In today’s complex retail environment, even the most sophisticated CPG companies are leaving money on the table, and many do not even realize it.
We sat down with two STAT Recovery Services leaders, Luke Gronewold and Jason Holyfield, both former clients turned insiders, to talk about what surprised them most about recovery work, why companies struggle to do it in-house, and what truly differentiates a great recovery partner.
Before joining STAT, both Luke and Jason had firsthand experience as clients, and both thought they had things under control. They did not.
“We felt like we were in a pretty good spot… and sure enough, there was money left on the table.”
That is the pattern. Even companies with strong finance teams, solid processes, and existing tools often miss recoverable revenue, not because they are careless, but because the work is incredibly granular, inconsistent, and constantly evolving.
“There’s a lot that when STAT starts to dig… you just didn’t even know existed. And then it turns into cash and shows up in your P&L.”
A common question from CFOs and finance leaders: “Why can’t we just do this ourselves?” The short answer is that you can, but it is rarely efficient or effective.
Jason explains it with a simple analogy:
“Does Tiger Woods make his own golf clubs? No… there’s a company out there who specializes in doing these things.”
Recovery work requires:
Most internal teams are built to sell products and run the business, not to chase down small discrepancies across thousands of invoices.
“You’ve got thousands and thousands of transactions every week… it’s just a lot.”
One of the biggest differentiators of a partner like STAT is the ability to recognize trends based on extensive experience across retailer ecosystems.
What looks like a one-off issue to a supplier may actually be a known pattern.
“If you’re a single supplier… it’s the first time you’ve seen it. But when STAT sees it, it may be the 15th time, or the 100th time.”
That collective intelligence, similar to how AI systems learn from large datasets, allows recovery teams to:
Many companies think recovery equals deductions. That is only part of the picture.
STAT’s approach goes deeper:
“Sometimes it wasn’t just that they didn’t pay us… sometimes we made a mistake… and STAT helped identify that too.”
This broader lens is where unexpected value often emerges
One of the most compelling aspects for clients is the pricing model.
“If they don’t get anything back, we don’t make anything.”
That creates:
“It wasn’t a guessing game… the ROI was apparent.”
From their experience on both sides, Luke and Jason highlight a few key criteria:
1. Proven Value: What can they actually recover, and can they show you before you commit?
2. Ease of Use: Does the partner reduce workload, or create more of it?
3. Transparency and Integrity: Are claims legitimate and backed by data?
4. Depth of Analysis: Are they looking at everything, or just one slice of the problem?
Even companies already working with another provider can benefit. STAT frequently performs second-pass audits and often finds additional recoveries.
“Worst case, it’s just an audit of the group you’re already working with… best case, we find more money.”
If you are evaluating recovery partners, the advice is simple:
“Have everybody pull the numbers… and make your decision based on that.”
The right partner will not ask for blind trust. They will show you the opportunity upfront.
In a retail landscape where margins are tight and complexity is rising, recovery is not just a back-office function. It is a strategic advantage.
And for many companies, the biggest surprise is not that recovery works. It is how much they have been missing all along.