Making the most of food and beverage manufacturers' products means working with manufacturers and industry experts to successfully market these items to customers. Food manufacturers' products are the foundation of any food-related business, from groceries to restaurants. Using industry expertise will make your business stand out from the competition.

Many manufacturers, associations and research organizations offer assistance to retailers. They can help with marketing, food safety and customer service efforts. Some ways to make the most of food and beverage manufacturers include:

1. Offer specialty food items from food manufacturers.

2. Keep up to date with food industry news and trends.

3. Get support from food organizations and manufacturers.

4. Partner with top food manufacturers for help with product promotion

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Offer specialty items from global and U.S. food manufacturers

With the interest in healthy diets, many customers are beginning to look for organic and natural foods as alternatives to the usual offerings. There has also been a greater interest in imported and gourmet food. Offering specialty products allows you to keep up with trends and attract these customers.

I recommend: EcoBusinessLinks and GreenPeople provides listings of food distributors that supply organic, vegan and other health foods. The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade offers links to manufacturers of health and gourmet food and other specialty products.

Stay on top of news and information with food manufacturers association and research resources

It's important to stay up to date on food industry trends and safety issues. Get information from experts, or hire a consultant to help meet your objectives.

I recommend: The Food Marketing Institute glossary allows you to enter a term or click a letter to get information about food industry definitions and buzz words. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service provides information about its grading, certification and verification processes. The Center for Innovative Food Technology offers services that allow small businesses to partner with local agricultural resources. They also offer food safety consulting programs. The Food Consultants Group is made up of industry experts that offer assistance and expertise to assist companies in their start-up and growth efforts.

Partner with top food manufacturers

Choosing top food manufacturers can give your business a competitive edge. Not only do these companies provide proved products, they also offer assistance with marketing, training and other tools to companies that sell their products.

I recommend: Tyson Foods allows its resellers to obtain merchandising materials, specialty branded products, training and other support. Nestle offers systems, services and expertise to resellers. General Mills Foodservice provides promotions, resources and news for members.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Try out new ideas from food manufacturing companies before converting your whole product offering. Purchase new, trendy items in limited quantities to find out if your customers approve before stocking up on them.

Within the last few years, organic foods have moved firmly out of their position as niche products and into the mainstream. No longer are these products just for consumers who frequent natural food stores. With big box stores like Wal-Mart now stocking a full selection of both national brand and private label organic foods and beverages, consumers are buying more organic products than ever, with over half of all consumers purchasing at least some organic foods each year and over a quarter purchasing organic beverages.

Food and beverage manufacturers release over 1,000 new organic products annually. To compete as a seller of foods and beverages, you need to stay on top of the trend and stock a good selection of organic items for your customers.

As you’re choosing which food and beverage manufacturers from which to buy, keep the following in mind:

1. US food manufacturers must follow the USDA guidelines to be marked as such, but import products are certified by their home country’s standards. US food and beverage manufacturers must also have their product certified as organic by a third-party certifying agent.
2. Though major US food manufacturers like Kraft Foods and Nestle USA offer organic products, brands that are purely organic may offer more cache.
3. Organic products are more expensive than conventional products. Because of their new awareness of what “organic” means, consumers will pay more for organic than conventional, so you'll recoup your additional spending for organic.
   

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Understand what you're getting when you choose organic

Before you expand your offerings into the organic market, you should understand the USDA labeling practices for US food manufacturers. Without this knowledge, you may end up with products much lower in organic ingredients than you'd hope.

I recommend: Review organic standards for food labeling at the USDA for an overview of labeling practices that food manufacturing companies must follow. You can also review a food manufacturer directory of accredited organic certifying agents by state on their website, as well.

Stay on top of organic trends in food manufacturing

You need to know the market to best serve your customers. Knowing what products food and beverage manufacturers will be releasing helps you do this.

I recommend: Keep in touch with the latest in organic foods and beverages by attending trade expos like the Organic Products Expo. This expo draws together a number of organic food and beverage manufacturers under one roof to help you select the best organic products.

Keep in touch with organic suppliers and food manufacturing trends

Build a network of suppliers and distributors. Determine which food and beverage manufacturers' products you want to stock.

I recommend: The Natural Food Network provides a listing of organic food and service suppliers so you can have the tools you need to stock your shelves. Here, you can also buy The Certified Organic Food Directory, an annual listing of organic products.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Expand into organic lines one product type at a time. This way, you can test out the food manufacturers you think your customers will be drawn to. It's easier to phase out one product type than to remove a number of them from your shelves.
• •  Many food and beverage manufacturers that supply organic foods label their non-organic foods as 'natural.' This label has no legal meaning and isn't related to the organic status of the product.

