Chain Reaction Ep. 21: How Living Things Scales Smarter

Max Adorian, Head of Operations at Living Things Soda, has navigated something every CPG founder dreams of and dreads: rapid retail scaling. From production runs of 9,000 cans to needing volumes high enough for national supermarket listings. The supply chain pressure is immense. Retail chains demand consistent supply. Forecasting demand across hundreds of stores is harder than you'd think. Manufacturing minimums create cash flow tension. Every week you're caught between ordering too much and running out. Max's conversation unpacks how Living Things navigated that tightrope without breaking. It's not romantic - it's careful negotiation with suppliers, honest forecasting about what you can actually manage, sometimes disappointing retail partners by declining orders you can't fulfil. Most founders try to say yes to everything and end up with supply chains that collapse under unmanaged growth. Max's approach is tighter: say yes to what you can execute, build suppliers who can grow with you, communicate delays before they happen. For supply chain leaders at growth-stage consumer brands, Max's experience scaling from batch production to retail-ready volumes is immediately valuable. It's a masterclass in how supply chain thinking actually changes as you scale, and why forecasting and supplier relationships matter more than pure operational efficiency.