Food science consulting · Founder-led
Resolve the technical problem before the next production commitment.
We help food brands, manufacturers and ingredient suppliers work through formulation, scale-up and manufacturing-readiness problems before costly trials, supplier changes or commercial production.
Led by a food scientist with 20+ years inside food and flavor manufacturing. Your formulas and project details stay confidential.
When to bring us in
Usually when something has changed and a production decision is close.
- 01
A scale-up that didn't hold
The bench sample worked; the plant run didn't. Texture, flavor, yield or stability shifted at volume.
- 02
An ingredient or supplier change
A spec, cost or availability change means a reformulation that must still match the product customers know.
- 03
Applications proof
Ingredient suppliers who need credible application work showing how an ingredient performs in a real product.
- 04
Standardizing products after an acquisition
Aligning formulas, specs and processes across sites or co-manufacturers once portfolios come together.
How an engagement works
- 01
Assess
We review the product, process, specs and what changed, then identify the real technical question and the risk to the next decision.
- 02
Scope
A written scope with deliverables, timing and IP terms agreed before work begins. Specialists are added only where the problem needs them.
- 03
Execute
Formulation, process and documentation work carried through to a clear recommendation your team or manufacturer can act on.
Why Alaine & Co.
Founder-led. Supported by specialist expertise.
Alaine & Co. was founded by Courtney Stokes, a food scientist with a BS in Food Science, an MBA and more than 20 years inside the food and flavor manufacturing companies leading brands rely on. Every engagement is led by her directly, with specialists brought in for the parts of a problem that need them. You keep ownership of the formulas you bring, and IP terms for anything developed are set in writing before work begins.
Outcomes, Not Jargon
At Alaine & Co., nothing works in isolation. Neither should your product development. Clear ways to work together — start small, and step up only when it makes sense.
Discovery Call
Initial project-fit conversation
Label Compliance Review
One existing SKU, standard FDA labeling requirements
Additional SKUs or work outside this scope are quoted separately.
Label + Claims Review
One existing SKU, defined claims and preliminary regulatory review
Complex regulatory assessment or scientific substantiation is quoted separately.
Complex Regulatory Assessment / Claims Substantiation
Specialist-supported research, complex ingredients or scientific evidence
- •Human clinical evidence review
- •Ingredient-specific literature research
- •Ingredient form and use-level assessment
- •Structure/function claim substantiation
- •Benefit-territory evaluation
- •Safety/contraindication considerations
- •Evidence-strength assessment
- •Substantiation documentation
Specialized scientific or clinical expertise may be incorporated into the project when required. Complex multi-ingredient projects are quoted individually.
Custom Consulting Engagements
Every product and technical challenge is different. Alaine & Co. scopes consulting engagements based on the product, technical complexity, development stage, timeline, and support required. When the scope is fixed, the price is fixed — when the problem is custom, the engagement is custom.
Product & Process Audit
A comprehensive technical evaluation for food products that need to move forward with clarity. We diagnose formulation, ingredient functionality, flavor, texture, processing, manufacturing, and commercialization challenges across product categories — because a finished product only succeeds when its systems work together.
- •Formula, ingredient & sensory review
- •Processing & manufacturing diagnosis
- •Packaging, stability & shelf-life considerations
- •Commercialization readiness review
- ✓Root cause identified
- ✓Prioritized recommendations
- ✓Commercialization roadmap
The Alaine Method™
End-to-end technical support through one proven framework — Discover, Develop, Commercialize. Product development, ingredient selection, optimization, scale-up, supplier qualification, and commercialization, supported by the right technical expertise at each stage.
- •Discover — product, market & goal assessment
- •Develop — formulation, ingredient functionality & sensory review
- •Commercialize — scale-up, supplier qualification & label review
- ✓Commercial-ready formulation
- ✓Manufacturing-ready documentation
- ✓Technical confidence before launch
Fractional R&D Support
Ongoing technical support for companies that need experienced R&D capability without building a full-time internal technical team.
- •Monthly strategy meetings
- •Formulation guidance & formula reviews
- •Supplier & co-packer meetings
- •Manufacturing support & troubleshooting
- •Commercialization support
- ✓Dedicated technical support
- ✓Access to specialized expertise as needs evolve
- ✓Continuity across development and commercialization
Month to month · cancel anytime
Training Programs
Foundations for founders. Advanced training for industry professionals. Built on 20+ years of food product development and deep seasoning expertise.
Kitchen to Commercialization™
Seven live modules via Microsoft Teams for founders moving from home kitchen to commercial production — recipe to formula, ingredient statements & labeling, FDA fundamentals, commercial sourcing, co-manufacturer readiness, and a commercialization roadmap with live Q&A.
