6 Things To Get Right When Selling A Food Product In 2024 [2024]

Hey friends how are you? and congratulations, you have a fantastic food product that you want to sell to as many consumers as possible. However, as you may have already suspected there is so much more that goes into making and selling a successful culinary product than how it tastes. Indeed, to be successful, you have to get the commercial side of things right as well. Luckily, you may obtain some advice on five of the most critical elements to consider while marketing a food product, below.

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01. Know your customers well

6 Things To Get Right When Selling A Food Product In 2024

Chances are if you have a product in mind, you already have a strong notion about your target market. However, knowing precisely what your ideal customer wants and needs goes much beyond offering them the perfect goods. Indeed, your ideal client profile should inform everything that your firm does from choosing the price point to marketing, packaging, and even what platforms you choose to sell on.

One of the greatest ways of maximizing success with a food product is centering every decision you make on the needs of your customers. With that in mind, collecting data that will assist you in establishing a clear image of who your ideal consumer is and what they want is crucial. Evidence is the phrase here also when in doubt be sure to take out market research rather than just assume you know what people want.

02. Carefully calculate your costs

The difference between cooking on an amateur level, and manufacturing a food product for profit, is profit! That implies you will need to carefully work out all the costs involved in bringing your goods in front of the buyer. Especially as food products tend to have one of the lowest markups in the entire commercial world, which means you will earn a profit by selling at volume.

Unfortunately, figuring out an appropriate cost for each item can be challenging. After all, the price of different ingredients and numerous variables like packaging or transportation can chop and vary. The good news is there are tools out there that can help you, from apps where you can input the price of each item in a recipe and then divide by the quantity in a batch, to linked spreadsheets that can watch current pricing for you and modify your RRP accordingly.

03. The sort of packaging you utilize

Another crucial factor to get right, when it comes to selling a food product is the packaging you choose. This is because the packaging has to complete numerous responsibilities including ensuring sure your product looks well, promotes your brand properly, gets the eye of shoppers, and protects the contents within.

It’s not always easy to select which sorts of wrapping to choose for your goods either, as, like these coffee packaging samples, there tends to be a large choice to pick from. Of course, recognizing the elements most important to your customer helps here, as you can then measure the quality of packing in terms of these.

For example, if you know your customer wants to be able to keep your product fresh at home for the longest possible time, using vacuum-sealed packaging is a smart choice. However, if you know that being able to view the product through the packaging so they can choose the exact unit they want is more critical, clear plastic pouches or rigid packs will be a far better alternative.

04. Your nutritional and allergen labels

We’re not talking about sticking a sticker with your branding and logo here. Instead, labeling is all about following the rules for your location about ingredients, allergens, and nutritional information.

In some regions, even the appearance of the label down to the font size you select is restricted. To that purpose, it’s crucial to work out ahead of time how much room any nutritional info labels will take on the packaging of your items ahead of time. It’s also vital that you have a food scientist work out the nutritional makeup of your product properly so it’s accurately displayed on your label. Otherwise, you could land up in hot water before you have sold even a single device.

05. The platform(s) you select to sell on

There is a range of platforms to consider when selling a food product. The first of these is online, either by hosting an eShop or by selling via a ready-made platform like Etsy. Of course, if you are going to sell in this fashion there are a few things that are important to your success.

The first of these is having outstanding product photographs, add videos to your listings as well if you can. You may even wish to use videos of the manufacturing process to assist in establishing confidence and exhibit transparency with your customers.

Next, while selling online you need to carefully analyze your pipeline. This is because if you opt to pre-make things they may not sell before their best-beforebefore date. However, if you want to build them to order this can cause a delay in getting them to the buyer, which may turn some people off.

Although it’s worth mentioning that for most food and consumable businesses selling fresh goods online, the latter choice seems to be the more popular. Just be sure to keep your consumers informed as to the waiting time involved.

Selling your food items online is far from the only option to consider here. Indeed, many food-based businesses have also found success by selling either directly to the client or by allowing retailers to stock their products. Artisan products and out-of-town whole food markets (sometimes paired with garden centers) are a match made in heaven.

One approach to selling directly to your target audience is to choose farmers’ markets, which are a considerably lower-cost method than establishing a permanent shop. Additionally do not rule out the option of allowing merchants to stock your products, since this might considerably boost the amount of individuals you can reach. Also, by having a contract with a store for a predetermined amount each week or month, you can build a regular income for your goods.

06. Leverage Social Media and Influencers When Selling a Food Product

In 2024, utilizing social media and influencer marketing will be crucial when launching a new food product. Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube have become powerful tools for discovering and promoting new brands. Partnering with influencers in the food and beverage space who have a large, engaged following can help raise brand awareness and drive sales.

When leveraging influencers, ensure you work with those who genuinely enjoy your product and brand. Their authentic enthusiasm and real reviews will resonate most with their audiences. Provide influencers samples of your product and suggested social media content, but also give them creative freedom to post about your brand in their own unique style. This authenticity is key.

Hashtag campaigns, social media contests and giveaways are other useful ways to increase engagement and buzz around a new product launch. For example, encourage people to post photos or videos on Instagram of them enjoying your product using a unique hashtag. Repost some of the best user-generated content on your own social media profiles. This social sharing helps to build excitement and word-of-mouth marketing.

A strong social media presence, especially on visually-focused platforms, is also important for any food and beverage brand today. Post high quality images and videos of your product, behind-the-scenes footage of your company and staff, and repost any influencer or user content.

Engage with your followers by liking and commenting on their posts, and replying to their comments and messages. Regular social media activity, especially around a new product launch, will keep customers engaged and help convert them into loyal fans.

While traditional advertising still has its place, leveraging social media, influencers and user-generated content should be a key part of your marketing strategy when launching a new food product in 2024.

An authentic, active presence on social platforms combined with partnering with key influencers in your niche will enable you to reach more potential customers and spread word-of-mouth buzz about your brand. With the rise of social media and influencer marketing, these tools provide an affordable way for food and beverage startups to compete with more established brands.

Conclusion

In 2024, selling a food product will require a mix of traditional and innovative strategies. You must have a product that tastes great and meets consumer demand for natural, sustainable ingredients. Focus on quality, not cutting corners. Build your brand and connect with your customers through social media and in-person at events. Pay attention to trends but stay true to your vision.

Selling a new food product is challenging, but if you get the fundamentals right, focus on continuous improvement, and maintain your passion you’ll find success in today’s competitive market. The key is keeping the customer at the heart of every decision. With hard work and persistence, you can turn your homegrown idea into a thriving business. The future of food is bright for those willing to put in the effort. You’ve got this!