5 [ستبس] إلى يعبّئ منتوجك

منتوج يعبّئ يستطيع حقّا جعلت أو كسرت قدرتك أن يبيع منتوجك, غير أنّ مع هذا خمسة [ستبس] بسيطة إلى يبدأ يعبّئ منتوجاتك, سيتلقّى أنت كثير يتيح ذهبت من أشياء.

تكون أنت إحساس يقهر خلال يحاول أن يطوّر مجموعة ينوى لمنتوجك جديد تماما? يفاجئ هذا لا واقعيّا في ال بعض. قد جعل يعبّئ اسم ل بنفسي كالصناعة ثالثة كبيرة في البلد كاملة, وهناك أكثر من [تن ثووسند] يعبّئ صاحب مصنع في الولايات المتّحدة الأمريكيّة فحسب. هناك هكذا كثير مختلفة بائعات وإختبار مادّيّة, مع الإختبار يتوفّر إلى أنت يكون في الواقع لانهائيّة.

[إين وردر تو] بدأت يعبّئ منتوجك, يحتاج أنت أن يكون يمكن أن يضيّق نزولا إلى الموردات وال [متريلس] أنّ يكون يتوفّر إلى أنت. هذا يذهب أن يكون خطوتك أولى ل عندما قد طوّر أنت منتوج دون يطوّر مجموعة أنّ يماثل مع هو. الذي بائعة يكون يذهب أن يكون ال يصحّ بائعة ل أنت? ماذا يكون ال [بكج متريلس] أنّ يتلقّى أنت يتوفّر إلى أنت? تكون أنت مدركة من الفروق دقيقة أنّ يتواجد بين كلّ نوع المادة, [أس ولّ س] ما نوع القيمة كنت سيحضر ب كلّ عندما يذهب منتوجك وه يماثل يعبّئ أن يتسوّق? كيف يكون أنت تذهب أن يفرز من خلال [ألّ وف ث] معلومة [أس ولّ س] موردات خارجا هناك [س ثت] أنت يستطيع بدأت يعبّئ منتوجك جديد تماما? سيحصل هذا خمسة قواعد أنت يذهب.

أتمّت 1 - [فيرست ند فورموست], واجب منزليّك. قبل أن يقرّر أنت حتّى كيف أنت يكون تذهب أن يريد أن يصمد مجموعتك لمنتوجك, أنت تذهب أن يريد [ت] يرى ويفهم تماما ماذا يكون سابقا يكون جعلت يتوفّر على السوق. Even if your product is being touted as the greatest and newest invention out on the market today, you are still going to have competition of some kind that you will need to contend with. You need to start by checking these things out first and foremost. You should visit outlets that carry products that are similar or at least that fall into the same category. If you have a house ware product that you are trying to sell, you should check out stores that also market house ware products. You should go to a variety of different stores to get a feel for what is available out there. You are not going to want to develop a brand new, excellent packaging concept only to find out that your idea is not as original as you had previously assumed. The more you look around beforehand, the better informed you will end up being in the end. You also want to make sure that you do not go into information overload, which can sometimes happen if you visit too many outlets out there.

2 - Choose your Materials. This is not nearly as simple as it may sound, because there are a number of different influential factors which may impact what products should be packaged in different materials. Certain products are capable of lending themselves to special merchandising, for example. Some products are only capable of being merchandised in certain types of materials. How the product will be merchandised may or may not actually dictate what types of materials are available for your use. For example, if you want clarity so that the entire product can be viewed, then plastic is the most likely material for packaging your product. The choice of materials available for your product packaging may also depend on what is available in your local area.

3 - Optimize the profile for your package. This is commonly regarded as your retail footprint, or in other words, how much space your product is going to take up when it is on the shelf. Your goal should be to have the smallest possible size or the smallest possible amount of packaging that you possibly can while optimizing the shape of the packaging and the design of the packaging as well. It is important that you completely understand the concept of retail footprints in order to have optimized packaging for your product. Retail space is truly at a premium, so if your product takes up less space, your retailer will be much happier with you. This is especially useful when your ideal retailers are picky about who they give space to and how much space they give to each product, so make sure to include your small size and optimized packaging in your sales pitch.

4 - Don’t be afraid to get advice. You may be completely and totally in love with your product, but that simply does not mean that you have all the answers when it comes to optimizing your packaging. You should be willing to listen to what it is that other people have to say when it comes to the packaging for your product rather than simply getting caught up in your own ideas. There are a wide variety of different resources that are out there for getting advice and feedback on your packaging, and many of them are free, so don’t be afraid to ask for suggestions on improvements, as you may be surprised at what you learn.

