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MenuDo I need a food scientist or baker to commercialize a baked good recipe?
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Ideally yes you would want to work with someone who is a Food Scientist or Chemist who can give appropriate recommendations for preserving the food, multiplying the recipe and etc. Also, depending on your location, there may be differences based on the governing food or agricultural body for requirements to commercialize a recipe or get appropriate licensing. That way you can ensure that you and the baker that you partner with follow necessary protocols and scale the recipe effectively.
I know this sounds over simplified, but I would work with both (assuming your budget allows this) as each has their own expertise. I would start with the food scientist, and then have the baker play around with the ingredients and cooking methods to check taste, texture and quality.
I can connect you with a good food scientist if you like. The fee for this will be a 'thank you' and a smile (you have to do both, otherwise no deal) :-)
food scientist will give your product CREDIBILITY it needs very much. This will make customer believe that your product is true. For more detail call me at 919748219172
In order to comply with your country's regulations on food additives, naming, nutrition labeling, etc, you will likely need a food scientist. It's probably best to work with the baker first, finalize the recipe, then work with the food scientist to review legality and regulatory approvals, naming and labeling issues, claims and communications, and scale-up considerations. I have such experience in the US, and I am happy to chat if you have questions.
I really believe it is the food scientist who be a great help to you in commercialization of your baked good recipe, but that is not all as he comes at step 8 of the process, there are many other steps that must join together in the process of your commercialization of your product. Let us look at the steps one-by-one:
Step #1 Do Your Research: You have an idea for a great new product. Perhaps it is an energy bar, a smoothie, or a new trail mix. It might be something with probiotics or a seasoning blend. You are sure it will be the next big hit but making that happen takes serious research. First, do not assume your idea is original. It is possible the product is out there, but you have not seen it. If it is not on the market, maybe that is because it cannot be manufactured or has no market potential. If you start up a food company based on a whim, you are headed for trouble. Here is what to do before diving in. Attend industry trade shows to discover what is hot on the market. Many start-up companies exhibit at these shows, where you can see the cool ideas that people hope will take off. The shows also often feature seminars where you can learn about food safety, regulations, functional ingredients, food trends and packaging technology.
Step #2 Make Sure You Have Funding: Do you have money? I am not just talking about the money you need to pay a consultant (rates range from $125 -$250 per hour) –but production costs as well. Average food production start-up costs can be anywhere from $10,000 to $150,000 just to bring your first production run to market. You will have to either use your own personal wealth, find an investor who is willing to take a risk, or get a bank loan. Funds will be needed to buy ingredients, pay a co-packer, do microbiology testing, shipping, packaging, warehouse storage, slotting fees, marketing costs and so on.
Step #3 Get An NDA/Confidentiality Agreement in Place: People talk, and the food industry is a small place. Have your lawyer draw you up a simple NDA and have anyone you share your idea with –sign it. The guy you told your story to on the plane, the investor, your consultants- even your mom should sign it- it just promises that they won’t tell anyone your idea, or worse-steal it for themselves.
Step #4 Decide If You Are Going to Be Certified Organic: You cannot scan a supermarket shelf or order from a menu without seeing the term “organic” these days. And if you are like a fair number of start-up food producers, you are probably interested in producing a product that deserves to bear the designation. But what, exactly, does “organic” mean? And who gets to decide what it is, and what it is not? That certification and the qualifications behind it, are spelled out in the National Organic Program (NOP), which falls under the review of USDA. NOP develops national standards that assure consumers that products with the USDA organic seal meet consistent, uniform rules. If you choose to go organic, this will help you narrow down your co-packer and ingredient sourcing options.
