7 Tips for Setting up a Pickled Vegetable Business
In the past few decades, pickled vegetables have become very popular. While pickled foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut have always been considered cultural favorites, they were not really food crazes. That is until their incredible health benefits were known. Now a multitude of homes is stocking up on picked vegetable dishes. If you are thinking of setting up a food business, and you need ideas for what food to produce, then look no further. Pickled vegetables are a perfect choice. They are healthy, popular, and very easy to produce. Before you start your business though, you should have a strategy. Here are 7 tips for setting up a pickled vegetable business.
- Choose Key Products to Make
If you are going to run your very own pickled vegetable business, it is very important that you choose the type of pickled vegetable you are going to mass-produce. Remember that there is a multitude of pickled vegetable recipes out there, and it does not make sense to produce all of them. Instead, you should just choose which ones are the most popular, and easiest to mass-produce. If you are going to choose a specific product to mass-produce, it is important that you do research on how to produce them.
- Make Sure You Follow Proper Food Preparation Protocols
When it comes to setting up a food business, you and your workers should always adhere to proper food preparation protocols. Remember that you are working with fermented foods. If your food preparation is sloppy, and your ingredients get contaminated, the consequences could be very grave.
Before you start the production process, you should clean all the surfaces regularly. It is also important that you wash all the vegetables thoroughly before you process them. You should also clean all your equipment and containers before you start the pickling process. It might be a pain to be so meticulous with your prep work, but if you want your food to be safe, you will need to follow proper food preparation.
- Invest in Quality Containers
Aside from the proper preparation of your pickled vegetables, it is important that you invest in quality containers as well. Remember that you will be mass-producing your pickled vegetables, and selling them to various supermarkets. If your containers are lacking in any way, they might break or even cause spoilage.
While you could go cheap and opt for plastic containers, it is better if you use glass containers instead. They are much more effective at preventing spoilage, and the product won’t have that plastic taste that is common to food that is stored in plastic containers.
If you want to purchase glass food jars wholesale, you should reach out to Retell. It is a company that specializes in custom-made glass containers. They are also very efficient at creating and mass-producing glass containers. Their prices are also very accommodating.
- Use Quality Ingredients
Aside from following the best recipes for your pickled vegetables, it is also very important that you use only quality ingredients. Some people might argue that because you are only making fermented vegetables, it doesn’t really matter what kind of vegetables you use. This is a misconception because the quality of your ingredients will really affect the end result. For example, if you are going to make kimchi, you will need to use the right type of cabbage. While you could technically use almost any type of cabbage for your kimchi, the best type will always be Napa cabbage. It is very crisp, and it is perfect for the fermentation process. As a whole, it is important that you make connections with trustworthy suppliers.
- Practice Quality Control
If you want your business to thrive, it is very important that you practice quality control for all your products. You might have the best-pickled vegetables in the world, however, if your products are inconsistent in their quality, you will eventually have a problem in your hands. Remember that one bad review from your clients could damage your company’s reputation.
- Market Your Products
Even if your products are perfectly made, and your containers are expertly wrapped, this will all prove useless if you don’t market your wares. As a rule, it is best if you market your products months before you actually release your product. It is also a good idea to set up a website for your company. Remember that a majority of marketing is now done online. When you set up your website, it is important that you make it both attractive and informative. It is a good idea to come up with a specific color theme for your company. You should also post examples of your products through your website. It is also a good idea to post the history of your company and the process and ingredients for your products.
- Reach Out to Supermarkets
If you want to make a profit from your picked vegetables, it is important that you reach out to supermarkets. If you could have a supermarket sell your products, then you are in a really good position. If you could convince a supermarket to sell your products, then they will buy your produce in bulk, and sell them through their shelves. By having supermarkets sell your products, you are not only making a profit, you are also eliminating the risk of not selling your products.
Conclusion
If you want to set up a food manufacturing business, you should try making pickled vegetables. Picked foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut are gaining mainstream status through their health benefits. They are also very easy to produce, so you could definitely make a business out of it. However, before you do start your business, you should have a strategy. With these tips, you’ll be able to set up your picked vegetable business in the most efficient way possible.
