By Dave Schy

In this article you will learn how to manufacture and sell your own products.

Stirring the Hot Sauce

So many people I know, most of them professional chefs, dream of bottling and selling their own line of sauces and condiments. Toiling in the kitchen day after day perfecting recipes, their deeply personal creations are testaments of time, experience and love–so it is easy to understand the yearning for success and recognition. Whether it is fruit chutney or salad dressing, tomato sauce or salsa, many of these products, given the chance, can ultimately do quite well in the mainstream American marketplace. In fact, a large number of these products already grace the tables of some of the country’s finest restaurants, winning critical acclaim on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, the process of graduating from the dining room table to the marketplace can be very difficult, time consuming and expensive. This is not to say, however, that it is impossible. As a professional chef and restaurant owner, I also successfully manufacture and sell my own line of products. Although I knew little about manufacturing and distribution when I started, I quickly learned a number of good lessons along the way. Because of this, I am often asked for advice in taking a great recipe idea and turning it into a marketable product. If you have developed a fine product and would like to see it manufactured, there are a few things you should consider before getting started.

Place the Taste

First and foremost, before you put your name on the label, you must believe totally in the excellence of your product. You will be going through a lot together over the next few years, and your product will become a major part of your life. There will be days devoted solely to promoting your product, and you will be thinking about it from the time you wake up in the morning to when you go to bed at night. You will be judged by your product, and everyone who comes in contact with it will tell you exactly what they think.

The next most important consideration has to do with demand. Does the world need another product like yours? Have you created something that people would want to buy? Is there anything new or unique about your product? Is it true that the giant manufacturers can create a demand for tap water in a bottle simply because they have enough marketing and advertising dollars? Perhaps not, but most start-up individuals cannot compete in their arena. However, if you think your product could get even a small slice of the market, this could translate into a decent amount of money. So you need to be realistic when assessing market demand.

The next thing you must determine is how and where you are going to manufacture your product. In the very beginning most people start out small, literally producing and storing products in their homes. This is a fine short-term plan. It gives you an opportunity to feel out the market and see if there is any interest or demand. To do this you simply need to make a few batches at home. Then, go out and give away free samples to friends, family, neighbors, and employees at local grocery stores, delis, restaurants, gourmet shops, meat markets, etc. Ask these people for their comments. Listen to their advice. Try to hear and understand what they are trying to tell you. Make adjustments in your recipe if necessary. If someone says they love your product, they may or may not mean it. A more certain indicator is when people start asking about price and where they can buy more. The key to your success is in getting your first customer, who can be as little as one grocery store, one restaurant, or one mail order company. You really need a commitment from someone who will buy your product once you move on to the next step, which is manufacturing.