What Is A Scheduled Process? 3 Reasons Why Getting One Is Important!

You just came up with a brand new Hot Sauce product. And now you want to get it distributed and produced on a large scale to send out to stores. But before you can do all of that you need to get a scheduled process done. What is a Scheduled Process?

What is a scheduled Process? A Scheduled Process is a detailed recipe, procedure, and a breakdown developed for your product. It is review and edited by a recognized process authority. The Schedule Process also includes information about your product ingredients, formulation tasks, packaging details, storage, and distribution guidelines. There some important aspects that you need to be aware of about a Scheduled Process. So here are my 3 Reasons Why Getting A Scheduled Process Is Important.

1. Acidified Foods

Drinks, beverages, or even can goods that have acid substances in them are required to get a Schedule Process done for their product. This is important because acidified to be regulated more closely because of the shelf life stability required for stores. Your scheduled process breaks down so of the important and critical control aspects that must be met each and every time you make a batch of your product.

So if an acidified food or beverage was improperly processed and distributed, the health of your consumers may be adversely affected. It most cases you end up losing an enormous amount of money if you were forced to recall all your products back. Not mention you probably get into some legal trouble if the situation is severe enough. So the main point here is to not take any risks with your products even if you think your product doesn’t contain acidified substances.

2. It’s Illegal Not To Get A Scheduled Process

Have your products go through a scheduled process also makes you come out with the proper documentation. These documentations help prove that your item has been reviewed and verified by certified food scientists. So deciding that you won’t get it done is not a smart move. Especially because trying to sell untested food products on an open market is extremely illegal. You can get into some serious trouble with the government and the FDA (Food Drug Administrator). Even if your item is self-stable and that has no acidity issues It’s still illegal to sell a product without obtaining a scheduled process.

A scheduled process has too many critical control points in it that are very important to follow. And if you don’t complete them successfully as they are listed then your product is considered tainted and illegal for sale. To prove that you completed all tasks and all necessary procedures you have to keep great records. Proving the safety of your products for customer use should be one of your top concerns.

3. Records & Registration

It is a requirement that you keep records for every time you produce your product. And anytime you make changes to the process you have to make sure you note those changes on your records. You also have to note any actions taken to correct those issues. You are also required to register all your documents to FDA (Food Drug Administration). Have your products verified by FDA will make it a lot easier for others to trust your brand and products in the future. It’s important to keep good records and registrations in order to provide an extra level of protection to your products

In conclusion, get your Scheduled Process done when you and your product is ready for a mainstream distribution that goes along with your budgets, projections, and goals.

Of course, when you’re ready you can complete the application with us at Organic Food Incubator and we’ll help you get it done fast and the right way. Get Started

Watch This Video Learn More About Scheduled Process!

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4 Benefits Of Having An Organic Food Certified Product

You just got your new product finished, you got your Schedule Process, and now you’re ready to get your product to mainstream markets and supermarkets. But then your wondering should you get your product organic food certified or not. But let me tell you this first, not all products need an organic food certification. You have to use your best judgment. To decide that question first we need to talk about some of the benefits of having an organic food certified product will provide.

1. Increase Brand Awareness

Once you get your product approved, as an organic certified product, you are permitted to use the USDA Organic logol that you can put on your product labels. With increased demands of organic foods by consumers and retailers these days it allows you to capitalize on this organic growth movement. Having your organic food certified gives you the opportunity to get your product exposure to a new set of locations and customers that are not too familiar with your brand. Brand awareness is important for any business to consider because it helps with marketing your business and your products. Having your product certified organic can help garner some attraction to some of your older products that haven’t been getting conversions.

2. Acceptance To More Markets

Now that your product has been certified it has the potential to open more doors than you have previously experienced. There are some markets and stores out there that will only sell organic products. For example, you would normally see a local health food shop featuring their top organic food certified products. So basically if you would like to be accepted into some of the smaller or local organic markets having an organic certified product might be your ticket into those places.

3. More Revenue

Of course, every business wants to be successful and make money. And to do that you have to get your product to bring in sales. Without sales you are not going to be able to expand your business. But how does getting your organic food certified help you generate sales? Well think about it like this, have you ever been to Whole Foods Supermarket before? Did you ever notice how organic foods are more expensive than regular food? Which means you can price your products higher because it is organic certified. Some people only buy and eat organic food so that’s added bonus insentive get your organic certification. There are many opportunities to make a good amount of money in this industry.

4. Organic Food Certified Trust

Some people are very picky about what they put into their bodies. And some people take their health very seriously. Customers like that are more likely to buy your product if it’s organic. Right now the organic lifestyle is trending upwards. People are trusting in brands that are marked as certified organic more and more. So there are positive possibilities and potential benefits for business growth and success in this industry.

In a world where product reputation is extremely important. You should always strive to produce the best versions of your products. Just because you have a certified organic product does not mean you get a pass to create bad products. Your customers are putting their trust into you and your product because you put that organic certified seal on your product. You can’t claim your product is organic if when it’s not. You can land yourself in some serious trouble doing that. Think about it’s always harder to rebuild a good reputation once you’ve lost it.

Like I mentioned before, you might not need to get your product organic certified. And having an organic certification does not mean your guaranteed anything? Do your research and concentrate on making your product the best that it can be for worrying about any certifications.

Of course, when you’re ready for your organic certification you can contact us at Organic Food Incubator to help you get it started. Contact us HERE!

Continue Reading: Where To Start? How To Start Producing And Selling Your Product!

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Intro To Product Shelf Stability And Acidity

Your product shelf stability and acidity are very important aspects in the development of your product. In small food, manufacturing pH is a critical factor enabling your product to be shelf-stable.

The pH scale is a 14 point reference from 0 to 14, where 0 is the most acidic and 14 is the most alkaline.

It is measured with a pH meter. There are many types of pH meters, but generally, a digital unit with a separate probe is more accurate. They can range from $250 and up. A good meter is worth the investment. The meter must be calibrated frequently to give accurate measurements and requires buffering liquid for this procedure. All of which can be purchased at the same tile from a reputable company such as Cole Parmer.

pH is important for food items as pathogenic bacteria cannot grow in a low pH environment.

Each bacteria has a different threshold. The most dangerous pathogen as far as shelf stability is concerned is clostridium botulinum (botulism) which cannot grow below a pH of 4.5.

As a reference, vinegar and lemon juice have an approximate pH of 2. Tomatoes have an approximate pH of 4 and most vegetables have a pH between 6 and 7, which is close to neutral. As a contrast, soapy water has a pH of approximately 12, which is alkaline.

To be safely packed, pH must be used in conjunction with temperature to prevent the possibility of mold growth.

When used together and evaluated by a recognized process authority, your product my be held at ambient temperatures and will be safe for an extended time for people to eat. This can be done without the addition of dangerous chemicals. The process authority will write a scheduled process for you, which will outline the manufacturing requirements.

Ingredients with a low pH are sour and any additions of acid – lactic, malic, citric, vinegar, lemon juice or any other acids – will make your product tarter.

This type of control is essential to ensure that your product is safely manufactured and will be safe to eat. This is why product shelf stability and acidity are important aspects of your product development.

You can continue to read: The importance Of A Scheduled Process?

Who Is My Target Market? A Product Marketing Tip

Who is my target market? Identifying your target market is a crucial step in creating a successful product. Often people producing a product will say that their product is for everyone, but that is a mistake! Many different consumer bases may purchase your product, but you will have a few core target markets or target audiences that make up the bulk of your purchases. So–how do you figure out who your target market is?

First, you must understand the need your product fills. What are the core benefits your product has? Create a simple definition of your product and its benefits.

Once you have a good idea of your product, research potential target markets. There is a lot of free and available for purchase market research online. Analyze each group’s values, priorities, and the other types of products they purchase. Who are influencers to these groups? Do they value Organic or Kosher certification? How is your product differentiated from the other products they purchase? Although you can research your targets infinitely, spend some time getting a better idea of the groups you want to focus on.

Once you figure out your key market you can use that information to shape your product in a way that highlights the benefits those groups see as priorities. You can use marketing in the areas that most likely to reach those consumer groups. A better understanding of your target market can transform your product from a good idea to a huge success!

Read this next article article: Pretend You Are Bigger Than You Are

Marketing Marketing Tip Product Marketing Target Market Target Marketing Who Is Your Target Audience Who Is Your Target Market

Where To Start? How To Start Producing And Selling Your Product!

Where to start? So you have an incredible product that you want to produce and sell. We would love to help–but before we do, here are some steps to streamline the process:

Know your product–understand the measurements and ingredients needed to make your product. The food products we work often have a natural, generally organic ingredients. Understand what your options are for wholesale ingredients and what the most cost-effective way to store and purchase them. If possible, come prepared with a scheduled process. If you are not able to create one, the OFI provides services to create one for your product.
What equipment will you need? While the Organic Food Incubator has equipment for several needs, you potentially need something we do not currently have. For information about the equipment, we have available check here.
How will you package your product? Depending on the product needs packaging may differ. When picking the packaging to think about maintaining flavor, freshness, product shape, and if production will affect the package (i.e. heat or freezing product).
Have a timeline of your production expectations. Is this the first time you are producing this product–do you want to run a trial run? Do you expect to produce monthly, weekly, etc? Have an idea of where you see your business going.
Make sure you have the licensing and insurance to produce your product. There are accredited programs that offer training and licensing.

If you do not know this information and your still not sure where to start, OFI provides consulting services to help you make your product. For consulting services, reach out here.

