How to Talk About Financials in Your Pitch Deck
When it comes to securing institutional financing, a compelling story is what captures an investor's attention—but solid financials are what help bring that story to life. If you’re a CPG founder preparing to pitch for the first time, it might feel daunting to distill your passion and vision into spreadsheets and projections. But think of your financials as the proof points that support your story, not replace it. I’ve worked with many founders through this process and have seen how clear, credible financials can transform investor curiosity into confidence—making it easier for them to believe in your vision as much as you do.
Keep reading for CPG pitch deck tips to help you turn your financial section into a compelling asset that sets you apart.
Why Financials in a Pitch Deck Matter for CPG Brands
Your pitch deck is a story about your brand’s promise. Financials aren't the headline, but they serve as critical proof points that validate your brand's narrative and growth projections.
Investors look to your numbers for three things:
A snapshot of business health: Are you profitable? Are your sales trending upward? What do your margins say about your ability to scale?
A risk vs. reward assessment: Investors need to measure both the upside and the risk of betting on your business. Solid financials let them assess potential returns more confidently.
Credibility and context: Financials are where lofty claims meet reality. If you project aggressive revenue growth, your numbers need to show a logical, defensible path to get there.
Investors are increasingly prioritizing financial visibility and detailed reporting when evaluating pitches. Being able to demonstrate month-over-month performance, year-over-year performance, gross margin trends, and detailed cost allocation differentiates your deck and signals operational control.
I often remind founders that the financials don’t need to be perfect, but they do need to be honest and clear. Investors will forgive imperfections, but they won’t forgive inconsistencies or a lack of preparation.
Key Financial Metrics to Include
Let’s look at the most important financial metrics for your pitch deck.
Revenue Projections
Revenue projections forecast your sales over the next 3-5 years.
Why it matters: Investors want to see your growth potential and that you’ve done your homework.
How to present it:
Use historical sales data, market trends, and clear assumptions to build your projections.
Break projections down into channels (DTC, wholesale, retail) and product lines.
Visualize growth with charts that are easy to follow. Investors love upward trends, but unrealistic hockey stick charts can backfire.
Include a summary table for quick reference—investors appreciate concise, easy-to-digest visuals.
Incorporate feedback from current retail partners to refine forecasts.
Adjust projections based on evolving consumer trends and buying behaviors.
Clearly outline assumptions, like seasonality, pricing changes, or planned product launches, to preempt investor questions.
Show different scenarios: base case (conservative), best case, and worst case. This demonstrates strategic foresight and builds credibility.
Connect projections to actionable plans: If revenue increases 50% year-over-year, explain how (e.g., ramping up digital ads or launching in key retail chains).
Integrate adjustments for potential supply chain disruptions.
Account for planned pricing adjustments due to ingredient cost fluctuations.
Let’s say your snack brand anticipates $1.5M in revenue next year. Break it down: $900K from DTC subscriptions and $600K from new retail partnerships. Tie projections to clear strategies like increased ad spending or new distributor agreements.
Product Gross Margin
Gross margin is the percentage of revenue left after subtracting direct product costs such as raw ingredients, packaging, and production.
Why it matters: High product margins mean your business can support trade spend and growth. Margins that are too low signal scalability issues and could send investors running for the Napa Hills.
How to present it:
Exclude trade spend when calculating product gross margin, as investors want to see retail costs only.
Benchmark margins against industry standards. For most CPG brands, a 40-50% product margin is a healthy target.
If your margins are tight, address the challenge and offer solutions. For example, “Switching to a co-packer reduced production costs by 15%, improving margins from 35% to 42%.”
Highlight opportunities for bulk ingredient purchasing to lower costs.
Showcase cost savings achieved through long-term supplier contracts.
Include a cost breakdown table (materials, labor, overhead) to provide transparency and show where margins can improve.
Highlight proactive strategies, such as bulk purchasing discounts, packaging redesigns to cut weight, or sourcing alternative suppliers.
Include gross margin trends over time. If margins have improved, emphasize the steps you took to achieve this.
Demonstrate margin improvements from streamlined production processes.
Present initiatives for sustainable sourcing that reduce packaging expenses.
Many brands start in DTC, where margins are higher because there's no trade spend. If you plan to expand into retail, factor in slotting fees, discounts, and promotional costs.
Contribution Margin
Contribution margin measures profit after variable costs, including trade spend, marketing, and fulfillment expenses.
Why it matters: Investors use this metric to understand whether you’re acquiring customers profitably and funding growth sustainably.
How to present it:
Highlight how contribution margin aligns with customer acquisition cost (CAC). A strong CAC-to-LTV ratio (customer lifetime value) is key.