5 - Don’t be afraid to compromise. Your product may be fantastic, but you may find yourself needing to start out on a much smaller scale than you originally envisioned. Finding a vendor is one of the obstacles that people regularly run into, so don’t be discouraged if you have trouble at first. You should look for stock items that are capable of being customized, customizing your stock containers however you like rather than investing into more costly packaging options at first. There is nothing wrong with improving your packaging later as necessary, but it would be foolish to pour a lot of money into a packaging design only to determine later that it is not what retailers want or what customers are specifically looking for. Designing packaging for your products is a lifetime commitment, so don’t be afraid to experiment and make changes over time.

The Contract With The Copacker

This packaging tip is an excerpt from “Choosing and Using a Copacker” by John E. Rushing, Ph.D. It is published by North Carolina State University.

North Carolina State University’s Department of Food Science ranks among the top food science departments in the country. This recognition is the result of excellence achieved in all areas of the university’s mission: teaching, research, and extension.

The contract

Obviously, written orders should be placed with the copacker. Specifications should be furnished for supplies, ingredients, processing and finished products. A written contract can help you avoid a lot of problems later on. Be sure you understand what you’re contracting for. Check with your attorney.

Below are items which should, at a minimum, be addressed in the contract:

• What are the services you are contracting for? Who will handle raw product testing? Where are records to be kept? How will final product quality be checked?
• What ingredients and supplies are you responsible for purchasing or providing? What is the disposal for excess ingredients or supplies which you purchase or furnish? Where will they be stored between processing runs?
• What processing manipulations will be required for ingredients such as slicing, dicing, or blanching? Are piece sizes specified?
• Will there be samples furnished for your approval prior to the first production run? Will there be storage/stability or finished product tests?
• Are you to be present and consulted during processing plant runs? If so, are you covered under insurance or Workman’s Compensation?
• Will you have any coverage under the manufacturer’s product liability insurance? If so, what will it be? Note that it will be necessary for you to furnish your own liability insurance to sell your product to stores.
• What are the critical factors which must be met in processing, such as pH, packing temperatures, or heat processing? Require documentation that these have been measured and met.
• Are ingredient substitutions accepted? What are the limits? Are these covered in your ingredient specifications? Note that manipulation of ingredients may render your ingredient statement or nutritional information on your label inadequate.
• The contract should note scheduled processes which must be filed and certifications which must be obtained. If the product is listed under a marketing program such as “Goodness Grows in North Carolina” there must be certification of use of required ingredients.
• What is the delivery date of the finished product? Must it be immediately removed from the premises?
• What are the payment terms? Usually these are 10% down and the remainder on delivery.
• What will render the product unacceptable? What are the appearance factors such as color, separation, piece size, and texture? Who will judge adequacy of flavor and taste?
• What are the appearance factors for the container, such as label placement, closure gasket materials and closure color, or neckband placement, size and color? How tight is the closure to be?
• Who is responsible for disposal and disposal costs or rework of unacceptable product?
• The entrepreneur should furnish labels, what size are they to be, what style and orientation, and how are they to be wound? (It is recommended you have the copacker specify the labels in writing to be sure they will run on his equipment).
• How much lead-time is necessary for the next and subsequent production runs to be delivered?
• Will the copacker be required to furnish grade certifications, third party audits or other certifications of lots and batches? The copacker should certify that the label statements are accurate.
• What lot or batch coding is to be used? Where will it be placed on the container and how will ingredient processing and testing records be filed to correlate with the code?
• What is the manufacturer’s recall plan? Be sure you have a copy. How are you to be notified?
• Is there a noncompete agreement with the copacker? Are confidentiality and privacy issues covered?
• What finished product testing will be provided?

While there may be many other points to be covered in the contract, the above represents those points for which many disagreements occur. While we recommend an attorney’s advice on contracts, the small entrepreneur may find the cost prohibitive.

Make the Relationship Good

A good working relationship with your copacker and an agreement which covers what he is expected to provide will make your venture more pleasant, and hopefully, more profitable. Get the copacker on your team. Give him a chance to be properly reimbursed for his services, then concentrate on selling your product!

Finding The Right Copacker

This packaging tip is an excerpt from “Choosing and Using a Copacker” by John E. Rushing, Ph.D. It is published by North Carolina State University.

North Carolina State University’s Department of Food Science ranks among the top food science departments in the country. This recognition is the result of excellence achieved in all areas of the university’s mission: teaching, research, and extension.

How do I find the right copacker?

