DTC brands

Books and taxes for snack brands.

A broker's commission, an in-store demo, a grocery chargeback for short-dated bags, and a nutrition label that needs testing. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.

Book a call What we handle
  • From $197 a month
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever
MarchExample month
$10,000
what you made

March came in at $10,000. A regional grocer charged back two cases as too close to their sell-by date, so I tied that against the original sale.

  • Shopify Payments payoutSite sales
  • Distributor case salesWholesale case sales
  • Peak Ridge Co-ManufacturingContract manufacturing
  • In-store demo agency invoiceDemos and sampling
  • Meta adsAdvertising
Money in$40,000
Money out$30,000
Set aside for taxes$2,200
An example month. Yours will have your numbers.

Why your books are different

A snack brand's books go wrong around brokers, demos, and the shelf.

A generalist sees deposits and bills. Your business is a broker working the grocery aisle for you, an in-store demo table, and a chargeback for a bag that sat too close to its date. When the books do not know that, it is hard to tell what is actually working.

  1. 1

    In-store demos are a real marketing cost, not free advertising

    Paying a demo company to hand out samples at a grocery store is a common way to win new customers, and if that cost is not tracked as its own marketing line, it is easy to lose sight of whether demos are actually worth what they cost.

    What we doKeeps demo and sampling costs in their own line so you can see what winning a customer this way really costs.
  2. 2

    Nutrition labeling and lab testing are a cost of every new flavor

    A new flavor or recipe usually needs its nutrition facts panel tested before it can legally go on a package, and if that fee gets buried in a general supply line, the real cost of launching a flavor stays hidden.

    What we doKeeps nutrition testing tied to the flavor it clears, so a launch's true cost is visible before the first bag ships.
  3. 3

    Grocery chargebacks for short-dated product bite months after the sale

    A retailer that finds your snack too close to its sell-by date on the shelf can charge the cost back to you weeks after the original sale, and if it is not tied to that sale, it looks like an unexplained loss.

    What we doBooks a short-date chargeback against the sale it reverses, so the real number for that account catches up.
  4. 4

    A food broker's commission comes out before the payout, not after

    A broker who sells your snack into new grocery accounts usually takes a commission off the top of the wholesale price, and if only the net payout gets booked, it looks like the retailer paid less than they actually did.

    What we doBooks the full wholesale sale and the broker's commission as its own cost, so you see what the broker actually costs against what they bring in.
  5. 5

    Case sales and single bag sales are not the same unit economics

    Selling a case of 12 bags to a distributor at a wholesale price is a very different sale than a single bag sold direct on your site, and if both get counted the same way, it is hard to tell which channel is actually more profitable.

    What we doKeeps case sales and direct sales in separate categories, so each channel's real margin is visible.

Your categories

The categories Gus keeps for a snack brand.

Set up once for how you sell and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.

Money in

  • Site salesSingle bag orders through your own storefront.
  • Wholesale case salesDistributor and grocery accounts, often through a broker.
  • Marketplace salesAmazon or a similar site, if you sell there.
  • Subscription snack boxesRecurring orders, if you run one.

Money out

  • Contract manufacturingThe co-manufacturer that produces each flavor and run.
  • Nutrition labeling and testingLab work needed before a new flavor can ship.
  • Demos and samplingIn-store demo agencies and sampling events.
  • Broker commissionsWhat a food broker's cut costs against the accounts they bring in.
  • AdvertisingMeta and Google ad spend driving traffic to the site.
  • PackagingPrinted bags, boxes, and labels.
  • Card and marketplace feesWhat processors and marketplaces keep before you get paid.

What we watch for you

  • Cost per case

    Manufacturing and packaging against cases produced, so wholesale pricing still makes sense.

  • Broker commission rate

    What a broker's cut adds up to against the accounts they bring in.

  • Demo cost per account

    What in-store sampling costs against the accounts or sales it actually brings.

  • The set-aside

    What you will owe, tracked from actual sales, not what is still in a warehouse.

Ask Gus

Things snack brand owners ask Gus.

Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.

We hired a broker to get into a regional grocery chain. How does his commission work in the books?

I book the full wholesale sale and his commission as its own cost, so you can see what the broker actually costs against what he brings in.