Share strategies to improve margins, like optimizing digital ad spend, improving logistics, or increasing AOV through product bundles.
Include recent trends in contribution margin to show progress (e.g., “Our margin improved 10% after optimizing ad spend.”)
Emphasize planned marketing automation tools to reduce acquisition costs.
Outline efforts to negotiate better shipping rates to improve fulfillment margins.
Demonstrate how economies of scale will improve margins as you grow.
If CAC is high, explain strategies for optimization, such as A/B testing ads or loyalty campaigns.
Illustrate margin impact from refining product assortments.
Reveal plans to partner with logistics providers for discounted warehousing.
Perhaps your $25 coffee sampler pack has a contribution margin of $12 and CAC is $7. If this is the case, you’re operating with a healthy profit buffer. Investors will want to see this tied to future scalability.
Uses of Cash and Cash Runway
The use of cash (or burn rate) shows how quickly you’re spending cash, while the cash runway indicates how long your funding will last.
Why it matters: Investors want to know how you will spend their capital and if you have enough runway to execute your plan.
How to present it:
Break down cash allocation, such as 50% to marketing, 25% to product innovation, and 25% to hiring.
Show how the funds extend your cash runway. For example, “A $2M raise will give us 15 months to expand into 1,000 retail doors.”
Tie funding to milestones. Where will this cash get you? Increased production, national distribution, or hitting profitability?
Detail a phased hiring plan that aligns with revenue targets.
Explain cost-saving measures like renegotiating vendor terms to prolong runway.
Show monthly burn rate trends to reassure investors that spending is controlled and strategic.
Include contingency plans for unplanned delays or challenges, like supply chain issues or cost spikes.
Incorporate flexible budgeting to adapt to market shifts quickly.
Highlight alternative funding options for unexpected shortfalls.
Common Financial Presentation Mistakes to Avoid
Even strong founders stumble when presenting financials to investors. Below are the most common mistakes I’ve seen and advice on how to avoid them:
Overpromising growth: Ambition is great, but unrealistic projections will raise red flags. Ground your forecasts in data and defend your assumptions.
Inconsistent numbers: Double-check that every figure aligns across your deck. A mismatch erodes trust instantly.
Not addressing trade-offs: If you’re prioritizing growth over short-term profitability, explain why. For example, “We’re reinvesting in customer acquisition to solidify our retail presence.”
Failing to prepare for scrutiny: Expect investors to challenge your numbers. Have answers ready for every assumption and scenario.
Lack of clarity: Financials should be digestible for non-experts. Avoid burying key figures in overwhelming detail.
Preparing for Investor Q&A on Financials
Investors will inevitably shine a spotlight on your financials—and they’ll expect you to know your numbers inside and out. To prepare:
Anticipate tough questions: Practice explaining your margins, projections, and burn rate. For example, “Our higher CAC reflects initial marketing tests, but we’re optimizing spend to improve efficiency.”
Know your assumptions. Be ready to support revenue forecasts with data, such as market trends or customer insights.
Rehearse with a mentor or advisor: Mock investor Q&A sessions can help you refine your answers and boost your confidence.
Be ready to address weaknesses proactively: If your margins are tight or your burn rate seems high, explain what you’re doing to improve these areas. For instance, “We’re switching to a new co-packer next quarter to cut costs by 10%, which will directly improve our gross margin.”
Prepare supporting visuals: Investors may want to dig into specific data points. Have clean, digestible visuals—think graphs that illustrate revenue growth or cost breakdowns. Be ready to share them on demand.
Use Your Pitch Deck to Build Investor Confidence
Your financials are a critical part of your pitch. Not just because investors expect them but because they’re the bridge between your brand’s vision and its execution. Clear, honest, healthy, and strategic financials show you’re ready to scale and capable of delivering on your promises.
BBG is a CPG expert, and we've worked with numerous CPG founders crafting financial pitch decks that inspire confidence. See our finance services, accounting services, and operations services to find out what we can do for you.
Contact us today, and let’s build a pitch deck that sets you up for success.
Author: Maggie Ojeda
With 9 years of experience in finance, specializing in Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) and cost management, Maggie Ojeda is a trusted expert in delivering actionable financial insights. She spent 4 years at Grupo Peñaflor, one of Argentina’s top wine producers, where she developed a deep understanding of the wine industry’s financial complexities. Currently, as the FP&A Team Lead at BBG, she leads financial strategy for Napa Valley boutique wineries and emerging CPG brands. Her expertise in financial modeling, variance analysis, and cost management enables her clients to make informed, strategic decisions for business growth.
