Find us elsewhere
Join Now Member Login

I need easy steps to sell a food product

 
New Topic
Post Reply
Follow Topic
Page of 3 Next »
  • Author
  • Message
 
maryglenn

posts: 9

May 01, 2007 10:59 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
Points: 0   Vote

I am new to startup nation and there is so much great information on this site.  I love that everyone has a common passion of innovation and goal of autonomy. I have a unique product for the salsa industry.  Does anyone have any experience with marketing a food product and could give me a cliff not version of where to start?   If I tried to sell it to a small grocery store to generate interest, does it have to be approved by the FDA?  Do you have to have the nutritional information on the jar?

Thank you for listening! I am frustrated because I have no clue where to start and I am doing this alone.  I work much better feeding off individuals!  No pun intended with my product!

 

 

maryglenn2007-5-1 22:59:31
Steve

posts: 921

May 02, 2007 5:34 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
Points: 1   Vote
Your product must be manufactured in a licensed and inspected facility. Some states allow food manufacturing in private homes subject to regulation and inspection. Another option is to have a copacker manufacture it to your specs bottle it and ship to you or your distributor. If you want to make it yourself an alternative to having your own facility is to find a restaurant that will allow you to use their kitchen after hours. Other options are VFW halls, churches, KofC, anyone with an inspected kitchen who will rent space / time to you when they aren`t using it.

You do not have to have nutritional information on the package until you reach a certain annual sales threshold (I believe it is $100,000). The exception to that is if you are making a specific nutritional claim. 

-------------------------

maryglenn

posts: 9

May 02, 2007 7:15 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
Points: 0   Vote
Thank you so much Steve!
Steve

posts: 921

May 02, 2007 8:23 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
Points: 0   Vote
You`re welcome.

Are you inclined to have someone else make it for you or do it yourself?
Steve2007-5-2 21:6:24


-------------------------

maryglenn

posts: 9

May 03, 2007 2:04 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
Points: 0   Vote
The more I research, the more I think it might be better to partner with an established food co.  The profits will obviously not be as much.  It seems there might be a lot of start up money required to get a food product out on the market.
Work4Wine

posts: 14

May 24, 2007 1:33 AM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
Points: 0   Vote
This is actually good info Steve...I too am looking to market a frozen breakfast product and like Maryglenn have no idea where to start.......I know for sure I need to check in with the USDA or one of them government agencies....
Berfie

posts: 2

May 29, 2007 3:08 AM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
Points: 0   Vote
Hello MaryGlenn -

I agree with Work4Wine, Steve you have given us good info there.  I too am looking to see if my unique food product can be marketable.  I am like Maryglenn and Work4Wine, just thinking where to start. 

However, I am curious, does one go and produce the product first as a sample or do you establish a business name, permit, and any other legal stuff first before having the food product first..  Like I said I want to make samples to do research whether it can be marketable.  So is it food product first and legal stuff later or visa versa? 

Maryglenn and Work4Wine - I thought maybe we can support eachother as we grow in our food business.  That would be awesome. 

Thank you for any advice.


Steve

posts: 921

May 29, 2007 8:54 AM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
Points: 0   Vote
You can give samples of your product made in your home to people to gauge consumer reaction. You can take homemade product to a potential vendor to get their feedback. Just don`t sell it. When we were starting out we took product samples to a celiac support group meeting. Lots of people bring desserts to eat afterwardsanyway. Got lots of good feedback.

Do as much as you legally can before you spend money on starting the company, etc. 

-------------------------

houseofjerkyjanie

posts: 1150

May 29, 2007 7:40 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
Points: 0   Vote

Maryglenn, you might find alot of information at http://www.thehotzoneonline.com

They have this posted on their site.  Good luck!

Janie

Print This Post

By: Joe & Linda on February 8, 2006- 1:05 pm

There are so many chileheads out there who make some quality hot sauces, salsas, spice mixes, and other spicy goodies that we want to give them some recognition as well. Whether you are just an amateur who makes stuff on a yearly basis or are an up and coming entrepreneur, we want to hear from YOU! Here’s what to do:

1. Send us an email letting us know what you make and that you would like to have your sauce reviewed. We can be reached through our contact form HERE:

2. Send us a bottle of your creation in the mail, along with a list of ingredients (from most to least) that you used in your batch. You don’t have to provide the amounts of the ingredients or an exact recipe, just a list like you would find on any food product you might buy at the store.

3. We’ll take a few pictures and pass it along to one of our regular reviewers (or possibly even one of our celebrity reviewers if available) to give your creation a try and write up a full review of your culinary capsaicin-laden creation.

We are willing to review products including, but not limited to:

    Hot sauce
    Salsa
    Spice Mixes
    Relishes
    Jams/jellies

No cost or fees other than what you spend to mail the bottle to us. We have made our own sauces before and know how fun it can be, so please share some of your efforts with us and the hot sauce aficionados out there who read this blog.


Delightful

posts: 1

Oct 16, 2007 11:11 PM ET    Quote  Report Abuse
Points: 0   Vote

Hi!

I am new to SUN.  Checkout www.jazzfoods.com.  They publish a step-by-step guide on "How To Start Your Own Food Business".  I ordered a copy some time ago and read it.  It is quite extensive.  It tells you how to get FDA approval, how to find co-producers, etc. 

-- Marquetta

Page of 3 Next »
Post Reply
 
.
Advertisement

Keep the Community Clean!

  • StartupNation forums should be used as a platform to learn, educate others, share stories, tips & tricks and to provide constructive feedback.
  • Please do not use the Forums for advertising & blatant self-promotion.
  • Please be respectful to other members and refrain from personal attacks and vulgar language.
  • StartupNation reserves the right to delete any message, reply, and/or member who violates our terms of use.
Read full terms of use
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement