Starting a Food-Based Business
Here are some things to know before launching a food-related business in Connecticut.
| Determine the Type of Product
One of the first considerations to make is what type of product will be produced, such as a canned food, a baked good or a refrigerated product. Special food processing equipment, government registration and technical training are required to start a commercial canning facility. Regulations for producing a canned food item will differ depending on whether the product is low acid, acidified or acid.
Low-acid Foods: These foods - such as meat products, beans and corn - have a pH value (indicates acidity) greater than 4.6 and a water activity (aw) greater than 0.85 (measures free moisture in a food). At these levels the deadly Clostridium botulinum microorganism could grow in foods that are improperly canned. They must be processed at proper temperatures under specified pressure in compliance with all Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations for most foods or with USDA – Food Safety Inspection Service requirements for meat and poultry products.
Acidified Foods: These products, such as pickled foods, have a water activity greater than 0.85 and have been acidified to a pH of less than 4.6 to prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum.
Acid Foods: These foods - such as fruits, jams and jellies - naturally have a pH below 4.6. |
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Learn the Regulations and Requirements
Entrepreneurs must be familiar with state and federal food regulations before starting a food business and must comply with the Connecticut Uniform Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act. This law and these regulations are available here.The Department of Consumer Protection is responsible in Connecticut for the safe manufacture and sale of food at the state level.
Food may not be manufactured in the home for distribution, except for product exempted pursuant to Public Act 10-103. Food sold at retail at the place of production is under inspection of the local Health Department or the Department of Consumer Protection, depending on whether or not the food is packaged for offsite consumption or designed primarily for onsite consumption. Food manufactured for wholesale distribution is under the supervision of the Department of Consumer Protection and the agency must review the product label prior to sale.
Once a processing facility is selected, a representative from the Department of Consumer Protection will make an initial inspection before start-up. The initial inspection will give you detailed instructions as to set-up.
In addition to state requirements, most specialty foods are subject to federal regulations if products will be distributed across state boundaries. The federal agencies responsible for food safety are the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). A food processing operation should be designed and operated in accordance with "Good Manufacturing Practices" (GMP) regulations, which are available here.
All food plants, except meat and poultry, are subject to inspection by the FDA to ensure compliance with these regulations. Specialty foods containing meat or poultry ingredients fall under the jurisdiction of USDA. Meat and poultry food plants should be constructed and operated according to the USDA.
There are specific Good Manufacturing Practices regulations for canned low-acid and acidified foods. Commercial food manufacturers are required to register each new product with the FDA and file a full description (called a scheduled process) of the processes to be employed in the manufacture of the product if other than direct retail sales.
In addition, the processor must:
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report any instances of spoilage;
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have an established product recall plan;
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have all operators of thermal-processing systems trained by attending a " Better Process Control School" at an approved university; and -
maintain complete records of plant operations. |
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Basics of Product Development
Entrepreneurs should follow these basic steps in developing new food products.
Some free advice is available at UConn Extension System or by taking an appropriate course.
- Taste Panel Stage: The taste panel stage should run concurrently with formula or recipe development. Using sensory evaluation test forms, an experienced panel should check quality parameters such as color, texture, appearance and flavor at various stages of product formulation to distinguish good from undesirable traits.
- Consumer Sampling Stage: Often neglected by small food processors, the consumer sampling stage can give valuable information about the product's potential success. Entrepreneurs should consider displaying their new products in shopping malls and grocery stores. Shoppers would be given a sample to taste and a questionnaire about the new product to fill out on-site. This sampling can sometimes be done with the product available for sale during the sampling period, if the store will cooperate.
Actual sales after tasting reinforce the questionnaire. For instance, if 100 people say they will purchase the new product, but only five actually do, there may be some question about the truthfulness of the answers. Commercial demand for the product should be evaluated to determine if sufficient volume will be produced and sold to make the venture economically feasible.
Since the product is being distributed to the public during sampling, efforts should be made to ensure that proper food handling is being observed.The entrepreneur needs to contact the local health department prior to the event to learn and practice the proper food handling procedures.
- Shelf-Life Stage: The shelf-life stage is extremely important because a processor must know how long a new product will keep under a variety of temperatures and other environmental conditions. Shelf-life loss may be due to chemical or microbial (bacteria, mold and yeast) spoilage. Small firms normally have to contract with independent or consulting laboratories to have accelerated shelf life studies performed on new products. The studies are done by raising the temperature of the packaged product above normal storage conditions (110 to 120 °F). Although this is not as good as a prolonged shelf-life study at normal temperatures (75 to 80 °F), it does give some indication of product shelf life. Lot codes for recall and product liability are based on these studies.
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Packaging Stage: This stage is especially important because the package often helps the success of a new product. Consumers want colorful, attractive, conveniently-packaged items. Packaging should not impart flavor to the product, nor react chemically with the food. It should be lightweight, economical and resistant to tearing.