For the entrepreneur, the best source of information about copackers, their abilities and how they work with entrepreneurs is often other entrepreneurs. Meet other entrepreneurs at state association meetings, food shows, and trade shows. More specialized copackers will often advertise in food industry trade periodicals and directories. State directories of manufacturers will provide information about manufacturing companies. Those who list private-label products are usually copackers. University extension services and state food and drug or agricultural marketing agencies can also be of help.

Bring your specifications and checklist to your first meeting with the copacker. You may wish to consult your attorney for instructions on protecting the confidentiality of your documents and conversation. Some copackers will restrict confidentiality agreements only to written specifications, formulations, pricing and customer information. Most will not agree to non-compete arrangements, as that would restrict their livelihood and their business interests. You may be able to use a model confidentiality contract furnished by the copacker.

The costs of all services at a copacker must be recovered. Be sure to have an agreed-upon price for each of these. Once an agreement is reached, be sure you will need a contract for services. Be sure to get a guaranteed price for at least a year.

Some copackers have an in-house R&D department. This can produce a considerable savings in time and development costs.

Ask to tour the copacker’s facilities. Note the state of cleanliness and order. Look at the most recent inspection report. Is the copacker operating under a quality control or food safety system such as HACCP? Do they have the equipment needed to process, label, and package your product correctly?

Request from the copacker the names of others he has copacked for. It is a good idea to speak with them about what it’s like to work with the copacker; ask about his commitment to schedules and to quality. Ask about concerns they might have.

Share both your present and future needs with the copacker. Early in the relationship, you may need small production runs, later you may wish to have more volume. Can the copacker deliver on production? What about peak seasons? In the specialty foods business, there are often seasonal needs, such as, the Christmas holidays, when turn-around time for resupply of stores may be short. Can the copacker accommodate this?

Usually, early in the process, it will be necessary to produce product for storage/stability testing. You may wish to produce samples in alternate sizes or different containers. Check to make sure these can be processed.

Choosing a Copacker

This packaging tip is an excerpt from “Choosing and Using a Copacker” by John E. Rushing, Ph.D. It is published by North Carolina State University.

North Carolina State University’s Department of Food Science ranks among the top food science departments in the country. This recognition is the result of excellence achieved in all areas of the university’s mission: teaching, research, and extension.

Before you visit the copacker

Before choosing a copacker, do your homework. You should have business and marketing plans in place which outline your product needs in terms of size and type of container, number of units per given period, price to the buyer and sales price. Small Business Technology and Development Center can be of assistance. Get technical help from a university, a consultant or a testing laboratory to determine needs for product stability and safety.

Once you have established the product information, write preparation and process instructions. Write specifications for ingredients, packaging materials, regulatory compliance, and finished product.

Prepare a checklist of needs you have from the copacker.

• Will you require product development assistance such as safety determinations, coloring, stabilizers and emulsifiers, or preservatives?
• What are special product concerns such as; acidity, thermal process, refrigerated ingredients, refrigerated product storage?
• Are there special ingredient concerns?
• Will the product require specialized ingredients in terms of variety, function, or piece size?
• Will ingredient preparation such as onsite chopping, peeling, coring, or sugaring be necessary?
• Can ingredients be purchased ready-to-use?
• Are there alternative sources for specialized ingredients?

Consult with your attorney and insurance carrier. What do they feel you should require of your copacker? Will a site visit be necessary for them?

Remember, scale-up of production from the home kitchen to the first plant trial may produce unsaleable or unusable product. Factors such as rate of heating, agitation during incorporation of ingredients, holding at high temperatures and pumping can affect ingredient functionality and product appearance. Adequate product development prior to the pilot run will minimize this, but unforeseen factors may still cause differences in product.

How will the final product be distributed? If it is to be shipped to a central warehouse, what requirements will you have for the copacker? Many companies are under mandatory solid waste reduction. Will the product be shipped in boxes or overwrapped trays? On which kind of pallet shall they be furnished? Should the boxes be overwrapped or glued to keep them on the pallet?

Will you need storage of ingredients, supplies, or finished products? Will you need the copacker to order or ship these materials? How much inventory will you need to have on hand?

Will the potential buyers of your product require that the food be manufactured under particular quality, safety, or certification systems such as HACCP, ISO 9000, Kosher or Halal? Do regulations require USDA compliance, or certification for low-acid canned foods or acidified foods? Is there mandatory HACCP compliance required? Is a third party audit required?

Using a Copacker

This packaging tip is an excerpt from “Choosing and Using a Copacker” by John E. Rushing, Ph.D. It is published by North Carolina State University.

