Shelf Talks

Nina Lombardo & Anna Kotler: Building O’ts Cookies Into a Shelf-Ready Brand

Roberta Townes Season 1 Episode 44

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In this episode of Shelf Talks, I sit down with Anna Kotler and Nina Lombardo, the powerhouse duo behind O’ts Cookies—a brand bringing globally inspired flavors to the classic oatmeal cookie.

We dive into how Nina’s background in packaging design and Anna’s experience in brand management came together to transform a farmers’ market favorite into a retail-ready product. From testing recipes in the kitchen for weeks, to navigating co-packers, distributors, and retail launches, Anna and Nina share the behind-the-scenes journey of building their brand.

You’ll hear:

  • How they identified a white space in the cookie aisle
  • The story behind their top-selling Sweet & Salty Oatmeal and Churro con Chocolate cookies
  • What it really takes to work with distributors and get on store shelves
  • Lessons learned about demos, packaging pivots, and staying nimble as founders

If you’ve ever dreamed of turning a beloved recipe into a shelf-ready brand—or just love a good founder story—you won’t want to miss this episode.


O'ts Cookies Website: https://otscookies.com/

O'ts Cookies Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/otscookies/?hl=en


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Purchase the book Shelf Talk: A step by step guide to launching your product in Retail Stores by Roberta Townes Buy Book