A grocery chain sent back a charge for bags that were too close to expiring. Is that normal?

It happens with short shelf life products. I book the chargeback against the original sale so the real number for that account catches up.

We ran an in-store demo at a big grocery chain. Was it worth the cost?

I keep demo costs in their own line so you can see what it costs against the new accounts or repeat sales it actually brings in.

The tax side

The tax side of a snack brand.

Most of what goes wrong here is timing and labels. A production run expensed too soon, a broker commission buried in the payout, and a set-aside nobody started until the return was due.

What your return has to get right

Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.

  • Inventory and cost of goodsYou deduct the cost of what sold, not what got produced. A production run sitting in the warehouse is an asset until it ships, not a write-off the day the co-manufacturer invoice is paid.
  • 1099-K from marketplaces and processorsShopify Payments and any marketplace you sell direct through report your volume to the IRS once you cross $20,000 and 200 transactions in a year. Wholesale case sales through a broker are taxable the same way.
  • 1099-NEC for contractorsAn independent broker, demo staffer, or photographer paid $2,000 or more in a year who is not on payroll gets a 1099-NEC by January 31.
  • The pass-through deductionMost owners can deduct up to 20 percent of qualified business income before tax, with the break phasing down above $201,750 single and $403,500 joint. It comes out right only when broker commissions and case sales were tracked accurately all year.

Deductions snack brands miss

Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.

  • Contract manufacturing
  • Nutrition labeling and lab testing
  • In-store demo costs
  • Broker commissions
  • Printed bags and packaging
  • Meta and Google ad spend
  • 3PL fulfillment fees
  • Food expo booth fees
  • Product photography
  • Card and marketplace fees
  • Trademark and brand registration
  • Storage and warehouse rent

General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.

All year, not just April

A snack brand's year, kept every month.

Broker pitches, demo calendars, and a shelf that never stops moving keep this business busy year round. Your team is on the books every month, not only at tax time. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.

  1. January

    New accounts pitched

    Broker meetings for new grocery accounts often start the year, right as last year's return needs to get moving. Gus keeps the set-aside running so nothing catches you off guard.

  2. April

    Filed and done

    The business return is filed and signed, broker commissions and case sales accounted for. The set-aside has been running since January, so April brings no surprise.

  3. July

    Demo season

    A common stretch for in-store demos and broker pushes into new regional accounts. Gus tracks what each is actually returning.

  4. October

    Holiday packs built

    Holiday gift and variety packs get built and priced. Gus looks at packaging and labeling lead times so nothing holds up a launch.

What you get

Starts at$197a month

What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.

Book a call
  • Monthly bookkeeping

    Every transaction sorted into categories set up for snack brands. You never categorize a thing.

  • An accountant checks every transaction

    Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.

  • Your business tax return, filed

    Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.

  • The monthly number

    What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.

  • Your own bookkeeper

    A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.

  • On your books all year

    Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.

  • Cancel any time

    No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.

Straight answers

Questions snack brand owners ask first.

Do nutrition labels need to be tested for every new flavor?

That is a regulatory question, not a bookkeeping one, so Gus does not advise on labeling rules. He does keep every testing invoice organized so paperwork is ready when you need it.

How does Gus track what our broker actually costs us?

The full wholesale sale and the broker's commission get booked separately, so you can see what the broker costs against the accounts they actually bring in.

A grocery chain charged us back for short-dated bags. Is that a real cost?

Yes. Gus books the chargeback against the original sale so the real number for that account catches up, instead of it looking like an unexplained loss.

Are in-store demos worth what they cost?

Gus keeps demo costs in their own line against the new accounts or repeat sales they bring in, so you can judge that for yourself instead of guessing.

We sell cases to distributors and single bags on our site. Does Gus separate those?

Yes. Case sales and direct sales are kept in separate categories, so you can see which channel is actually more profitable.

My books are behind because we just signed with a food broker.

Send the broker agreement and your bank statements. Gus sorts through the new relationship and most owners know where they stand within a week.

Is a real accountant checking my books?

Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.

What does it cost, and can I cancel?

It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.

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What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for

Book a call

Pick a time. That's the whole signup.

Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.

  • $197 a month to start
  • An accountant on every transaction
  • Cancel whenever