Having a small food business can be a highly rewarding job. You work on the recipes, create eye-catching and drooling dishes and watch customers enjoy your delicious products. Despite this, you are bound to face challenges if you are noticing the demand for your product is increasing. If you believe all of your time is getting caught up in the kitchen which isn’t giving you any time to think about branding and producing more quantity, you should think about joining hands with a co-packer.
Most of the food businesses out there are opting for food packing services or co-packers so they can focus on their core business. For those who are unversed in this type of service, a co-packer company provides food packaging services that manufacture, assemble, and package a product for you. The product and branding remain yours and all you need to do is give them the instructions on how you want your product to be packaged
But how do you get to know that it’s time to look for food packaging services? Continue to read.
Scalable recipe: You must have reached a stage where you can make a recipe with your eyes closed. But industrial mass production requires extremely detailed recipes for uniform taste. A little difference in ingredients can have a significant effect on the overall quality and taste. You need to provide the exact weight of each ingredient to the co-packer to ensure the product comes out perfectly.
The demand for your product is increasing over time: If you have a small business and the demand for your product is increasing, chances are you won’t be able to keep up for long if you continue to work with the existing tools. Companies that provide food packaging services have the machinery set for it to produce at mass levels. However, analyze the demand to see if it is due to the festive season or in general, you are getting more orders.
You do not have the staff and equipment to handle more demand: If there is an upward trend in demand, you not only have commitment but more team members and tools to handle the demand. Investing in both aspects can be out of reach for many small businesses. This is where you could benefit from food packaging services. They have the specialized packaging solutions and equipment to do mass production without you thinking about hiring individuals.
Lagging Lead Times: Before joining hands with food packaging services, examine your current schedule of production and notice where you are lagging behind. If you are indeed lagging behind, a co-packer can help you streamline your orders in an efficient and timely manner. This will keep your lead time low and allows you to meet the needs of the customers without any delay.
How Do I Find a Suitable Co-Packer?
The right food packaging company should understand the food product you sell and what are your expectations. Asking about their qualifications, and taking references from previous clients are some of the factors to consider before choosing co-packing services. You should also compare the facilities, location, and capabilities amongst other factors.
Conclusion
The thumb rule is if a large portion of your time is going into perfecting your product, it is time to join hands with food packaging services. While it is true that manufacturing your own product can be highly rewarding, it can leave little time to focus on other aspects of a business.
By outsourcing this task, you get the essential time to think about your product line that can help you grow your business. Don’t forget you will also save on the costs associated with new equipment, training staff, etc. When the demand is high, co-packers can help you scale fast to fulfill the increased demand immediately.
