Author: the greater goods

Getting food packaging can often be the most challenging part of finalizing your product. For any food business owner, running a small business has a lot of little steps and details that can often fly under the radar.

It can be easy to put off food packaging until later, but it’s a significant part of the production process.

Custom packaging supplies are essential for keeping your food product in a safe, contained environment but are also an essential part of branding.

The right boxes that match your product’s overall look, your company’s branding logo, and packaging design are all key design elements to making your food product look great on retailers’ shelves.

But when it comes to food packaging supplies, what kinds work best for your business? And how can you ensure total protection of your food products?

We’ll break down what you need to know as a food entrepreneur and the packaging supplies you’ll need to distribute your products.

How Packaging Protects Food

It seems obvious, but the right packaging material protects your food product from outside contaminants.

This may not seem that important if you’re selling food products door-to-door or from your home, but once you expand your business to bigger players, then it becomes imperative that you follow food safety protocol.

Whether you’re preparing takeout or takeaway from a food truck or packing a fresh cookie or two into bakery boxes, how you pack your food item is an essential consideration in the food industry.

The packaging supplies for food should contain the food in an enclosed space and, depending on the food, partially or completely seal the product.

This will ensure no harmful contamination occurs during transit, and food is less likely to spoil. A more controlled environment means you can set food expiry dates and predict how long your product will keep.

The right custom food packaging solution protects your product from moisture, which can happen over time if not properly sealed.

Nearly one-third of all food produced globally is wasted, and an easy step toward food waste prevention is ensuring food can keep on shelves for longer.

Vacuum Packaging

This is the most straightforward and common food packaging method, especially for products that can be easily spoiled. Vacuum packaging involves removing air from a packet of food, ensuring no oxygen in the packaging.

A lack of oxygen means the food gets preserved for much longer than with it since oxygen encourages microorganisms to grow.

Vacuum sealing your food is an excellent method of packaging a product that will spoil easily, as removing the oxygen reduces the risk of spoilage.

Safe vacuum packaging should be done with the proper machinery and trained food staff. If you’re planning on getting your food FDA certified or available to mass retailers, your food products must be vacuum sealed at the proper facilities.

Unfortunately, the downside to this is you cannot vacuum package from home, as there are no cutting costs regarding safety. There are other ways to cut food manufacturing costs, but you can read more on our blog.

Freeze Drying

Freeze drying is an excellent food packaging method, especially for dried fruits. If you’re looking to package your dried fruits or fruit and nut mixes, then freeze-drying is the method for you.

Freeze drying is a method of preserving food and requires food packaging that keeps it sealed and moisture-free. This is usually in a vacuum-sealed plastic food container or resealable bag.

Hermetic Packaging

Hermetic packaging is a common way to package food, and in layperson’s terms means airtight. The food is completely sealed off gas-tight and can keep harmful gas and moisture from entering the sealed package.

This package typically requires plastic packaging to ensure it has a tight seal. The package can also keep liquids from escaping, so it can be a good option for any liquid goods you’re planning to manufacture.

Aseptic Packaging

Another packaging option is aseptic packaging. This refers to the process of sterilizing food packaging supplies and any surface the food will come into contact with. Sterilization occurs through chemical, thermal, or radiation methods.

The food is packaged in a completely sterile environment and is the preferable option when packaging beverages or other liquids, like soups.

Co-Packing Can Cut Costs

If you’re on a tight budget and looking to cut costs where you can, it may be worthwhile to look into co-packing or contract packaging and see if it’s right for your business.

Packing goods is often the last step in manufacturing, and sometimes as a small business, you might not have the money in the budget to package products in-house.

This is where co-packing comes in. There are several ways to work with a co-packer or contract packager so they can package your goods according to your schedule.

Contract packaging companies are typically used for fulfilling short-term product packing needs.

If your food boxes or packing require specialized equipment and trained professionals on-site, it could be best to look into co-packing.

Packing services can help with design, inventory management, printing and production, thermoforming and fitting your product, and package assembly and fulfillment.

These packaging solutions can greatly benefit your business, so consider seeking out co-packing services.

Conclusion

These are the most common methods of food packaging and the general supplies you’ll need to get started on manufacturing. It depends on your product, where you’re selling it, who you’re selling it to, and how long the product’s shelf life is.

If it’s a dry product, you’ll need to determine if it needs to be freeze-dried, vacuum sealed, or sold as is and what kind of packaging supplies you’ll need.