Step #5 Find a Co-Packer: Co-packer, co-manufacturer and “co-man” are the terms that refer to a facility that either manufactures your product or receives your finished good in bulk and packages it for you. Depending on the nature of your product, it is crucial that this step take place in the early stages of your development! The co-packer will determine how your product can be made (from a safety and economic standpoint) and they may have processing limitations. They can also inform you of FDA and USDA regulations that may affect how the product should be created! Finding a co-packer online can sometimes be frustrating. Co-manufacturers’ own websites are often designed for people already in the know. Descriptions of their processes may use strange terms like “flexible pouch retort,” “extrusion facility,” or “form and fill sealers.” Nevertheless, with careful research, evaluation, and patience you will usually find what you need.
Step # 6 Understand Your Product Regulations: Meat products (like beef jerky) are regulated by the USDA and canned vegetables are regulated by the FDA—All food products are regulated by some sort of federal, state and/or local agency and you don’t want to break any of the rules! Your co-packer in step #5 will have explained some of these regulations to you, but you can access all that information on the USDA or FDA website.
Step #7 Audit The Co-Packer: Once you decide who is going to make your product, you want to do a final sweep and make sure the place is clean and fit to make food for human consumption. Don’t just take the co-packers word or even a 3 party’s word- that their facility is clean and GMP compliant. Pay your own auditor and make sure the co-packer follows all state and federal regulations. While the co-packer is ultimately responsible for anything that leaves their facility, it’s still and always will be-your good name on the line.
Step #8 Find a Food Science Consultant: We are the few and the proud and we are called “Food Scientists” and if you don’t have any experience making or manufacturing products, you definitely need to hire one. There are big consulting firms and independent specialists-the key is finding the one that knows how to make your type of product. Making yogurt? Find someone with a dairy background. What about beef jerky? Find someone who is an expert at making dried meat- because beef jerky is a combination of art and science! Not all food scientists can make all food products and you want someone who can breeze through it, not troubleshoot around too much. Interview several consultants and make sure you “connect” with them. Creating food gets personal and you need to find someone you can trust.
Step #9 Find A Testing Laboratory: Find a local certified laboratory that specializes in food testing and develop a relationship with them. Let them know what you are planning to do (after they sign an NDA!) and get a general idea of what types of tests will be needed to measure the quality and safety of your product.
Step #10 Create A Prototype: With a co-man in your back pocket, your newly hired food scientist on hand- and a good understanding of how much your production costs will ultimately be- you can now proceed with creating a prototype. Keep in mind everything you learned from your co-packer—what type of equipment do they have in their plant? Are there any forbidden allergens? Peanuts, an allergen in the food industry are sometimes not allowed in certain facilities- and it is important to remember this when formulating your product. Your food scientist should have good understanding of how the co-packer will manufacture your product and should be able to formulate accordingly.
Besides if you do have any questions give me a call: https://clarity.fm/joy-brotonath
Related Questions
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How do you build a MVP for an innovative tech b2b product? We would need good amount of funding to build a decent MVP and show businesses.
The idea of an MVP is 'minimum, viable' ... If you feel you need a "good amount" of funding, I would challenge if you are minimum enough. Obviously, without knowing the details of your product, your ideal customer, or what need you will solve, it is hard to help expose what is necessary in an MVP and what is a Phase II or Phase III feature. I am happy to help you work through this, or answer specific questions, to get you rolling. Just book a call with some times that will work for you. Regardless, I would love to know more about it and how it goes after launch. To your success, -ShaunSN
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What is the best method for presenting minimum viable products to potential customers?
