Food & Beverage Consulting

From formula
to shelf.

Food & beverage formulation consulting — from concept to commercial shelf.

Early-stage product development and scale-up consulting for food and beverage brands. Specializing in RTM, RTD, bars, confectionery, and baked goods — from first bench run to commercial launch.

Start a Project See Our Work
10+
Client product launches in functional CPG
$2M
RTM formula developed for a $2M clinical trial
20+
Categories formulated
Co-Inventor
Functional ingredient patent
RTD Beverage Development RTM Formulation Nutrition Bars Confectionery Baked Goods Plant Trials & Scale-Up Go-to-Market Strategy Commercialization Clean Label Functional Ingredients RTD Beverage Development RTM Formulation Nutrition Bars Confectionery Baked Goods Plant Trials & Scale-Up Go-to-Market Strategy Commercialization Clean Label Functional Ingredients
What We Do

End-to-end development,
from napkin sketch to ingredient deck.

01
Formula Development
Concept-to-bench formulation for RTD beverages, RTM powders, nutrition bars, confectionery, and baked goods. Clean label, functional, and retail-ready from the start.
02
Scale-Up & Plant Trials
Bridge the gap between lab and production line. On-site plant trial support, process troubleshooting, and co-manufacturer coordination to hit your launch timeline.
03
Commercialization Strategy
Translate technical functionality into commercial value. Positioning, claims strategy, certification roadmaps (Non-GMO, Prebiotic Verified, FODMAP), and go-to-market execution.
04
Stability & Sensory Testing
Shelf-life protocols, sensory evaluation, and product readiness assessment. Ensure your product performs from production through the consumer experience.
05
Ingredient Sourcing
Supplier identification, functional ingredient evaluation, and supply chain strategy — backed by deep industry relationships built across 20+ product categories.
06
Technical Advisory
Fractional R&D and technical support for early-stage brands. Expert-level food science without the full-time overhead.
DEDICATED PAGE →
Fractional Food Scientist
Senior food science on demand for early-stage brands — at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire. See how it works.
DEDICATED PAGE →
Formulation & Scale-Up
Concept-to-shelf formulation and scale-up across RTD, powders, bars, confectionery, and baked goods. Explore the full service.
Client Work

Products we've helped bring to life.

ArgenTea
Now Available
Functional brewed yerba maté
A ready-to-drink brewed yerba maté built for clean, functional energy — 130mg of caffeine paired with L-Theanine and Lion's Mane for smooth focus without the crash. Available in two flavors: Berry Hibiscus and Honey Ginseng.
130mg
Caffeine per serving
2
SKU's — Berry Hibiscus & Honey Ginseng
Visit ArgenTea
Turn Nutrition
Nutrition Bar · Now Available
Performance bar for golfers
A clean-label performance nutrition bar built specifically for golfers — the Full Turn Bar. We partnered with the Full Turn team on formulation, ingredient sourcing, and commercialization strategy — resulting in a bar with 20g protein, L-Theanine for focus, and real-food energy sources, free from artificial sweeteners, soy, and gluten.
20g
Protein per bar incl. collagen
0
Artificial sweeteners or soy
Visit Turn Nutrition
Sooz
Pre-Launch
Drink mix for spice relief
A drink-mix sachet built to get ahead of spicy food — milk protein binds capsaicin to cut mouth burn, a buffering ingredient calms stomach acid, and psyllium husk keeps digestion normal the next day. Launch flavor: Mango Lassi.
1
Launch flavor — Mango Lassi
3
Active components per sachet
Visit Sooz
"

Going with Andrew should be a no-brainer for any CPG brand! Not only did we get a formula perfectly tailored to our tastes, but it was also done for a fraction of the price and lead time in comparison with larger formulators.

Lucas Da Silva CEO & Founder, ArgenTea

I really appreciate your time and expertise — your insights have already moved us forward tremendously.

Zack Korbin Founder, Turn Nutrition
How It Works

A clear path from brief to shelf.

01
Discovery
We start with your target consumer, category landscape, and commercial goals. Clarity before bench work.
02
Formulation
Bench work, ingredient selection, and iterative testing until the product hits your brief and your palate.
03
Scale-Up
Plant trial support, process optimization, and co-manufacturer coordination. Lab to line without surprises.
04
Launch
Claims, certifications, and go-to-market positioning. Retail-ready, story-ready, and built to scale.
Areas of Expertise
RTD BeveragesRTM / PowdersNutrition Bars ConfectioneryBaked GoodsYerba Maté Functional IngredientsPrebiotics & FiberProtein Formulation Clean LabelNon-GMOFODMAP Certified Prebiotic VerifiedShelf-Life TestingSensory Evaluation Co-Manufacturer RelationsFSPCA CertifiedGo-to-Market Execution
About

Technical depth.
Commercial instinct.