More logistics come into play for other food packaging products that may need to be frozen, like how the products will travel in transit and how they will be packaged on-site.

If you have more questions about food packaging options, reach out to us at the greater goods for help with any food consulting needs.

Our specialists have a wide range of expertise in food packaging materials, sustainability, packaging supply, and safety.

We can help you connect with quality suppliers to protect your food products in transit and on retailers’ shelves until they get into the hands of your customers.

Packaging your goods is vital to finishing your food product and can come in many different forms. Many different aspects of food production come into play, and packaging is a marriage between technical and safety requirements and marketing needs for your business.

With the right packaging, you can keep your product safe from contamination and spoilage and properly reflect your brand’s image.

This is why it is crucial to work with the right manufacturer and packing facilities to ensure your product tastes great and looks great inside and out.

Let’s go through some of the most common food packaging materials and their applications.

How Are Products Packaged?

Products are packaged in several ways, and methods vary depending on the goods. For example, solid foods with a long shelf life can often be packaged in a plastic container or cardboard box.

Dried fruits and nuts can be stored in vacuum-sealed plastic bags or rigid plastic containers, depending on the desired shelf life.

Packaging depends on how the goods will travel in transit. If you’re planning to export your packaged food product out of the country, or send it to international distributors, then opt for packaging options that can extend your product’s shelf life and keep it decontaminated during transit.

The most common food packaging materials are plastics, glass, metals, and papers and their composites.

Can You Package Products at Home?

The best method for packaging products is at the proper packaging facilities. While you can package your food product at home, it depends on the product you’re selling.

We highly recommend outsourcing your food packaging and not packaging products at home. When you expand your business to outside clients and retailers, you must follow the proper health and safety protocols for your region.

Whether it’s getting FDA approval or following your region’s health and safety practices, food is packaged to keep it safe and uncontaminated in transit.

That way, it can be safely delivered from the production facility to the retailer and the customer.

Bottles & Jars

Jarred or bottled products both require the proper facilities. This is because packaging butter, liquids, or other goods in a sealed container like a bottle means that all surfaces must be decontaminated.

For example, nut butter should be packaged in an airtight jar sealed upon packaging. Liquids and butter have the potential to be contaminated more easily than solid foods, so they should be handled with care.

If you want to package your goods in food containers like cans, jars, or bottles, you will need the proper facilities to do so. You can outsource this service to a food packaging facility specializing in aseptic packaging.

Aseptic packaging refers to packaging goods while keeping all surfaces fully decontaminated and sterilized. Aseptic packaging helps avoid cross-contamination, which is especially important for foods containing common allergens, like nuts.

Trained professionals must be on-site, and the proper machinery must be used to follow full health and safety protocols.

Boxing

Boxing your product in a boxed structure is another option. This works great for dry foods, like biscuits and cereals, but keep in mind there is typically additional packaging inside the box.

For example, a box of biscuits will need to be stored in a plastic tray, sealed in a plastic bag, and then boxed in cardboard. This is to keep the product’s shape intact and ensure it doesn’t get contaminated.

A cardboard box is one of the most environmentally friendly packaging methods on this list, so it’s a great option if you’re looking for sustainable packaging methods.

Paper bags are also becoming more popular now and can help you reduce the environmental impact of food packaging.

If you want environmentally sustainable packaging methods, it doesn’t just stop at paper and cardboard. Draft a plan for your food product, and see how viable it is to include eco-friendly food packaging.

Plastic Containers

According to the Food Packaging Forum, 27% of the market share of packaging material is rigid plastic, meaning the market still needs plastic containers.

It remains one of the most cost-efficient and sterile ways to package food and give it a longer shelf life.

For any specific news and updates on the world of food packaging, the Food Packaging Forum regularly updates its website on the safety status of food packaging materials.

They cover not only plastics but silicones, can coatings, bioplastics, and more.

Vacuum Sealing

Vacuum sealing helps to prevent any contaminants from entering the product’s environment and keeps it sealed from outside moisture. This method usually uses plastic to seal the goods in a bag.

This is one of the safest and most efficient ways of packaging your goods and keeping them decontaminated, but it requires the appropriate facilities to be packaged.

If your products will be vacuum sealed, you may need to outsource product packaging or look into contract packaging. 

Conclusion

We’ve outlined the most used food product packaging materials in the market, but the method used really depends on your product.

Ensure you’ve done your research and your business is following the right health and food safety protocols in the manufacturing and packaging process of the product.