Whoa, start by reading the Lean book again; you're questions suggest you are making a classical mistake made by too many entrepreneurs who live and breath Lean Startup. An MVP is not the least you can show someone to evaluate whether or not building it is a good idea; an MVP is, by it's very definition, the Minimum Viable Product - not less than that. What is the minimum viable version of a professional collaboration network in which users create a professional profile visible to others? A website on which users can register, have a profile, and in some way collaborate with others: via QA, chat, content, etc. No? A minimum viable product is used not to validate if something is a good idea but that you can make it work; that you can acquire users through the means you think viable, you can monetize the business, and that you can learn from the users' experience and optimize that experience by improving the MVP. Now, that doesn't mean you just go build your MVP. I get the point of your question, but we should distinguish where you're at in the business and if you're ready for an MVP or you need to have more conversations with potential users. Worth noting, MOST entrepreneurs are ready to go right to an MVP. It's a bit of a misleading convention to think that entrepreneurs don't have a clue about the industry in which they work and what customers want; that is to say, you shouldn't be an entrepreneur trying to create this professional collaboration network if you don't know the market, have done some homework, talked to peers and friends, have some experience, etc. and already know that people DO want such a thing. Presuming you've done that, what would you present to potential users BEFORE actually building the MVP? For what do you need nothing more than some slides? It's not a trick question, you should show potential users slides and validate that what you intend to build is the best it can be. I call it "coffee shop testing" - build a slide of the homepage and the main screen used by registered users; sit in a coffee shop, and buy coffee for anyone who will give you 15 minutes. Show them the two slides and listen; don't explain, ONLY ask.... - For what is this a website? - Would you sign up for it? Why? - Would you tell your friends? Why? - What would you pay for it? Don't explain ANYTHING. If you have to explain something, verbally, you aren't ready to build your MVP - potential customers don't get it. Keep working with that slide alone until you get enough people who say they will sign up and know, roughly, what people will pay. THEN build your MVP and introduce it first to friends, family, peers, etc. to get your earliest adopters. At some point you're going to explore investors. There is no "ready" as the reaction from investors will entirely depend on who you're talking to, why, how much you need, etc. If you want to talk to investors with only the slides as you need capital to build the MVP, your investors are going to be banks, grants, crowdfunding, incubators, and MAYBE angels (banks are investors?! of course they are, don't think that startups only get money from people with cash to give you for equity). Know that it's VERY hard to raise money at this stage; why would I invest in your idea when all you've done is validate that people probably want it - you haven't built anything. A bank will give you a loan to do that, not many investors will take the risk. Still, know not that your MVP is "ready" but that at THAT stage, you have certain sources of capital with which you could have a conversation. When you build the MVP, those choices change. Now that you have something, don't talk to a bank, but a grant might still be viable. Certainly: angels, crowdfunding, accelerators, and maybe even VCs become interested. The extent to which they are depends on the traction you have relative to THEIR expectations - VCs are likely to want some significant adoption or revenue whereas Angels should be excited for your early adoption and validation and interested in helping you scale.PO
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How do you get a product prototype developed in China sitting in the US?
It varies and it's very very specific to what you want to develop. The concrete design of your circuit matters. Also prototype building costs are usually a factor 10-100 higher than series. If you already have your prototype then you can shop around various manufacturing companies. To do that, you need Gerber files (your PCB design) and a bill of materials. You also need to think about casing: designing it and creating the mold is expensive. If you don't have your prototype yet, I recommend having it engineered in eastern Europe. Custom engineering is cheap there and high quality. IP protection is a problem. One thing to do is to distribute the work to different manufacturers. For the design phase you are safer if you design your prototype in Europe or the US where international patent laws apply. I could give you more specific advise in a phone call, getting to know a bit better what you are trying to build.GF
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What product should I build?
