy Doudlah, Mark Doudlah, Karly Oykhman, Gilbert Barrongo, Avokerie Onorimuo

Key Decisions

• DTC pivot: Following Amazon account suspension, shift marketing emphasis to the Doudlah Farms website to reduce platform dependency. Amazon remains active but is no longer the primary focus.
• B2B site launch held: Launch stays paused until feedback is received from testers (Sherry at Seasonal Harvest, Brian Spencer at Outpost). Karly to re-engage them with a follow-up email acknowledging the holiday delay.
• Popcorn launch sequence: Launch the 4.4 oz family-size bag first, targeting the premium organic snack market (Skinny Pop tier). Smaller vending bags to follow after consulting operators on sizing. Large economy bag (22–26 oz) explicitly rejected as misaligned with the premium brand.
• Carrier preference: Prioritize carriers with onboard handjacks (e.g., Central Transport) for future LTL shipments, even at a modest cost premium. JB Hunt flagged as unreliable.
• WECA flyer: Add a B2B portal QR code to the marketing flyer included with the bean donation shipment.

Amazon Account Suspension

Amazon suspended the Doudlah Farms seller account over an unspecified review violation. Amazon declined to identify the offending review, making a targeted response impossible. All reviews — positive and negative — were subsequently removed from the account.

Suspected cause: Lucy may have left a review on a competitor's product (Amish popcorn purchased to examine bag design) that Amazon flagged as a related-party review. The exact review was never confirmed.

Strategic response: Rather than fight the suspension, the team decided to accelerate investment in the Doudlah Farms website as the primary sales channel. Amazon will continue operating but will not be the growth focus.

"I think long term, if this is what Amazon's going to play, we're going to work on getting our website more successful so we're not held hostage." — Jason Doudlah

Secondary concern: Customers have reported receiving older product from Amazon FBA, raising questions about inventory rotation at fulfillment centers.

WECA Chili Lunch Donation

Logistics

The Chili Lunch event runs throughout February (with February 26 as a focal date). Each of the 169 facilities will host its own chili cook-off using the donated beans.

Marketing Tie-In

• Jason will send Karly the existing Wisconsin Food Hub one-sheet flyer for WECA-specific edits (cook-off messaging, B2B QR code).
• Karly to return edited flyer by Wednesday, January 7; Jason will print 169 copies at UPS Stoughton.
• Doudlah Farms will donate prizes: 1st place — 25 lb bag of beans; 2nd & 3rd place — 5 lb bag each.
• Jason will ask Catherine Hansen to collect photos from participating facilities for a blog post and social media campaign.
• Catherine will provide a contact list (names, addresses, emails) for all 169 facilities → to be added to the B2B database and used for a targeted email campaign promoting dry beans.

B2B Site Launch

The site is functionally ready but launch is paused pending real-world tester feedback to catch any friction before a full rollout.

Current testers:
- Sherry — Seasonal Harvest
- Brian Spencer — Outpost
- Vitruvian (third tester)

None had responded as of the call, attributed to holiday timing. Karly will re-email all three, noting the holiday delay and requesting they place a test order.

Leverage point: Jason will condition delivery of 22 cases of blue corn chips to Sherry (Seasonal Harvest) on her placing a B2B order first.

Timeline: Site expected to be fully live before the WECA cook-off in February, making it safe to include the B2B QR code on the WECA flyer.

Order visibility: B2B orders surface in ShipStation; email notifications also expected (Karly to confirm).

Carrier & Inventory Logistics

JB Hunt Incident

A 14-pallet shipment to California (via JB Hunt) was 4 days late:
- Missed original Monday pickup (blamed road conditions, though Amazon's carrier picked up the same day).
- Did not auto-reschedule; Jason had to call back to set a Wednesday 8–10 AM window.
- Truck arrived at 11:06 AM. Driver arrived without a handjack and questioned whether the pickup was even on their manifest.
- Shipment went to Chicago (dedicated load), likely onward to California via intermodal container.

Resolution: Karly to monitor receipt of the 14-pallet shipment in Seller Central.

Carrier Policy Going Forward

• Prioritize carriers with onboard handjacks for LTL shipments (Central Transport cited as reliable).
• Jason to provide Karly with a shortlist of preferred carriers (Central Transport, Yellow, XPO, others) before the next call.
• When selecting carriers in the shipment tool, Karly will favor preferred carriers even if slightly more expensive.

Inventory Buffer

Given carrier reliability concerns and anticipated CDL driver shortages, the team discussed raising FBA/AWD reorder alert thresholds (e.g., from ~30 units to ~45 units) to build a larger buffer. Karly to perform an inventory sweep and assess current alert levels. January storage fees are lower and capacity is higher post-holidays, providing a window to act.

Popcorn Launch

Timeline

Product Strategy

• Launch SKU: 4.4 oz family-size bag. Positioned in the premium organic snack tier (Skinny Pop competitive set).
• Marketing angle: "You asked for it!" — lean into customer demand signals. New Year's resolution / clean eating timing is favorable.
• Future SKU: 0.75–1 oz vending machine bags. Jason to consult Wisconsin vending operators on optimal bag dimensions before finalizing design (to prevent machine jams).
• Rejected SKU: 22–26 oz economy bag. Rationale: targets a low-cost, high-volume market that conflicts with the Doudlah Farms premium brand positioning and compresses margins.

Initial Production

Karly to email Mark to confirm initial production quantity with TS Foods.

Marty Travis Partnership (Emerging Opportunity)

Doudlah Farms is part of a farmer network led by Marty Travis (Illinois) that is building a premium institutional food supply chain serving hospitals and Cisco (likely Sysco) in the Chicago market.

• Potential order volumes: 400–4,000 boxes/week of popcorn and beans.
• Long-term vision: replicate the model in Wisconsin, with Doudlah Farms as a regional distribution hub for other local farmers.
• Currently early-stage; no immediate action items beyond awareness.

Action Items

Jason Doudlah

• [ ] Email Catherine Hansen (WECA) to confirm delivery details and prize tiers; request contact list for 169 facilities and photos post-event
• [ ] Send Karly the WECA flyer for edits; print 169 copies at UPS Stoughton after approval
• [ ] Email Sherry (Seasonal Harvest) to place a B2B order; deliver 22 cases of blue corn chips contingent on order placement
• [ ] Send Karly finalized popcorn bag artwork (expected ~Jan 5–6)
• [ ] Provide Karly with a shortlist of preferred Amazon LTL carriers
• [ ] Consult Wisconsin vending operators on preferred bag sizes/weights for small popcorn SKU

Karly Oykhman

• [ ] Re-email B2B testers (Sherry, Vitruvian, Brian Spencer / Outpost) requesting test orders
• [ ] Edit WECA flyer to add B2B QR code and cook-off messaging; return to Jason by January 7
• [ ] Monitor Seller Central for receipt of 14-pallet JB Hunt shipment
• [ ] Perform Amazon inventory sweep; assess raising FBA/AWD reorder alert thresholds
• [ ] Email Jason for preferred LTL carrier list; prioritize Central Transport going forward
• [ ] Email Mark re: initial popcorn production quantity
• [ ] Draft targeted email campaign for 169 WECA childcare facilities
• [ ] Draft school outreach email for Wisconsin schools list
• [ ] Send Mark a reminder to call Ben Gates re: FarmWise Project / Bachman review ($4K engagement)

Related

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