Fewer gatekeepers
Get into real stores without working through a long chain of broker, distributor, and buyer conversations.
For emerging CPG brands
Put your product
to the retail test.
Spend 12 weeks in real independent stores. See what sells, where your product performs, and what you may want to change before you scale.
Apply for Cohort 1NYC Cohort 1 · Fall 2026
Show us what you're building.
Tell us a little about the brand. We'll follow up with fit, timing, and next steps.
12weeks
10+stores
$40from, per SKU and store
Learn before the stakes get higher
Know how your product performs before the stakes get higher.
Test in real stores first, so you can enter conversations with buyers, distributors, and production partners with evidence instead of assumptions.
A known cost
Run a focused 12-week test for a clear upfront program fee, without commissions or a share of your sales.
Less margin leakage
Within the Counterpart test, there are no broker commissions, distributor markups, or retailer chargeback programs eating into the result.
How it works
From application to a clearer answer.
01
Apply
Tell us what you make and where you are in your growth journey.
02
Go on shelf
We match your products with independent stores across New York.
03
Follow the results
See weekly sales by store and product throughout the 12-week test.
04
Decide what comes next
Use what you learned to refine the mix, expand, or rethink the plan.
Your results
See what's happening while it's happening.
Follow sales by product, store, and week. You'll see where the product is connecting and where it isn't, without waiting for an end-of-program report.
Questions
The practical details.
What does it cost?
Programs start at $40 per SKU, per store, per month. There is no revenue share or commission.
Can I choose the stores?
We build a mix of stores across neighborhoods and customer types so you can learn where your product connects.
How much inventory do I send?
We give you a starting quantity before the test. If a product moves faster than expected, we'll ask for more.
What if it doesn't sell?
That's useful information. You'll learn it in 12 weeks for a known cost, before committing to wider distribution.
What happens after the test?
You can renew, expand, change the product mix, or take what you've learned into your next retail conversation.