Andrew Firestone is a food scientist and commercialization leader with a B.S. in Food Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Andrew's formulation roots started in RTD beverage development, working out of a pilot plant lab attached to a large-scale production facility — bench-top formulating for national convenience store brands, private label brands, and early-stage startups. That hands-on foundation gave him a deep understanding of how products move from concept to commercial reality. He then joined COMET, where he built and led the Applications Department — specializing in the application of functional, often technically demanding ingredients that most formulators shy away from. Working across 20+ product categories, he became fluent in making difficult ingredients actually work: hitting taste, texture, and label targets without compromising the science behind them.

Andrew serves on the Executive Board of the Chicago Section Institute of Food Technologists as New Connections Committee Chair — driven by a genuine passion for connecting people across the industry and making food science more accessible and approachable for everyone.

B.S. Food Science — University of Wisconsin-Madison
FSPCA Preventive Controls Certified (21 CFR 117.3)
Co-Inventor, Functional Ingredient Patent
Executive Board Member, Chicago Section IFT
20+ Industry Trade Shows Represented
FCG Logo

"Bringing your product to life should be exciting, not overwhelming. I offer straightforward formulation packages built for early-stage founders — whether you want to hand me the reins completely, or sit side by side while we build something great together."

Andrew Firestone — Founder, Firestone Consulting Group
Where to Find Me

Let's connect in person.

I'm active in the Chicago food and beverage community — come say hi at an upcoming event.

More events added regularly. Follow along on LinkedIn for updates.

FAQ

Food & beverage formulation consulting — common questions

What is food and beverage formulation consulting?

It’s hands-on product development — turning a concept or rough recipe into a tested, scalable, co-packer-ready formula. Firestone Consulting Group covers RTD beverages, powders, protein bars, confectionery, and baked goods, from concept through commercial launch.

Do you work with early-stage and startup CPG brands?

Yes. FCG provides fractional, outsourced food-scientist support, so emerging brands get senior formulation expertise without a full-time hire. Most engagements run $2K–$15K depending on scope and number of SKUs.

What does a formulation project include?

Depending on the tier: ingredient direction, bench formulation and iteration rounds, recipe sheets, stability and sensory guidance, claim review, and scale-up notes that get your formula ready for a co-packer.

How do we get started?

Book a free 30-minute recipe teardown — send your current recipe or product idea and you’ll get the top two or three things that will break at scale, with no pitch.

Let's build something worth launching.

Whether you're at the napkin-sketch stage or ready to scale a proven formula, we'd love to hear about your project.

Free · 30 Minutes · No Obligation

Book a free 30-minute consult.

Bring your product idea or current recipe and I'll walk you through the top two or three things most likely to make or break it at scale — a free 30-minute formulation review, no pitch attached. Start with the project form — if it’s a fit, you’ll get the scheduling link right away.

Tell Us About Your Project → A few lines about where you are means we spend the call on answers, not background.
A few sentences, please — at least 80 characters.
Received · Next Step

Got it — now pick your time.

Thanks for the detail. I'll read through it before we talk, so the call starts where your project actually is. Grab any 30-minute slot that works for you:

Schedule Your Call → Prefer to wait? I'll follow up by email within one business day.
Received

Thanks — I've got your project.

I read every inquiry myself. If it looks like a fit for where FCG can help right now, I'll reply by email with next steps and a link to book time.

Replies typically go out within a few business days.
On the List

You're on the waitlist.

FCG is at capacity right now. Your project details are saved, and I'll reach out in the order inquiries came in as spots open up.

Not Quite Yet

Probably a little early for us.

Most FCG projects run $2K–$15K depending on scope and SKUs, so a custom engagement likely isn't the best use of your budget yet. A few places worth starting: your local IFT section, university food-science extension programs, and co-packers that offer in-house R&D. When the project's further along, come back — I'd love to hear about it.

← Go back and edit my answers
Currently Booked

Not taking new projects right now.

FCG's bench is full. Check back soon — new project intake reopens as current launches wrap.