North Carolina State University’s Department of Food Science ranks among the top food science departments in the country. This recognition is the result of excellence achieved in all areas of the university’s mission: teaching, research, and extension.

What is a copacker?

Copackers manufacture and package foods for other companies to sell. These products range from nationally-known brands to private labels. Entrepreneurs choose to use the services of copackers for many reasons. Copackers can provide entrepreneurs with a variety of services in addition to manufacturing and packaging products. They can often help in the formulation of the product. The copacker may function only as a packer of other people?s products or may be in business with his own product line. They may be, in fact, manufacturing several competing products. The range of services available from a copacker will vary depending on the size and experience of the copacker and the type of facilities and the capacity of their plant.

What are the advantages to using a copacker?

There are many advantages to using a copacker. The most obvious is to reduce startup costs for the food entrepreneur. Capital costs of equipment and facilities can be enormous. Using a copacker allows one to more accurately predict overhead costs due to manufacturing. Using a copacker can also reduce lead-time in getting a product to market. Choosing a copacker who already has processing lines in place almost makes manufacturing, packaging, and labeling a food product a matter of placing an order. The copacker may have experience with similar products which is transferable to the product you wish him to copack.

With established business, the copacker will usually have the proper regulatory certifications, lines of credit for purchasing supplies and ingredients, insurance, food industry contacts and sources to get the job done efficiently. They should be familiar with quality parameters, food safety requirements, and shipping needs. They will have the proper facilities for receiving and storing ingredients and can arrange storage of finished product. Some copackers will offer other services for entrepreneurs such as product stability testing, nutritional labeling, formulation assistance, ingredient substitution, and other product development services. In addition, they can offer suggestions on packaging and labeling the product, usually based on the types of filling, capping and labeling equipment in their facilities. They can direct you to professionals who can assist you in the design and marketing of your product. They usually offer the advantage of buying supplies and ingredients in bulk. They can arrange palleting and shipping to meet the needs of the buyer. costs due to manufacturing. Using a copacker can also reduce lead-time in getting a product to market. Choosing a copacker who already has processing lines in place almost makes manufacturing, packaging, and labeling a food product a matter of placing an order. The copacker may have experience with similar products which is transferable to the product you wish him to copack.

What types of obstacles might an entrepreneur face?

In addition to the above advantages for using a copacker, food entrepreneurs may face a variety of obstacles to manufacturing their own product. They may not possess the experience and expertise necessary to manufacture a food product. There may be zoning laws, which restrict certain business activities on the entrepreneur’s property. Loss of economies of scale for the entrepreneur may be such that the cost of the ingredients and packaging may be prohibitive.

Selecting A Contract Packager

Contract packagers (or co-packagers) can offer expert, cost-efficient, practical solutions to help you initiate, organize, streamline or improve your packaging or packaging operations.

The secret is finding a co-packager who can offer the specialized services you need. Here are some important points to consider when selecting a co-packaging service:

• Determine, as closely as possible, the nature and scope of the problem to be addressed, and the specific problem or task that you would like the co-packager to work on.
• Consult this website to find professional co-packagers with the specific expertise you need.
• Identify co-packagers with the expertise you require. Conduct a preliminary assessment of each of the most promising and appropriate candidates.
• If you have questions about a candidate’s background, call and ask questions. The key staff at a professional co-packaging service will be happy and proud to discuss the company’s qualifications to solve your problems, the staff’s professional experience, offer references, and supply any information needed to help you make your decision.
• Interview by phone or in person the most promising candidates to verify that their experience matches your needs.
• Find out if the candidate is an active, professional co-packager. Be sure to ask any question that might have a bering on a contract packager’s qualifications. What types of projects has the company worked on in the past? How long has the company been in operation? How big is the company? What size company does the contract packager most frequently work with? How are fees typically determined? How many of the contract packager’s accounts are repeat business? Is it a member of and active in the Contract Packaging Association?
• Meet the key staff. Make sure you are introduced to the quality control and operations people. The managerial and supervisory staff should have extensive experience in your industry with an understanding of your markets and a strong engineering background. The co-packager also should have training records for inspection by a prospective customer for the asking.
• Visit the facility to check out the housekeeping. A co-packager should be agreeable to letting you view the premises unless it would violate a confidentiality agreement.
• Once you’ve finished the interviewing process, request project proposals from the contract packagers whom you are seriously considering hiring. Make sure the final proposal(s) contain well-defined “Scope of Work,” “Services to be Provided,” and “Description of Fees” or “Fee Schedule” sections.
• Consider what is not in the proposals as well as what is: production rates, number of shifts, penalties for order changes or cancellation, storage for raw materials and finished product, and so forth.
• Resist the temptation to base your decision on price alone. A co-packager should ultimately act as an extension of your business. Often, what appears at first to be a more expensive contract packaging service will more than make up for the difference in the fees by saving you more money and solving your specific problems more efficiently.
• After you’ve fine-tuned details and reached an agreement on the co-packager’s proposal (particularly the “Scope of Work” section), sign a contract and/or issue an appropriate purchase order.
• Provide input, support and on-going interest to the co-packager thoughout the project. Bear in mind that you may be asking the contract packager to become familiar overnight with the knowledge of systems, technology and product quirks your company has had years to develop and work through.
• Be open to suggestions. Contract packagers are innovative, versatile and accustomed to efficiently working within narrow time frames. From experience, they often can suggest minor modifications that will save your company time and money.
• Be sure the co-packager knows and your organization understands that the contract packager is working for an executive within your company with sufficient authority to ensure that the contract packager has the full cooperation of everyone involved with the project.

