Fractional CFO for consumer products companies
Building a consumer brand is a working capital business with a marketing P&L bolted on top. Inventory, lead times, supplier deposits and returns tie up cash months ahead of revenue, while paid social, retail media and influencer spend decide whether each cohort actually pays back.
Old-school accountants treat a DTC brand like any other retail business and miss the things that matter - contribution per cohort, blended CAC across channels, SKU margin after returns and discounts, and the cash gap between placing a PO and selling the unit. A fractional CFO who knows the category can model all of it and tell the team which channel and which SKU is actually carrying the business.
We work with consumer founders across food, fashion, beauty and lifestyle, and we bring the channel-level and SKU-level discipline that the next round of investors will be looking for.
Choose a fractional CFO that understands consumer products
SKU margin after everything
Headline gross margin and contribution per unit after returns, discounts, marketplace fees and fulfilment are very different numbers. We build the SKU-level P&L that strips all of it out, so range planning, promo calendars and pricing decisions are made on real contribution rather than list margin.
Inventory and cash, weekly
Stock-outs and over-buys both kill brands - one through lost sales, the other through cash. We run weekly demand, purchasing and cash forecasts so the team can size the next PO against actual sell-through, supplier terms and the bank balance.
Channel mix that pays back
DTC, Amazon, wholesale and retail each have different CAC, margin and cash dynamics, and the optimal mix shifts as the brand scales. We model contribution and payback by channel, so the conversation about going into a retailer or doubling Meta spend is grounded in numbers, not vibes.
Ready for a 2026 round
Consumer is back to being mildly interesting to VCs, and only on contribution profit per cohort and channel discipline - not on GMV growth. We position the numbers around what actually closes capital today, and around the diligence questions strategic CPG and PE roll-ups ask when M&A becomes the path.
Recent fractional CFO projects
From the UK to Colombia, we acted as a fractional CFO to high-growth companies around the globe
We've helped set up FP&A, build financial models, and prepare for fundraising and M&A.
We acted as fractional CFO to TBô, a Zurich-based tech-enabled DTC male underwear brand, building a bottom-up financial / operating model with cohort-level KPIs and positioning the company for its next venture round.
Simple pricing
No hidden costs, no complicated long-term contracts. We understand how important flexibility is for consumer products startups.
Per month
- Accounting / FP&A tech stack implementation
- Monthly financial statements and reporting pack
- Quarterly board pack with detailed financial analysis (with variance analysis vs. budget, relevant KPI observations etc.)
- Investor-friendly output
Per month
- Everything in Core, plus
- Operating model (via an online platform like Runway or Excel-based)
- Ongoing model maintenance, refining projections, burn/runway management
- Customer cohorts modelling, churn and retention analysis
- LTV / CAC, unit economics analysis
- Cap table management
Per month
- Everything in Grow, plus
- M&A / fundraising support; review of business plan
- Pitch deck preparation
- Investor approach strategy / list building
- Due diligence support and deal negotiation
- Valuation as required and free access to Multiples Pro
Packages shown are illustrative, final pricing is tailored to client requirements.
Financial modelling for consumer products startups
We work with consumer products founders to build investor-ready, KPI-driven financial models.
We dive deep into your company and sector specifics, to build a custom-made financial model driven by operational KPIs, requiring a minimal learning curve and time spent on monthly updates.
SKU margin after everything
Gross margin per unit after returns, discounts, marketplace fees and fulfilment. The number that drives range planning, promo calendars and pricing rather than headline list margin.
Weekly demand & PO plan
Demand forecast, supplier lead times and open-to-buy tracked weekly against the bank balance. Sizes the next PO against actual sell-through rather than last quarter's average.
Channel contribution
DTC, Amazon, wholesale and retail modelled with their own CAC, margin and cash terms. Grounds the conversation about doubling Meta spend or going into a retailer in real numbers.
Cohort payback
Contribution profit per acquisition cohort after returns and second-order purchase rates. The view consumer VCs underwrite in 2026, not GMV growth charts.
Returns & discount drag
Return rates, promo discount depth and free-shipping leakage modelled as their own P&L lines. Surfaces the 15-25 percent of gross revenue that quietly disappears before contribution.
Supplier deposit cash
Deposits, balance payments and shipping terms modelled as a cash schedule, not a single COGS line. Reveals the months where cash is tied up in containers two oceans away.
Recent fractional CFO consumer products track record
Selected fractional CFO engagements and prior CFO experience.
Fractional CFO for all consumer products niches
From alcohol to baby care, we're a specialized fractional CFO to consumer products companies.
Our fractional CFO experience spans across all consumer products verticals.
Explore other sectors
We know tech inside & out.
We live and breath tech - true understanding of how startups operate is fundamental at what we do.
Recent consumer products insights
Talk to us
Schedule a call to get a health check on your business and see how we could help.
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Stages
Countries
- UK Fractional CFO
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- France Fractional CFO
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Cities
- London Fractional CFO
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