Info on how to sell your rubs and sauces

[mhumm38]

Hello I'm a new member with a question! Has anyone ever been envolved in or checked out what it takes legally to bottle and sell your prize sauces or rubs to the public? If so can you share some experiences with me. Also maybe so info on wholesalers of bottles and stuff to hold my necter of the bbq god! I have been Building grills and working on my recipes for over 30 years and I'm looking maybe to share the love (and make some retirement money while sharing it) . Any web sites or info would be a real help.

[chad]

www.jazzfoods.com for a book/advice/etc. They were just featured on FoodTV, too.

www.allamericancontainers.com for bottles, jars, etc.

Do a Google search for bottles and/or jars for more sources.

Don't forget to head over to Cattle Call and fully introduce yourself.

[Mark]

Maybe spicewine can help you. Also consider putting this topic somewhere else than the woodpile.

[mhumm38]

I started off on the wrong foot here! Sorry posted in wrong area!

[chad]

Originally Posted by mhumm38

I started off on the wrong foot here! Sorry posted in wrong area!

Nah, don't worry about it!

Mark was requesting a moderator to move the thread - that's why they are paid the big bucks!

[Mark]

That's right. Thanks Dave. And I hope it gets many good responses.

[spicewine]

Been there--Done that---I am more than willing to help you answer some questions concerning your ambitions. I currently have 6 of my own products on the market. As you can assume, the first one was the most difficult but well worth the ride.

Spice

[Solidkick]

Hey!
I was in Hoss' Market yesterday and saw your sauce on their shelves.....How many stores are you in locally now??

Have you tried Patricia's? I see where another local is no longer on the shelf there.....

[parrothead]

I am in the process of doing this. I know I said this before, but I am further along than before.

mhumm38, The first step is to get a food technician to do 2 things for you. One is be present when you make a batch of sauce to turn your recipe into a formula. The second purpose of this guy is to supply you with the nutritional information that is required on the bottle. Calories, fat content, etc.

I already know that I am having it bottled by a company called newlywed foods. Here is the process so far as spelled out by one of their representatives. First thing before anything is an agreement was signed between them and I, which mostly is for my benefit. It is a non-disclosure agreement. This is about as far as I have gotten thus far. After this he is going to come down to the restaurant when I make a batch and take a sample and my recipe, send it to their technicians who will try replicate with a formula, make a sample and get it back to me to make sure it is what I want.

Still working on some details for the rest of it, but some of them are as follows. I will need to design, or have designed, my label. I will have to have them printed up and delivered to them for application to the bottles/jugs that they produce for me. I assume that in this process I will have to register a bar code and have that in the label as well.

Are we having fun yet? I am. I still have not sat down and talked price of producing this stuff with him, as I am sure that can not be established without having the formula. I am also sure that the price will vary based on quantity ordered. First run out I am sure will have to be fairly small which will mean less of a profit margin. In the mean time you will need to have a means of selling it. I figure I will sell some at competitions, some at the restaurant (as well as have gallon sizes for use at the restaurant), and set up an internet site. The last will be a task in itself. You will need to set up the payment methods and do the packageing and mail drop off.

Once you have some of the finished product in hand, you can approach grocery stores and have in mind a price since now you will know what the cost will be if you order a large quantity.

After all of this, the rest is easy. You will have most everything nailed down and adding products to the line should go fairly smooth.

I have stalled in my tracks as my First order of business has been taking up a large chunk of my time.

Well, Jay? Does that sound about right? You are our resident expert.

Good luck to you if you give it a whirl. I will get mine out there some day, but it may take longer than I had planned on, which is alright by me.

[rbsnwngs]

i have thought about this for some time as well and aany advise in this area would be a great help

[mhumm38]

Thanks for the info! I knew there was a lot to do. I have thought about this for a long time and it might take as long to get started doing it! But you know everything worth doing is always a up hill battle. The road to success is always bumpy and full of curves! (don't know where that came from, maybe my dad he's in heaven you know) I still think it would be worth lookng into. Thanks guys.

[parrothead]

I still think it would be worth lookng into

It probably is. I hope you do. Oh, by the way, the company I am using, Newlywed foods, is a nation wide company. There may be one near you.

[spicewine]

Greg: Sounds like you have a good grasp of what's going on. Good luck on the finished product.

If I might add a few things--- You will need a U P C Code if you plan to sell your product in most stores today. This will cost you a minimum of $ 750.00 weather you have 1 product or 999. This is how it works---Example ---Your code # 79565 00478---The first 5 numbers identify the product as belonging to you or your business. The last numbers identify what the product is. You choose the last numbers (what ever you want) As you add products, all you do is change the last few numbers.

You can take your recipe to your local Dept of Agriculture who will do the necessary testing (PH, Nutritional ect.) They will list the ingredients and the nutritional the way it should appear on the lable for about $ 50.00

My Bottler will also do this for the same price. I can reccommend 2 good label companies that have Graphic Atrists on board to make your label come alive (good labels very important in marketing your product)

I will be opening a Bottling Company in the next 2 years or so that will take care of all of this process geared especially to those who are just getting started but don't want to have to pay for the Big Bottler prices and 100 + Gallon minimum orders.

Again good luck with your product.

[parrothead]

If I might add a few things--- You will need a U P C Code if you plan to sell your product in most stores today. This will cost you a minimum of $ 750.00 weather you have 1 product or 999. This is how it works---Example ---Your code # 79565 00478---The first 5 numbers identify the product as belonging to you or your business. The last numbers identify what the product is. You choose the last numbers (what ever you want) As you add products, all you do is change the last few numbers.

That is some good info that I wasn't sure on yet. Thanks.

I will be opening a Bottling Company in the next 2 years

Let me know when you do that. Sounds interesting.

100 gallon mimimum doesn't sound to bad, I was thinking it would be double that or more.

[spicewine]

.....How many stores are you in locally now??

About 8. 2 Major Grogery Stores , 4 Specialty Stores and 2 Convienience Stores

Patricia's can bite me!!