Before Hiring a Food Product Developer
A Comprehensive Guide to Define Your Product Vision and Assess Readiness
Traditional R&D timelines run 1-2 years, but even lean teams can launch responsibly in as little as 6-9 months. How? Investing the time to properly define a product concept, combined with strong decision-making ability.
This guide is designed for food entrepreneurs and established companies who want to launch new products effectively and efficiently. The decisions you make before development begins directly influence the approach, timeline, and budget required — while also revealing your organization's strengths and gaps (valuable context when selecting the right development partner).
The Complete Preparation Guide
READ THE FREE GUIDE - No email required
Learn how to define your concept with the clarity that aligns marketing with technical expertise, preventing costly miscommunications and scope changes mid-development. Whether launching a first product, an iteration to an existing product, or a line extension, this framework ensures everyone speaks the same language from day one.
Inside the guide:
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The 4 essential layers of product definition
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Key preparation questions about recipes, suppliers, and manufacturing
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What to consider when planning timelines and defining success
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Self-assessment framework for readiness and gaps
In food product development, knowing what you want isn't just helpful — it's the secret ingredient that determines whether a product ever makes it to the shelf.
The Product Development Brief
The essential framework adapted from our internal process — used to achieve compliant prototypes for our clients 100% of the time! This Brief reflects 10 years of refinement and serves as the foundation for all product development projects we complete.
What makes this brief special:
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10 years of iteration based on real project outcomes
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Used by FareScience to achieve 100% compliant prototype delivery
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Printer-friendly design for offline work
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Digital format for your final version
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Strategic framework that aligns creative vision with technical feasibility
FareScience's proprietary framework based on real project outcomes over the past 10 years — the foundation of our prototype success rate.
Next Steps:
Once you've completed your Product Development Brief, email us your digital copy at admin@farescience.com.
As a thank you for your thoughtful preparation, we will provide a 1-hour complimentary consultation to explore your concept in detail and share our insights.
About MJ Kinney & FareScience
Founder & Lead Product Developer
MJ Kinney brings a decade of specialized experience in better-for-you and plant-based product development to the commercial food industry. Her expertise spans B2B, B2C, and nonprofit sectors, with a focus on finding synergies between ingredient innovations and scalable, novel applications.
What Sets FareScience Apart:
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100% prototype success rate using the Product Development Brief
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10+ years of refinement in food product development methodology
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Cross-sector experience from startups to established brands
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Innovations focused on emerging ingredients, alternative protein, and better-for-you products
"After seeing the same costly mistakes repeated by food companies — from startups to established brands — I created this guide to share everything I wish my clients knew before our first meeting."
FareScience specializes in innovative foods that require a bespoke approach. We excel in balancing science, technical know-how, and creativity alongside our industry relationships. We don't just provide a service, we also educate our clients toward self-sufficiency — building the foundation for a trusting partnership that lasts far beyond the scope of a project.
Our Capabilities
Explore our approach to the most common tasks and challenges a part of food product development.
Request A Quote
This form is just the first step and offers a preliminary call before reviewing your Product Development Brief.