The production line should be set up according to a blueprint of its layout. Keep in mind drainage, ventilation, waste disposal, lighting, equipment size and flow, energy conservation, safety, sanitation, ease of cleaning, storage area, and compliance with government regulations.
Processing controls must be established to ensure consistent quality during production as set forth by product standards (specifications). Likewise, quality control procedures must be developed to determine if the standards are being met during production, and to know when to take corrective action to prevent economic losses due to deviations, and to ensure product safety.
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Test Marketing Stage: The test marketing stage for small processors involves introducing the new product into a limited area, such as a large metropolitan city. It is important to select a site with a population made up of many ethnic groups and income levels. If the product fails, another product can be tried. If the product succeeds, it is then typically distributed in stages to progressively larger areas (statewide, regional, and national).
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Commercialization Stage: The commercialization is the final step in determining the success or failure of a new product. Most small food companies sell mainly to the institutional trade, and if they sell to retail outlets, it is typically to privately-owned stores or small chains. Larger chains will not take on a new food product unless the product is heavily advertised by the company, thus excluding many smaller companies. The buyer for a large chain must be convinced that the product is good and that advertising exists. |
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Ingredients
The success of any new specialty product depends on the quality of its flavor, color and texture, its stability under various storage conditions, and its safety. Often, additives may be needed to maintain or enhance product quality throughout and after processing. Additives should not be used to disguise faulty or inferior manufacturing processes or to conceal damage or spoilage. Only the minimum amount of an additive necessary to achieve desired results should be used.
Government regulatory agencies such as the FDA and USDA closely monitor the use and levels of additives in food products. The safety of food additives is constantly being reviewed, so food processors must pay close attention to current regulatory statutes governing particular additives.
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Food Processing
Food preservation through processing is an extremely broad area in food science and methods include refrigeration, freezing, pasteurization, canning, fermentation, concentration, irradiation and dehydration.
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Quality Control/Sanitation
Quality control is imperative to the successful development of any food product. Consumers perceive food safety as an integral component of food quality control. The food processor must establish a food safety program, including in-process procedures that ensure consistent quality and meet product specifications. It is important to obtain product liability insurance for your protection.
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Packaging
Food packaging protects the food from the surrounding environment, thus preventing contamination, damage and deterioration. Today, convenience is a major factor in packaging. The food package also plays a crucial role in communication. In the marketing of new products, packaging conveys the nature of the food and directions for its use and it attracts and persuades the buyer. Color coordination, artistic design, ingredient labeling, portion size and safety all influence a consumer's decision to buy.
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Labels
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Coding Products
An integral part of quality control is a system for coding new food products. The product must be identifiable to the manufacturer by the year and day it was packed and by the batch number, if more than one batch is processed per day. If more than one processing facility is involved, that must also be identified. It is imperative that these codes are recorded on distribution invoices so the product can be recalled promptly if there is a problem. All cases and individual containers must be coded. The coded lots should be small enough to enable easy identification during sale and distribution.
Any method of coding that is recognizable by the processor is acceptable. Alphabetical letters are often used to identify the month a product was packed. Julian dates are used to indicate the manufacture date. An example of a code is "291J1225, " where "291" indicates the 291st day of the year; "J" is the month (January); "12" is the year packed (2012); "2" is the plant location; and "5" indicates the fifth hour of the shift. Accurate record keeping of these codes allows a manufacturer to trace the cause of consumer complaints, control distribution and inventory, ensure proper product rotation, and to activate a recall if necessary.
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Marketing
Marketing is traditionally thought of as the process of advertising, promoting and selling services and products. These are important elements in the development of new food products, but the first step is to define a specific market.
Also, if a specialty food entrepreneur wishes to sell through retail food stores, they must have a Universal Product Code (UPC) correctly displayed on the label. Most brokers, wholesalers and retail buyers will not handle a product lacking UPC identification. It is the potential processor's responsibility to obtain a code for each product manufactured. First, request a membership form from Uniform Product Code Council.
The next step is to determine which system of distribution is best suited to you and your products. What will be your sales outlets? Options include retail food stores, specialty shops or boutiques that sell unique or gourmet food items, roadside stands, flea markets, or even the front door of your processing plant.
Several product characteristics must be decided, regardless of the method of distribution. These include price, size of container and number of containers per carton. If you plan to use retail stores, specialty shops or boutiques, you must decide on representation, sales promotions and advertising.
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Brokers
For most new processors, the food product distribution system resembles a maze. Anyone who needs help in presenting their product may find it prudent to seek representation through a broker. Brokers will help you develop a retail price, promote schemes to enhance the product's acceptance and make sales presentations to buyers of independent wholesalers and large retail food chains. Brokers' fees are often about five percent (5%) of all sales made in the broker's territory.
If you seek broker representation, you may also consider discussing your product with a "specialty" broker, which focus primarily on representing relatively low-volume, specialty products. To locate the specialty broker nearest you, contact the National Association of Specialty Food Brokers, One Central Avenue, Tarrytown, New York 10591.
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