If you need help and aren’t sure where to start, we can help you find your first steps. Managing a food business is no easy task, and while juggling so many production phases at once, sometimes the packaging is the last thing on our minds.

So, drop us a line at the greater goods, and we can help you with your food consultant needs. Our team of specialists has industry expertise in sustainable factory production management and co-manufacturing, and we are always here to help.

Contact us today for a free consultation so we can help you get started with the food manufacturing process. 

 

If you have thought about starting your own home business, they say there’s never a better time than the present. When creating a food business, whether it’s an online food business, food truck, catering business, or cottage food business, there are plenty of factors to consider.

You must follow specific regulations depending on the kind of food you are planning on making and selling.

So many factors go into making an excellent food product, like the quality of kitchen tools, air quality, proper packaging, and shipping. Selling food can be challenging but worthwhile if you’ve got a unique product that keeps customers coming back.

Many businesses have started from home, slowly building customers and clientele, and gone on to make their food products in a factory and distribute them to larger clients and retailers.

If you’re ready to start your business, here are some things to consider before starting a food business and how to expand later.

Define Your Unique Selling Point

With a crowded food market, it can be challenging to get your food business started. But don’t lose hope! A great start to your business is defining your unique selling point to make you stand out from the crowd.

Do your research and see what gaps there are in the food market depending on the product you want to sell. If it’s baked goods, are there any products in your region that aren’t being sold?

For example, a gluten-free bread or a smoked meat product that isn’t readily available at your local grocer. There may be a unique product that customers are asking for, and your business could supply it.

Source Ingredients

Sourcing your ingredients and understanding the entire supply chain is one of the most critical steps in food preparation. Trace the supply chain from start to finish to make the proper claims for a food license and product packaging.

The customers to whom you are selling with your new food business deserve to know where the food comes from and what conditions the food is grown or raised in. Also, developing a good relationship with your food supplier can help improve trust and create a collaborative working relationship.

Follow the Rules and Regulations

Before getting started on what food product you want to produce, ensure you follow the laws for your region. For example, meat and fish often require licensing to sell.

How you store and handle food needs to be considered and inspected by the proper authorities. While it is a small business, it should follow all the rules and regulations so that you can maintain food safety and food hygiene and avoid any headaches or bumps along the way.

Plan Out the Day-to-Day

Once you’ve got your first orders placed and food to prepare, it’s crucial to determine what the day-to-day procedures of your business will look like.

Are you working on orders in the morning, doing food delivery in the afternoon, and doing paperwork in the evening? Is there a schedule that works for you based on your productivity?

As a small business, it’s often a small team of one or a handful of people. Even if it is just one person managing the daily tasks of a business, planning out your day and creating a set schedule will help manage all the things that need to be done every day. The more planned you are, the smoother the process will be.

Have Your Paperwork In Order

This detail can often be overlooked through all the chaos of starting a business. However, having all your paperwork in order and ready to present to any food inspectors, tax regulators, or other officials is an essential step for your small business.

Consider what tax documents you need to complete to run a food business from home. This depends on your local area, so check restrictions and laws regarding food businesses. You’ll need to register as a business and claim any taxes.

Also, find an organization system that sorts your orders, income, and expenses. These are all essential but tedious parts of running a business.

Consider Sales and Advertising

You’ve done your food preparation (and followed good food hygiene for safety), and you’re ready to sell, but you’re having trouble finding customers and clientele.

It could be worthwhile to put some of your budget into advertising your business online or in person at local businesses. This could mean buying ad space online or going to local events and markets to sell your products.

There are also plenty of free or low-cost ways to advertise online. Having a social media presence and posting pictures of your products is a good start. Most social media platforms offer low-cost advertising that can boost your audience’s reach.

If you are posting your food online, make sure you have a way for customers to reach you. Set up a business email, an online store, a business phone number, or whatever works for your at-home setup.

Come Up With a Five-Year Business Plan

Just like making a daily schedule, any plans you have with your business should also be planned out. Drafting a five-year business plan could be something you do at the very start of your business, or it could be thought out once you’re a few months in. Having a goal to achieve will help motivate you to keep expanding and growing.

So, plan out where you want your business to be in five years, and determine how you can get there step by step. If you want to expand your business, plan how to grow your clientele and eventually expand your production. Will you seek out another production location or hire more employees?

Think as detailed as possible, even if you’re not sure of every detail at the time of planning. Come up with a few big-picture goals, and scale down to the minutiae of each goal to determine what you need to do to achieve your goal. 

