How to Bee’s Wrap the Bottleneck Blues Away

Are you familiar with Bee's Wrap? It's a company that creates sustainable, reusable alternatives to plastic wrap for food storage, using natural ingredients like organic cotton, beeswax, jojoba oil, and tree resin.

Founded in 2012 by Sarah Kaeck in Vermont, Bee's Wrap was born out of a desire to reduce single-use plastics in everyday life. The wraps are not only eco-friendly but also versatile and easy to use, making them ideal for covering bowls, wrapping fruits, bread, cheese, and more.

With a focus on sustainability and quality craftsmanship, Bee's Wrap has become a trusted name for those looking to make greener choices in their kitchens.

At first, Bee’s Wrap gained a loyal following of eco-conscious shoppers, food bloggers, and small retailers. However, as demand for sustainable products grew, the company found itself in a difficult situation.

They could scale production, but doing so might require sacrificing quality or the handmade touch that made Bee’s Wrap so special.

The production process was intricate and slow. Each wrap was infused with beeswax by hand, which made scaling up almost impossible. Larger retailers began to show interest, but Bee’s Wrap couldn’t produce enough to meet their demands.

To make matters worse, competitors with cheaper, mass-produced alternatives were entering the market, threatening to drown out their voice. Sarah faced a tough question: how could she keep up with demand and stay competitive while maintaining the integrity of her product?

This is a perfect example of a bottleneck in a business, and it occurs more frequently than you might expect. In fact, you likely have bottlenecks of your own, but they may go unnoticed because they’re so deeply embedded in your processes that they seem like just another part of the routine.

A bottleneck happens when one specific aspect of a business slows down or blocks overall growth and efficiency. It’s like having a narrow section in a wide pipeline—everything backs up because that single point can’t handle the flow.

In Bee’s Wrap’s case, their bottleneck was production capacity. Even though demand skyrocketed, their handmade process couldn’t keep up, creating a significant hurdle in meeting customer expectations.

When bottlenecks aren’t addressed, the consequences can be severe. They can lead to delayed deliveries, unsatisfied customers, and lost revenue.

For example, according to a report by McKinsey, businesses with unresolved operational bottlenecks often see a 20-30% drop in potential productivity. Worse, when customers encounter delays or issues, 32% say they’re likely to abandon a brand entirely and turn to competitors, according to PwC’s Future of CX report.

Bee’s Wrap experienced this pressure firsthand as mass-produced competitors entered the market with cheaper, faster alternatives.

Bottlenecks aren’t always about production. In online businesses, they can show up in many forms. A common example is a slow or outdated website that crashes during peak shopping times—remember how Black Friday sales used to overwhelm even big brands like Target or Best Buy?

In fact, research by Akamai shows that a one-second delay in website load time can reduce conversions by 7%. For smaller online sellers, even a small hiccup in website functionality can turn a potential sale into a missed opportunity.

Inventory management is another bottleneck that plagues many online businesses. Imagine running an online store and not having enough stock to meet a sudden demand spike—this happens frequently in industries like fashion or tech.

Take Peloton, for instance. During the pandemic, their inability to keep up with demand for their exercise bikes resulted in frustrated customers waiting months for delivery. It hurt their reputation at a time when they had a chance to dominate the market.

Then there are the less obvious bottlenecks, the kind that can creep in unnoticed. Customer support is one. A surge in inquiries with no system in place to manage them can frustrate buyers.

Zappos, known for their excellent customer service, recognized early on that bottlenecks in support could destroy trust, so they invested heavily in building a responsive, people-centered approach.

On the other hand, brands that fail to address this—like when Spirit Airlines faced a wave of complaints during flight cancellations—end up suffering major reputational damage.

Bottlenecks can even come from success itself, ironically enough. Let’s say you’re an online seller who strikes gold with a viral TikTok video. Suddenly, thousands of orders pour in, but your fulfillment process can only handle a fraction of them.

That’s what happened to some small businesses during TikTok’s #SmallBusinessChallenge, where products sold out in minutes, leaving customers waiting weeks for orders to be shipped. The spike in demand can turn a dream opportunity into a logistical nightmare.

Bottlenecks are like the silent villains of growth—easily underestimated until they start wreaking havoc. Business experts like Eliyahu M. Goldratt, author of The Goal, often emphasize that identifying bottlenecks is critical because "a chain is no stronger than its weakest link."

So, how do you deal with bottlenecks?

Well, we can learn a thing or two from our example, Bee’s Wraps. First, instead of letting the pressure take over, Sarah Kaeck stepped back to assess the situation with a clear head. This is a crucial first step for any online seller—pause, identify the specific issue slowing you down, and think critically about the best solution.

For Bee’s Wrap, the bottleneck was their labor-intensive production process. Rather than compromising their values or rushing into mass production, Sarah sought out small-scale manufacturers who could replicate their handmade process more efficiently.

If you’re facing a similar bottleneck, look for ways to outsource or automate certain tasks while maintaining the quality your customers expect.

Collaboration was another key to Bee’s Wrap’s success. Sarah worked closely with her chosen manufacturers to fine-tune the process and ensure that the handmade feel of the wraps wasn’t lost.

For online sellers, this could mean teaming up with fulfillment centers or tech developers to optimize operations, but only after clear communication about your brand’s standards and goals. Remember, outsourcing doesn’t mean losing control; it’s about finding partners who can help you grow sustainably.

Bee’s Wrap also leaned heavily into their brand story. They didn’t just sell food wraps—they sold a mission: reducing plastic waste and promoting sustainable living. Sarah amplified this by launching limited-edition products in partnership with environmental nonprofits.

For online sellers, this is a reminder to leverage your brand’s unique story. Connect your products to a greater purpose, and customers will feel more invested in your brand. Even small tweaks, like emphasizing local roots or the care you put into sourcing materials, can create a deeper connection with your audience.

Finally, Bee’s Wrap turned its bottleneck into a growth opportunity by focusing on niche markets and targeted expansion. They didn’t aim to be the cheapest or fastest option; instead, they stayed true to their eco-friendly values and carved out a strong reputation in the sustainable living space.

For online sellers, this means embracing what makes your business unique and finding your loyal customer base, rather than trying to appeal to everyone.

The lesson here? Bottlenecks don’t have to spell disaster. They’re an opportunity to get creative, build partnerships, and double down on what makes your brand special.

With the right mindset and strategy, you can not only overcome bottlenecks but use them as a springboard for lasting success. Just like Bee’s Wrap, you might even find that your biggest challenge becomes the turning point for your business.