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From Amazon to Artisan Vegan Cheese: Scaling DTC Tech with Rebel Cheese
In this episode of the Winning with Shopify podcast, we’re joined by Paul Arellanes, CTO of Rebel Cheese – a plant-based, non-dairy cheese company on a mission to change the way people think about vegan cheese. With a background that spans IBM, NXP, and Amazon, Paul brings serious tech experience to the world of handcrafted brie, cheddar, and mozzarella – without a drop of dairy in sight.
We dive into the systems behind scaling a direct-to-consumer brand, the importance of understanding your data, and why migrating to Shopify was just the beginning.
From IBM to Dairy-Free Disruption
Paul’s tech career spans nearly three decades – from 12 years as a developer at IBM to product roles at NXP and six years as a senior PM at Amazon. But in 2023, everything changed. After reconnecting with the co-founders of Rebel Cheese, Paul came onboard to rebuild their ecommerce platform in time for their Shark Tank debut.
Their site wasn’t on Shopify at the time. “It was on Square,” Paul admits. “Perfectly fine for what it does, but not where we needed to be for that kind of scale.” Within a week, he’d migrated them to Shopify.
What Does a Shopify CTO Actually Do?
Paul’s role goes beyond just maintaining the site. Think of him as the architect of everything digital – overseeing two Shopify stores (DTC and wholesale), integrations with ShipStation, Toast, Katana for inventory, Polar Analytics, and more.
It’s about making sure each tool in the tech stack plays nicely with the others – and when it doesn’t, knowing how to fix it fast.
Why Your Shopify Stack Isn’t “Set and Forget”
Many brands believe that once they’re on Shopify, the hard part’s done. Not quite. Paul explains why ongoing testing, performance audits, and app analysis are key to long-term success.
“We do a full review every 30 days – testing landing pages, reviewing site speed with Lighthouse, running post-purchase surveys with UserLoop. Our goal? Make sure what’s working today still works tomorrow.”
And yes – deleting the wrong apps can seriously boost your SEO. Paul’s seen rankings climb just by cutting unnecessary tools that were slowing pages down.
Understanding Metrics That Actually Matter
With an average order value around $110 and a repeat customer window of 40–45 days, Rebel Cheese is far from your average FMCG brand. But context is everything.
“How do I know if those numbers are good?” Paul says. “I spend a lot of time listening to podcasts and reading articles to benchmark against similar DTC food brands. You can’t improve what you don’t understand.”
He also discovered that only 35% of customers identify as vegan or vegetarian – the majority are lactose-intolerant or dairy-sensitive. That’s massively changed their messaging strategy.
Mistakes Made, Lessons Learned
After Shark Tank, Rebel Cheese scaled fast – but not without a few missteps. One of the biggest? Underestimating the complexity and cost of perishable shipping.
“Between compostable insulation, ice packs, weight limits and shipping zones, one mistake can cost thousands,” Paul explains. “We’ve built tools to monitor those costs daily now, but I wish I’d had more time to get ahead of it.”
And doing fulfilment in-house? A blessing and a curse. It offers full control – but also full responsibility when things go wrong.
Why Cross-Team Conversations Drive Better Marketing
Despite being CTO, Paul regularly sits with marketing, fulfilment, customer service, and finance to map out new campaigns or product rollouts.
“Everyone brings a different lens,” he says. “Marketing sees messaging. Customer service knows what questions customers are asking. Tech can offer automation or visibility tools. When we all talk together, we make fewer mistakes.”
Getting Smarter with AI (Without Losing the Human Touch)
AI isn’t just a buzzword at Rebel Cheese – it’s part of the workflow. Paul’s built an internal control centre that pulls live data from Shopify, Klaviyo, ShipStation, Gorgias, and more.
Tools like Replit and no-code apps have allowed him to prototype and launch real-time dashboards that would’ve taken months to build just a year ago.
“We’re not talking about replacing humans,” he adds. “We’re talking about freeing them up. AI helps us make faster, better decisions – and that’s a win for everyone.”
What’s Next for Rebel Cheese?
With loyal fans across the US and beyond, Rebel Cheese is ready to grow:
Plans are in motion for a second distribution centre on the East Coast, with the West Coast potentially following in 2026.
A return to Canada is on the horizon, after a successful test period and pause due to tariffs.
Talks are underway for entry into Mexico, and long-term – the UK and Europe are firmly on the roadmap.
The brand is also preparing for kosher certification, opening up huge new customer segments in the US.
Final Thoughts: Keep Testing, Keep Learning
Paul’s parting advice? Don’t rest once you’re on Shopify. Test, measure, learn, and repeat.
“What works today might not work tomorrow. Stay curious, stay humble, and surround yourself with a team that can see what you can’t.”
If you’re building a brand, scaling a tech stack, or just hungry for insight (and great vegan cheese), this episode’s one for the bookmarks.
🧀 Find Rebel Cheese at rebelcheese.com
Check out the full podcast here.
This episode was brought to you by Nick Trueman, Director of PPC & SEO Agency, Spec Digital