Conclusion

We’re here to let you know you can do it if you’re ready to take the plunge and start your own food business.

The home-based food business you’re looking to start can happen, and with some time, hard work, and resilience, your home-based food business can grow into an empire.

Our team of food consultants and experts here at the greater goods have industry-level advice and can help your business grow. Reach out to us for a free consultation.

Starting a food business involves many moving parts. The paperwork and regulations that come with opening any business can be complicated, even more so with a food business.

One aspect of getting your food business set up is getting the proper approvals from a food regulator. If you are manufacturing and selling your food in the United States, that may mean getting approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration.

Getting FDA approval may sound intimidating and lengthy, but it could be easier than you think. Depending on your manufacturing product, you may not even need FDA approval.

It is essential to know, however, what steps you will need to take to get FDA approval, and we’ll give you some tips on what you can do to be FDA compliant, get your food approved, and get your business started.

What Does the FDA Do?

If you’re new to the food regulation process, you might wonder what the FDA’s purpose is in the food industry. The United States Food and Drug Administration works on a federal level to protect and promote public health.

Their role in public health is to regulate human drugs and biological products, which include food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, and others. Their work helps to keep consumers safe, and businesses safe from handling any toxic substances.

What Foods Require FDA Approval?

Since they have a wide range of food and drugs to regulate, whether you need FDA approval depends on your business. Foods that require FDA approval include bottled water, dietary supplements, food additives, infant formulas, and other food products.

Some food products may need not only FDA approval but also approval from other departments. For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates health standards for meat, dairy, and poultry. Meanwhile, drinking water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Research your food sources and ensure every ingredient is up to regulation and that individual ingredients are FDA-approved.

For example, the FDA regulates food additives, and all ingredients in food and color additives need to be approved before being used in food.

Does the FDA Need to Approve the Production Facility?

Whether making your food products from a home office, a rented office, or a factory facility, your office location needs to follow health standards.

While the FDA approves food products, a food inspector may need to visit your food facility to ensure it is up to health standards.

However, the FDA states on its website that they do not independently approve manufacturing facilities.

The FDA “does have authority to inspect regulated facilities to verify that they comply with applicable current good manufacturing practices and other requirements, including adequately designed and controlled production processes.”

So, if you have a food facility, however small or large-scale, it should be registered with the FDA before selling any food products in the U.S. market.

At-Home Business

If you are an at-home food business, the FDA provides many guidelines on what rules and regulations you need to get approval.

The regulations you need to get approved depend on what you are producing, your food ingredients, and if you are selling these goods in the U.S.

The FDA does state that you may not need their approval if you are an at-home business:

“Under federal regulations at Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), section 1.227 (21 CFR 1.227), a private residence is not a “facility” and thus, is not required to be registered with FDA.”

You don’t need FDA approval if you manufacture, pack, and hold food at your private residence. The private residence is defined as your private home and not a commercial facility you’ve rented out for food production. If the latter is the case, then you may need FDA approval.

Small Businesses

If you’re a small business, the FDA provides support to help ease the food regulation process. They offer plenty of contact information and ways to reach them online, on the phone, or in person if you are based in the U.S.

Their small business assistance services can be beneficial if you need clarification on whether you need your food product and ingredients FDA approved or how to get the approval process started.

They can hold exchange meetings, educational workshops, provide informational materials, and you can speak to an FDA agent to get all the information you need to know.

Your food may need to be regulated by the FDA and other government food inspection agencies. It’s essential to check with your local county government to understand what approvals you will need to get your product on the market.

Following health and food safety regulations are paramount if your product is manufactured in a large facility. Having a food and health inspector visit regularly according to guidelines is critical to keep in mind during facility check-ups.  

Foods Not Regulated by the FDA

According to the FDA website, food businesses that the FDA does not regulate include retail establishments, such as grocery stores, food trucks, restaurants, and farmer’s markets. Instead, local governments regulate retail stores, and you should follow those restrictions.

It’s important to note that if you aren’t based in the U.S. and aren’t planning on selling or exporting your product to the U.S., you don’t need FDA approval.

However, if you are, you will need their approval to ensure the product is safe for the U.S. market.

Conclusion

Every business has unique circumstances and should follow federal regulations accordingly.

While there are plenty of resources online, including from the FDA itself, we know it can be challenging to navigate all the regulations needed to get your food product on the market, and we’re here to help.

With industry experience in the U.S. market and globally, our food consultant team can provide advice to get your food product FDA approved and ready for the market. Reach out to us today for a free consultation.