If you are ready to hire a contract packager, please call us today!

Contract Packager Of The Year

The world?s largest snack food company recently presented Aaron Thomas Company their prestigious ?Contract Manufacturing Supplier of the Year? award. This recognition is due in part to our quality, reliability and leadership within their packaging supplier network.

Our packaging and manufacturing innovations were directly responsible for creating a new product category and our techniques were adopted throughout their co-packer supply chain.

This is the second time we have been honored by this significant client. A few years ago we were presented with their ?Multi-Packer of the Year? award. In a letter to Aaron Thomas it was noted that?

?Aaron Thomas earned the award by continuing to raise the bar on their own performance within the award categories. Aaron Thomas has a Year End Customer Complaint frequency of 0.4/mm. Reporting was accurate and timely and costs remained flat.?

We?d like to earn your highest honor as well. Call us today so that we can have to opportunity to shake your hand a year from now.

Contract Packaging Association

The Contract Packaging Association was formed in July, 1992, for contract packaging firms and those businesses related to them. The Contract Packaging Association promotes the growth and welfare of member firms.

Contract Packaging Association members are comprised of the nation?s leading contract packagers. Association members perform all packaging functions from the simplest to the most complex and from the glamorous to the hazardous. Member packaging services range from manual and semi-automatic to full-speed, high performance packaging lines. Other member services include design, warehousing, distribution and other business services.

The Contract Packaging Association?s objectives include programs to establish strong ethical standards among contract packagers and their clients, to increase knowledge and expertise within the contract packaging industry, to improve the business reputation of firms and the professional image of individuals within the industry, and to encourage the effective use of contract packaging services.

Aaron Thomas Company is a founding member of the association and Thomas Bacon, founder and president of Aaron Thomas is their first inductee into their ?Hall of Fame?.

Outsourcing Your Packaging Is Good Business

In a recent article in Investors Business Daily, it was revealed that outsourcing has become more than just an easy way to cut costs. It has become a strategic tool that gives businesses flexibility and access to skilled personnel.

Since the advent of the Internet, and the rush to get online, companies have turned to outside professionals for services and solutions. Hiring a full-time IT technician is costly and not an efficient use of resources. Outsourcing allows companies to focus on their core businesses while gaining access to skilled labor when they need it.

• Outsourcing is a way to boost revenue
• Outsourcing is a way to cut costs
• Outsourcing eases labor shortages
• Outsourcing cuts payroll costs
• Outsourcing allows companies to focus on core competencies
• Outsourcing reduces or eliminates some capital expenditures
• Outsourcing also allows businesses to change their corporate culture. If companies have renegade groups that are costly, ineffective, or difficult to manage, that group can be outsourced. This enables employers to change their workplace environment on-the-fly.

Still, most companies outsource projects in order to reduce costs and to gain outside expertise. A survey by The Conference Board indicated the following “Top-10″ outsourcing objectives (numbers are approximate):

• Reduce Costs (40%)
• Access to Expertise (38%)
• Improve Internal Service (37%)
• Focus on Core Business (34%)
• Maximize Resources (27%)
• Internal Flexibility (25%)
• Improve External Service (24%)
• Changing Customer Needs (20%)
• World Class Standards (15%)
• Continuous Improvement (15%)

When deciding to outsource, the real litmus test is whether outsourcing adds value. Does it really reduce costs? Is the investment in in-house training and machinery too great? Does outsourcing a service give you access to people with greater skill sets or companies with more resources available to them?

Bottom line: outsourcing your packaging services is about more than just saving money. It is a strategic option for savvy businesses and entrepreneurs.