Continue Reading: 3 Reasons Why Getting A Scheduled Process Is Important

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Is It Important To Be Certified Organic Or Kosher?

Is It Important To Be Certified Organic Or Kosher? Both yes and no. Both of these certifications have benefits but are often costly so they are not the best choice for all products.

USDA organic certification shows that your product is grown and processed with approved substances that are USDA verified. The image below outlines what the USDA seal ensures.

Some customers are only interested in organic products or may be willing to pay a premium for organic certification. If you think you will have an increased customer base through organic certification it may be the right choice. However, in many cases, if you provide a high-quality trustworthy product to consumers, organic certification may not be necessary.

This stands true for Kosher certification as well. Using the Kof-K emblem we are able to provide Kosher certification for products. Kosher certification can be beneficial if your consumer base sees Kosher certification as a priority.

In order to get a better idea of the benefit these certifications may provide to your product, you need to understand your target market. Research your potential target markets and their priorities to see if these certifications are the right choice for you.

If you are still interested in gaining a certified organic or kosher certificate for your product please Contact Us Here to help you get your application setup the right way. H

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Margins And Costs| Where Is Your Profit?

Margins And Costs Where Is Your Profit?

When we are talking about Margins And Costs relating to the food manufacturing industry you need to know somethings. After you finally get your product distributed to the supermarkets, and now you’re looking for where is your profit?

Unfortunately, you do not get to take home your retail price. Before you see a profit, the grocer’s margin is deducted, the distributor’s margin is deducted and your costs are deducted. The amount that is remaining is your profit.

Grocer’s margins are a percentage of the retail price. sometimes put to 40%.

Distributor’s margins are a percentage of the grocer’s cost, sometimes up to 35%

Your profit is the difference between all of your costs and your selling price.

Your costs can include ingredients, packaging, labor (in house or co-packer). These are call cost of goods sold. In addition, your costs also include marketing, insurance, social media, website, utilities, sales staff and more.

Proper planning prevents poor performance. Before launch, consider all of the factors that will affect your profit and your margins.

Business Tip: Pretend You Are Bigger Than You Are

Just like meeting a person for the first time, businesses often make judgments on first impressions. Here’s a business tip that you might want to consider.

Other businesses are hesitant to give out information to consumers, so it helps if you can seem like your are a larger established business, even if you are just starting out.

Have your business formation information ready. EIN number, LLC documents, prepared W9, website and business email addresses prior to contacting vendors, suppliers, potential clients or distributors.

Product producers will often ask for this information prior to giving out bulk pricing for packaging and ingredients. They prefer that the small guy goes through a distributor. However, it is essential for your business planning to know what the bulk direct from distributor pricing will be…even if you will most likely not order from them for 6 months to 3 years.

Supply the necessary information and maybe even create an account. Get the information you need. Price per pallet, price per truckload, and lastly ask what the minimum order is.

This research will help you greatly in determining if your great hobby will also make a great business.

Read Another Business Tip: Where Is Your Profits?

What Is Food Shelf Stability And Expiration

There have been many discussions in the past about expiration of food products and best by dates. But what is important knowing what is food shelf stability and expiration means to your particular product that your trying to sell in stores.

Our customers at OFI set their best by dates for food safety as well as food quality. Often the expiration has more to do with the freshness than the issue of contamination.

The only true way to find the food safety expiration is with a shelf study performed by a food science laboratory. This is a relatively expensive exercise for a small business and typically take a long time. There are some facilities that will perform an accelerated shelf study, but they are costly.

Most products that are shelf stable, meaning that they do not need refrigerated must be subjected to some kind of heat treatment to prevent the growth of pathogens, primarily botulism.

This heat treatment can offer shelf stability for a long time.

Continue reading about Food Shelf Stability And Expiration Here: Intro To Product Stability

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Commercial Kitchen Rental in NJ For Daily And Monthly Use

Commercial Kitchen Rental In NJ For Daily And Monthly Use

If you’re just starting out on your journey into the food and beverage industry you will eventually run into the dilemma of where are you going to produce your products. Find the right working space to produce your product is a very important cornerstone of your product development and growth. Finding the right commercial kitchen rental that has the right amount of space and the right equipment is another aspect that can affect your product production.

Even if you’re doing great producing your product at your mom’s basement, at some point you will have to think about upgrading to a commercial kitchen. Because as your products get more popular and sales pick up, so will the demand for more of your product to be produced. More space can mean more employees and equipment you can use to help increase the production of your products. Don’t limit your product development growth with unnecessary constraints.

There is a new food economy emerging today it isn’t just about the products we consume or produce. It’s more about the culture and community we are creating. We welcome mindful food and drink entrepreneurs to come to the Organic Food Incubator to bring your dream to life. Our commercial kitchen rental in NJ has everything you need to get you started. Join forces with other entrepreneurs that are working to change the way our food system works.