Before Hiring a Food Product Developer (Part 2): Acknowledge What You Have & Lack to Find the Right Partner

This guide is the second installment in our two-part series. To read part 1, click here.

Before you can find a food product developer, you must acknowledge what you have (& lack)

Not all food product development projects have the same needs, even when they require the same type of expertise. Taking inventory of your assets and gaps before you find a food product developer will benefit you in multiple ways. At minimum, it can save you time and money on billable consulting hours. More importantly, this assessment will inform your development and launch strategy, clarify which tasks to delegate, identify the specific expertise you need, and highlight areas where you may need to build knowledge.

Do you have a recipe?

Not everyone has a "starting" recipe let alone a "developed" recipe when seeking help from a food product developer. Avoiding recipe development may be precisely why you're hiring a professional — so it's certainly not expected. If you already have an attempted recipe or one that's tested and nearly ready-to-go, but need expertise for other aspects (such as sourcing suppliers, finding a contract manufacturer, or preparing for production), here's a valuable preparatory step:

• Convert all volumetric measurements to weight units. Transform cups, teaspoons, tablespoons, and gallons into grams, kilograms, or pounds. This critical conversion is essential for product scaling and allows you to verify ingredient quantities, ensuring recipe accuracy and consistency. DO NOT search for volume-to-weight conversions per ingredient. The results will be unreliable; it is worth the time to weigh them out yourself!
  

• For those wanting to be even more thorough, consider converting weight units into percentage-of-total format. Don't worry if this seems complicated — a food product developer can quickly input your recipe into a spreadsheet to handle these calculations.
  

Are you familiar with B2B ingredient suppliers?

Not everyone has ingredient suppliers figured out, which could be another reason you're trying to find a food product developer. B2B ingredient suppliers operate behind-the-scenes — it's likely you've never heard of them, and if you've come across a website, it's likely the best point of contact was a webform or general email account (e.g., info@company.com). Despite these challenges, the advantages of working with B2B suppliers include access to larger volumes appropriate for pilot and commercial production (translating to lower costs), compatible packaging for manufacturing environments, and detailed specifications that support consistent results.

Here are some valuable preparatory steps related to ingredient suppliers:

• If you have any recipe development completed (even if it's just a starting point), identify the ingredients you used by name, brand, and point of purchase. For example, if you sourced spices from a grocery store, note the specific name (e.g., "ground cinnamon"), brand (McCormick), and where you purchased it (Wegmans). This establishes a baseline for what ingredients have and have not worked and informs the ingredient search process.
  

• Clarify any strategic sourcing decisions. I've formulated around manufacturer-specific ingredients, but I've also sourced according to various sourcing standards — organic, country of origin, allergen-free (by region), and compliance with various third-party certifications.
  

• If you're already working with B2B suppliers or distributors, connect your sales contact there with your food product developer. Direct communication will support quicker turn-arounds for inevitable technical questions and document requests.
  

Do you have a manufacturer in mind?

Securing a manufacturer is a multi-step process even once you've identified a potential partner. Because this relationship is so important, it can set a number of priorities from the start. Like everything previously mentioned, it is not expected for you to have a contract manufacturing partner lined up. However, share where you are in that journey when you find a food product developer to partner with.

Here are some valuable preparatory steps related to manufacturing:

• Conduct basic market research to determine if the type of manufacturer you're seeking (starting with application type and within your country of residence) is available in the current landscape — they not always are!
  

• Identify ideal geographic regions for a manufacturer to be located, at least down to the state or province within your country of residence. Consider the travel time required and ensure it's a realistic destination for you. Your attendance is recommended for at least initial production orders, and ideally in advance of them (for touring and pilot production).
  

• If you already have a manufacturing partner in mind, be prepared to shed light on their processing capabilities, share a company website, and know some aspects of your working relationship. For example:
  

  • What are their volume requirements for pilot-scale production?

  • Are they willing to source ingredients for you and from their current suppliers?

  • Do they have all the equipment you anticipate you'll need?

  • How long can they provide storage post-production?

Have you calculated your product's cost of goods?

This exercise isn't particularly valuable for ingredients sourced exclusively through grocery stores. However, it can be fairly accurate for small companies that source ingredients wholesale online.

Here are some preparatory steps related to calculating your cost of goods:

• For each ingredient sourced wholesale, identify:

  • Weight per packaging unit (generally in 20+ pound, poly-lined, multilayer bags)

  • Cost per pound or kilogram

  • Minimum order quantities

  • Any additional rules or incentives that influence how you order (such as free shipping thresholds)
    

• Identify the margins for all parties in your anticipated supply chain — at minimum, this will likely include distribution and manufacturing, but may eventually encompass brokering or sales-related commissions, storage, and other possibilities unique to your launch and long-term business strategy.
  

By when do you need your product completed, and what does "completion" look like?

Some clients are looking only for a minimum viable product (MVP) for investor meetings, with the objective being to secure outside investment for the next stage of their project. Others are seeking readiness for sale, with the goal of generating revenue as soon as possible. Not all food product developers excel at project management, but providing a deadline helps both parties stay on track and establish clear expectations. Establishing a timeline isn't always obvious. If you're unsure where to start and feel like you're picking dates out of thin air, here are some suggestions:

• Work backwards from a major event in order to establish a deadline for (1) a MVP and/or samples, and (2) a launch date. It's common for these deadlines to align with a retailer's review cycle, a major trade show, or a significant holiday.
  

• Acknowledge industry timelines. Traditional R&D timelines from concept through commercial sale are 1-2 years for established food companies. For lean teams with strong decision-making abilities, timelines can range from 6-9 months, depending on the application (among other variables). If you're requesting anything less than 6 months, you need to firmly understand why and verify if that's truly necessary. If it is truly necessary, it is fair to expect a higher project fee for a food product developer to accommodate.
  

Taking honest inventory of what you have and what you lack is a critical step that too many entrepreneurs overlook when they set out to find a food product developer. By thoroughly assessing your current recipe status, supplier relationships, cost understanding, and timeline needs before engaging a developer, you position yourself for a more efficient collaboration and ultimately a more successful product launch. This self-assessment not only helps your developer provide more targeted assistance, but also empowers you to make better-informed decisions throughout the development journey. The time invested in this reflection process will pay dividends in avoided costs, realistic timelines, and a clearer path from concept to commercialization.

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Ready to move forward with your food product's development?

After completing Part 2 in our series, you're now better equipped to discuss your specific development needs. FareScience's Discovery Questionnaire helps us understand both what you want AND what you already have in place. We carefully review all submissions to ensure we can provide meaningful value to your project at its current stage. Complete the questionnaire thoroughly, referencing your asset inventory from this article, and our team will reach out to schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation (via video or phone) to discuss your tailored development path.

Discovery Questionnaire

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About the Author

MJ Kinney is the Founder and Lead Product Developer of FareScience. Over the past decade, she has specialized in plant-based product development with a focus on commercial scalability. Her years of experience span the B2B, B2C, and nonprofit sectors throughout the food industry, and her work continuously seeks synergies between ingredient innovations and applications in scalable, novel products.