The Essential Tech Stack for Running a Successful CPG Brand

Scaling a Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brand requires more than a great product and compelling branding—you need a powerful integrated tech stack to streamline operations, manage customer relationships, and ensure smooth fulfillment. At HigherRing, we've worked with many high-growth, mission-driven CPG brands and have seen firsthand which tools make the biggest impact. Here are five essential categories of platforms every CPG brand should have in place when aiming to grow and scale their brand, and our top recommendations in these categories.

1. A Reliable Fulfillment Platform: ShipStation

Once customers place an order, delivering products to their door quickly and accurately is essential for customer satisfaction and retention. This is precisely why many of the CPG brands we support at HigherRing use ShipStation, a powerful shipping and fulfillment platform designed to scale with your business. Cin7 (more on this later) works with major eCommerce platforms and marketplaces and assists in automating shipping workflows and providing real-time tracking for both brands and customers. This platform also gives great real-time visibility from any 3PL (third-party logistics) or warehouse partners on their fulfillment flow and order turnaround. With features like bulk label printing, discounted shipping rates, and an intuitive dashboard, ShipStation makes it easier for growing CPG brands to manage logistics efficiently—freeing up time to focus on scaling and serving their mission.

2. An Inventory Management System: Cin7

Keeping track of inventory across multiple sales channels is one of the biggest operational challenges for scaling CPG brands. Cin7 is our preferred inventory management system because it provides real-time stock tracking, integrates with eCommerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Amazon, and meets the needs of modern omnichannel brands. Whether you're selling direct-to-consumer, through wholesale and retail partners, or across online marketplaces, Cin7 helps you maintain stock accuracy and avoid costly overselling or stockouts.

Its user-friendly interface and extensive library of on-demand training resources make it a top choice for CPG companies looking to streamline operations and scale confidently.

3. A Bookkeeping System to Responsibly Represent your Financial Picture: Xero

Accurate financial management is crucial for sustainable growth in the CPG space. Xero stands out as an intuitive cloud-based accounting software for emerging brands that offers real-time visibility into your financial health while streamlining day-to-day bookkeeping. Built for small to mid-sized businesses, Xero gives CPG founders and finance teams powerful tools to stay in control of cash flow and make data-driven decisions, such as:

Multi-channel reconciliation: Automatically import and categorize transactions from your Shopify store, Amazon marketplace, and retail partners

Inventory valuation: Track cost of goods sold (COGS) and inventory valuation seamlessly, essential for CPG margin analysis
Cash flow forecasting: Plan for product development, manufacturing runs, and marketing campaigns with accurate cash flow projections
Tax compliance: Simplify sales tax calculations across multiple jurisdictions—crucial for CPG brands selling in various states
Scalable reporting: Generate customized reports for investors and stakeholders as your brand grows

Xero's integration capabilities with ShipStation, Cin7, and Shopify (more on this later) create a connected financial ecosystem that eliminates manual data entry and provides accurate, up-to-date financial insights for your growing CPG business.

4. A CRM to Manage Customer Relationships: Gorgias

Building strong relationships with customers and retail partners is essential for brand growth. A robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform helps you track interactions, nurture leads, and drive repeat sales. That is why we recommend Gorgias, which is designed specifically for eCommerce brands, offering powerful automation and integrations with Shopify, Big Commerce, and WooCommerce, as well as AI-driven customer support tools. Gorgias consolidates customer communication across email, live chat, SMS, and social media, helping your team respond quickly and personally—no matter the channel.

For growing CPG brands, Gorgias offers:

AI-driven customer support tools that automate common inquiries
Customizable workflows for faster resolution and fewer manual tasks
Multi-channel integration to unify conversations and reduce missed messages
Analytics and reporting to optimize your customer service strategy over time

Gorgias not only improves response times and customer satisfaction it also helps CPG brands scale support operations without sacrificing quality.

5. An eCommerce Website: Shopify

Your website is your brand's digital storefront, and choosing the right platform is crucial. Shopify is the reigning champion of eCommerce platforms for CPG brands, thanks to its clean user interface, ease of use, and robust integrations with tools like Gorgias, ShipStation, and Cin7. Unlike WordPress, which requires more customization and technical expertise, Shopify offers:

Built-in payment processing and fraud prevention
SEO tools and mobile-responsive themes for better visibility and performance
Easy inventory and order management for growing product catalogs
Flexible app ecosystem to support marketing, logistics, and customer service

Whether you're launching your first product or scaling to thousands of orders per month, Shopify makes it easy to manage and grow your online store.

Bringing It All Together

Running a high-growth Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brand requires more than just great products—you need a connected, efficient tech ecosystem to support every stage of your business. Integrating the five platforms we use every day ensures that your business runs efficiently from order placement to fulfillment, inventory management, financial reporting, and customer engagement.

This CPG Starter Pack will get you well on your way to saving time, reducing errors, and helping your brand scale faster.

At HigherRing, we specialize in supporting mission-driven CPG brands with operations, sales, and customer experience. If you're looking for expert guidance in optimizing your tech stack and workflows, reach out to us—we'd love to help you build a brand that thrives!

HigherRing’s CPG Starter Pack