New food-related businesses must get an understanding of food and beverage manufacturers basics when choosing products for their customers. Food is the foundation of businesses like restaurants, groceries, vending companies, hotels and caterers. Gathering knowledge about product offerings, prices, regulations and marketing is an important first task.

There is a multitude of companies, products and research available. With so many choices, finding the right information can seem overwhelming. Here are some ways to get started with gathering information about the food manufacturing industry:

1. Compare listings of food manufacturers.

2. Get information from food research websites.

3. View news and information provided by food manufacturing associations.

4. Narrow your research to the type of food manufacturer needed for your business.

5. Keep up with food industry news.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Browse listings of foreign and U.S. food manufacturers

Check out company listings to get familiar with what food manufacturers have to offer. Use listings and links to company websites to compare food manufacturers' product offerings and service.

I recommend: PR contains detailed information about food manufacturers broken down by sub-industries. Find products, services and articles with the Intuit Business Food Manufacturing Directory. Search by region or business type to locate manufacturers.

Find information at food manufacturers association and research websites

There are many research companies dedicated to food service, as well as food manufacturers' associations for the general industry and sub-industries. These companies provide research and information about trends, regulations and other food news.

I recommend: The Food Marketing Institute conducts comprehensive research for the food manufacturing industry and provides facts, figures and information on its website. TradePub provides an extensive list of free food and beverage podcasts, magazines, white papers and other documents. Find more information from food manufacturing associations like the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association and the Grocery Manufacturers Association

Narrow down food manufacturing companies by specialty

You need to find manufacturers that provide the products and value that is right for your business, whether you run a restaurant, grocery store or other food retailing operation. Specialty listings of food manufacturers zero in on the type of products required for your business.

I recommend: PowerBrands provides information about the beverage industry and links to top brands. The Snack Food Association has lists of members that manufacturer snack foods. The DMOZ Open Directory Project lists frozen food manufacturers.

Keep up with news about food and beverage manufacturers

Keep on top of food industry news. You'll find out what products and trends are hot and learn from other food retailers' experience.

I recommend: The Food and Beverage-Network offers up-to-date information about new companies and product offerings. The NPI Center provides breaking news about food industry trends, regulations and marketing.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Look for expositions and events for the food production industry. Events sponsored by food associations are usually held annually. They can give a good overview of available products and a chance to speak to vendors directly.

Food and beverage manufacturers help to keep food on our tables. If you are just getting started in this profitable industry, you may be confused by all of the new terminology. However, learning these new words is a key to your success, such as modified atmosphere packaging, air curtain, and SKU. Once you know the basics, you'll feel more confident working in the industry.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Store brand vs. national brand

National brands are also sometimes called advertised brands or simply brand-name goods. These are the brands that are produced nationally and you may see advertisements on television. Store brands are manufactured by the store and are typically cheaper. They are similar to generic brands.

I recommend: The quality of store and national brands has been hotly contested for a long time. Learn more about the battle of the brands from the Washington Post.

Air curtain

An air curtain is used in warehouses as a buffer zone between storage areas of two different temperatures. It helps to ensure that hot air doesn't enter a refrigerated space. This is essential for manufacturers that make and store different types of products.

I recommend: Learn more about air curtains from Advanced Energy Solutions.

Modified atmosphere packaging

Modified atmosphere packaging helps to extend the life of perishable goods. If your company produces items that can 'go bad' after just a few days, you'll want to consider this type of packaging.

I recommend: See examples of modified atmosphere packaging at Coextruded Plastic Technologies.

Stockkeeping unit (SKU)

Stockkeeping units, or SKUs are used by manufacturers, warehouses, and retailers to keep track of their products. It's an alphanumeric number that is registered in their computer database.

I recommend: Learn more about SKUs from TechTerms.com.

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point, or HACCP, is an effort to control food safety by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Efforts must be made to control potential hazards in food, such as microbes, toxins or glass. HACCP offers guidelines.

I recommend: Learn more about HACCP from the Food and Drug Administration.

Private label foods

Private label food manufacturers produce food products, but allow companies to put their name on the label. Some private label companies will also produce a product based on the customer's recipe.

I recommend: Learn more about the different types of private label foods available through Private Label Foods.