You can only solve a big problem that changes the world if you solve a problem that is deeply personal to you. Two great examples and why they worked: Roy Raymond was a sad pervert. He'd buy bras and panties at the department store and all the clerks thought their thoughts about him. Roy felt embarrassed. He wasn't really a pervert. He just wanted to buy lingerie for his girlfriend. So he solved this major problem he was having. He created a space where men could feel comfortable coming in and buying sexy lingerie for their partners. He called it Victoria's Secret. But Roy, by solving this important personal issue for himself, apparently solved the same issue for many other men. First year sales were over $500,000 and he quickly opened up three more stores. In 1982 he sold Victoria's Secret for one million dollars before trying multiple other businesses that ended up failing. One MILLION Dollars. A decade later Victoria's Secret was worth over a billion dollars but Roy Raymund was nearly bankrupt and had missed the huge run-up in it's value. -- Picture New York City in the late 1800s on a rainy day. It was disgusting beyond belief. 150,000 horses transported people up and down the busy streets. Each of those horses, according to Super Freakonomics, dropped down about 15-30 pounds of manure. That's up to 4.5 million pounds of manure A DAY on the streets of NYC. And now imagine it raining. Would you cross the street? How long could this last? How long would the city survive without being infested with crap and all the diseases brought with it. What would happen as population of both men and horses increased? Was someone working on inventing a gigantic manure scooper? How would this problem get solved? It never got solved. Instead, Henry Ford invented the assembly line to mass produce cars. Every horse lost their job. People began to drive cars. Manure problem solved. -- In both cases there is a common theme. Someone outside the industry solved a problem that was personal to them that then changed an industry forever. Roy Raymund wasn't a fashion designer or a retailer. He worked in the marketing department of Vicks, which makes over the counter medications. Henry Ford, I don't think, ever worked in the manure industry. Instead, each person focused on a problem that was important to them. A problem that excited them at that moment in time. Raymund wanted to avoid being embarrassed in the future. Ford wanted an efficient way to make cars. The ONLY way to change the world is to solve a problem that is important to YOU. They had to choose themselves for success before they could save the world. Raymund had to convince himself that he didn't belong in the marketing department of a division of Procter & Gamble. He borrowed $80,000 and took the big risk of starting a business. Ford had to survive numerous failures and bankruptcies in order to find a cheap way to make cars. He would abandon investors, people who supported him, and even companies named after him, in his quest to solve his problem in his own way. Nobody gave them permission. And neither of them set out to change the world. They only wanted to solve a problem that was personally important to them. It's unfortunate that often we forget that choosing ourselves is not something that happens once. It has to happen every single day. Else we lose track of that core inside of us that solves problems and is able to share them in a way that makes the world a better place. Ford forgot this and became obsessed with Jews. Ford is the only American that Hitler mentions in Mein Kampf: "only a single great man, Ford, [who], to [the Jews'] fury, still maintains full independence...[from] the controlling masters of the producers in a nation of one hundred and twenty millions." And what happened to our embarrassed marketing manager that has ignited the passions of men and women for the past 30 years? Roy Raymund saw the value of Victoria's Secret jump from the one million he sold it for in 1982 to over a billion dollars a decade later. He failed in business after business. He got divorced. Then at the age of 46, my age, he drove to Golden Gate Bridge, jumped off it and killed himself. Before you can save the world you have to save yourself. But you have to relentlessly do it every day. Sometimes the train wakes me up at night and I feel scared. What will the world be like for my children? I won't always be able to help them. I don't even know if I do enough to help them now. And then I remember. I'm alive for another day.JA
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What is the best way to find full stack mobile developers who are willing to work with me for equity, and what is fair compensation?
It's highly unlikely that you will be able to find competent full-stack mobile developers willing to work with you for equity, but if you do, "fair" compensation would be 50% or more of the equity in the Company. Approaching any developer with just an idea, diminishes your credibility as a potential co-founder. Here's why: If you're non-technical, you must show a "relentless resourcefulness" in moving your idea forward. This means finding the money necessary to get an MVP or even click-able prototype completed to show that while you might not be technical, you have the ability to raise money, and have enough product sense that you can articulate that into a prototype. If you can't raise or spend the relatively small amount of money required to successfully build a prototype, what evidence are you providing that developer that you are going to be able to create value for the business long-term? Full-stack mobile developers (although this is often quite a misnomer) are one of the most in-demand skill-sets of all Silicon Valley companies. That means that you're competing against established companies that can pay top dollar, and still provide meaningful equity incentives as well as recently funded startups who have further along the road in turning their idea into reality. I would suggest that you look at hiring contractors (I know of some great mobile dev shops that are reasonable) to build your first version. Expect to go solo at least until you have some form of early prototype. Then, you're in a much better position to attract a technical co-founder. Happy to talk you through any of this at any point.TW
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