CORP/BIZ New food product, co-packing venture/business advice needed

kayakranger

kayakranger

Contributing Member
I have a novel food product idea that I would like to consider marketing. The product is sauce like, even sort of barbeque sauce like, but not a barbeque sauce. It is actually a niche sauce that most people don't realize they need yet, but will once they are exposed to it and have tried it. ;)

Initially I would need to get this started on a very thin shoestring as I have no capital. I have great web skills, design, forms, scripting, database, eCommerce, social networking, etc. so I would be able to handle most of the online sales/promotion tech in house with open source tools or at least with off-the-shelf tools and my programming skills...

I have recently been reading about co-packing facilities where you can provide your recipe, raw materials, labels and the co-packer will make and bottle your batches on their existing manufacturing line. The advise given is to find a co-packer that is already in production of an item similar to what you want to produce and have them produce and ship it. I have looked at a couple of co-packers that might work but they seem rather expensive and after doing the math, I think I would need to charge more for the item than the market would bear...not sure on this since I haven't done any research.

Has anyone here had any experience with co-packers or with producing and marketing a food product. Again, the closest product to my idea would be a barbeque sauce but this is not a barbeque sauce. Also, any alternative ideas or suggestions, regulatory gotchas, lessons learned from marketing a new food product, or start-up advice, etc. would be greatly and most humbly appreciated. If anyone knows of a good co-packer please suggest them to me as I need plenty of alternatives to consider. I am in Virginia so something in the mid-Atlantic or the east coast would probably be best but I could entertain just about anything.

Any success stories? Failures?

Mods, If you feel this thread should be elsewhere I hope you could leave it on main for a while for some replies before moving. I have to go out of town this evening and weekend to pack up my recently deceased grandmothers condo so my replies may be a bit spotty as I will be away from my computer and reduced to using my phone. I can't stand using the little keyboard...but will..

Thanks in advance!!

:usfl:kayakranger
 
K

kilagal

Senior Member
What about selling and making batches locally for your area? Like rent a commerciall kitchen to make test batches. Then sell them with samples at the local farmers market? Or local gift shops and see how it takes off from there. Lot less money invested to start that way. And you could see how it goes. When you make the label for the locals put a web address on it for them to leave comments.
 
K

kendwell

Inactive
Once you start selling, you will be on a radar, to many. Start by being legal, with local, county, state, (if across state lines, )federal? permits, solid consecutive verifiable correspondence, advice. Many may be helpful: some may be a "problem".

Beware of any "offers" that do not have solid references and history of compliance interactions with the regulators.

also need local banking/business refs.

Good Luck. Business isn't all good vibes and hope. There are down side areas also.
 
Kaydee

Kaydee

Veteran Member
Network with area people who have done similar things, before you. Use their experience.
Check stores like this one-- http://www.madeinva.com/

This store has a list of the vendors with contact info as well. Might be one place to start.
http://www.shopvafinest.com/Categories/Sauces---Condiments.aspx

Here's a list of food and beverage makers as registered with the state of Virginia, might be a place to find if you have any immediate competition as well:
http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/food&beverage/sauces.shtml

Here's another to check out, might be a direction to go in marketing.
http://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/vaexpo/

Don't forget to see what resources are available at your area Small Business Development Center as well, it varies from place to place. Here's your locations:
http://www.virginiasbdc.org/locations/
 
kayakranger

kayakranger

Contributing Member
Thanks everyone for the suggestions and the links. I'll study the info at the links more when I get back to my computer. This is all good info!

kayakranger
 
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