- ✓Two 2.5-hour live sessions (5 hours total)
- ✓Expanded commercialization support
- ✓Printed Formulation Binder mailed after both sessions
Formulation Masterclass
A 90-slide, four-module deep dive for in-house food scientists, R&D managers, senior formulators, and consultants — seasonings, sauces, coatings, and diagnostics, drawn from 20+ years in flavor houses and seasoning manufacturing.
- ✓Self-paced digital delivery (PPTX + PDF)
- ✓1-hour technical consultation add-on — $325
- ✓Bundle saves $73 vs buying separately
Custom Technical Services
Every project is different. Alaine & Co. also provides customized technical consulting, including:
Not sure what you need?
Categories We Work Across
Deep experience across product formats ensures your formula works in the real world.
Sauces & Condiments
Hot sauces, BBQ, and dressings. From kitchen blender to 500-gallon kettles.
Seasoning Blends
Rubs and functional blends. Consistent flavor and flow, every single batch.
Snacks
Extruded and coated snacks. Getting flavor coverage, adherence, and texture right.
Soups & Broths
Liquid and dry mix soups. Navigating thermal processing and high-acid compliance.
Batters & Coatings
Fried applications and batters. Getting adhesion and texture right at scale.
Beverages
Still, sparkling, and functional drinks. Flavor systems, stability, and shelf-life that hold up in the bottle.
Dairy
Cultured products, cheeses, and dairy-based formulations. Texture, culture, and process control from vat to shelf.
Plant-Based
Alt-dairy, alt-protein, and plant-forward formulations. Getting flavor, texture, and nutrition to work without compromise.
Bakery
Breads, snacks, and sweet goods. Formulation, ingredient function, and scale-up from oven to production line.
International Supplier & U.S. Market Bridge
Building the bridge from global supply to U.S. opportunity. Alaine & Co. develops relationships with qualified international ingredient producers and helps bridge the gap between U.S. market presence and dedicated U.S. representation. We work with producers that have established export capability — and, in some cases, existing U.S. customers — but lack an on-the-ground commercial and technical partner to help develop accounts, streamline communication, understand customer needs, and support growth in the U.S. market.
U.S. Representation
A knowledgeable U.S.-based commercial and technical presence for qualified international producers seeking to develop and support American customer relationships.
Strategic Sourcing
Connecting U.S. food companies with qualified international ingredient producers aligned with their technical and commercial needs.
Flexible Partnership Models
Commercial representation, intermediary relationships, and strategic sourcing structured around supplier and customer needs.
Distribution opportunities may be developed selectively as Alaine & Co.’s U.S. supplier relationships expand.
You hire the firm. We assemble the experts.
Alaine & Co. is not a freelancer marketplace or staffing agency. Clients engage one firm. We assess each project, assemble the right specialists from our Partner Network for the scope, and manage the engagement through commercialization.
Alaine’s Team
Courtney
Food Scientist & Principal Consultant
Ada
Business & Operations Development Lead
Brandi
Partnerships & Account Management Lead
Erika
Social Media & Content Manager
The Global Food Science Partner Network
A curated network of experienced independent professionals — across product development, commercialization, scale-up, food safety, regulatory, packaging, process development, and innovation. Partners maintain their own businesses and identities while collaborating on projects, sharing referrals, and expanding the expertise available to every client.
Curated, not crowdsourced
Every partner is vetted and engaged deliberately. The network grows through professional relationships — that's the point, not a limitation.
Referrals flow both ways
Opportunities and referrals move across the network based on expertise and project need. Collaboration on multi-specialty work is built into the model.
One accountable lead
Whoever joins the project team, Alaine & Co. manages the engagement and maintains technical continuity from assessment through commercialization.
Alaine’s Bench™
Every engagement runs inside proprietary Alaine & Co. technical infrastructure — formulation, ingredient intelligence, costing, compliance, labeling, technical documentation, and commercialization workflows. Available only to Alaine & Co. and authorized members of the Global Food Science Partner Network.
Your project benefits from proprietary Alaine & Co. technical infrastructure designed to create greater consistency across specifications, formulation, costing, compliance, documentation, and commercialization.
USPTO Serial 99809577 · Internal only — not for sale
Alaine’s Compass™
Our proprietary 8-phase commercialization roadmap — from concept to retail. Every client engagement is guided by its interactive worksheets, costing calculators, readiness scorecards, and vetted co-packer, testing-lab, and packaging directories, so nothing gets missed on the way to launch.
Common Questions
Clear answers to the most common questions founders ask.
What changed, and what do you need to decide?
Complete the Project Intake so Alaine & Co. can understand your product, priorities, timeline, and the right next step before a free Discovery Call. Project details are kept confidential.
Start Project Intake