In Massachusetts we have a foundation owned, small commercial kitchen/packing plant that can be used by small companies that are just starting out. The cost to get a new product to market, I am told is under $10,000. The store that I shop at usually has 3 or 4 in store demos a year where some new product, usually a salad dressing or pasta/BBQ sauce, is sampled. The customer tries the product and walks off with a coupon, most of which can be found on the floor 1 aisle over. With the exception of Country Hen eggs, I can’t think of a product that started out this way that is on the shelf a year later. Check with the food science dept at your land grant university, and you will find that a lot of help is available. Just because few succeed does not mean that you can’t. If you want to sell through out door concessions, talk to those guys at parades and fairs. They are mostly little guys looking for a new product that will move. Some of them read these boards. Unless you are getting a patent, you might as well tell us what the product is.

quote:

Originally posted by bassrocker4u2

i will simply will tell you this. sysco is a heartless company that will try to squeeze you out of every penny they can.i have a friend that has been on both sides of the coin with them. a vendor and a customer. the nightmares he shares with us only slightly tell the truth about that company. i have my own nightmare about them i will tell you. i used to serve sysco products at my place. now for the most part, their stuff is undeniably the best quality you can find anywhere. however, its the other crap you have to deal with to get it that turns my stomach. i started a thread on another forum about a year and a half ago how sysco stomps on the little guy, and it is still going strong today. it seems all over the country, sysco has scaled down from working with small restaurants and not so politely either. they have put many small places its a bind by their business tactics without remorse. if the company self destructs tomorrow, i would call it a national holiday at my place. if anyone really needs more of an explanation, just email me and i will send you the thread.
i am [email protected]
peace.

oh yea, slick is right. it takes millions in liability insurance to get a new product on the market. plus, tons of FDA testings and regulations have to be met. i have a product too, that would fly off the shelves, but havent found a way to market it. my guess is for us to find someone like ‘donald trump’ who believes in it to back it up…..

To answer Billie……..yes, you will need to market your product through Sysco or some other food broker….even Costco or Sam’s….but you will need marketing, proper packaging, distribution and most of all……accurate nutritionals!
As bassrocker has taken the point to bash Sysco (which was not the intent of this thread) I would like to say that in my 25+ years of dealing with Sysco I’ve never been disappointed.

i will simply will tell you this. sysco is a heartless company that will try to squeeze you out of every penny they can.i have a friend that has been on both sides of the coin with them. a vendor and a customer. the nightmares he shares with us only slightly tell the truth about that company. i have my own nightmare about them i will tell you. i used to serve sysco products at my place. now for the most part, their stuff is undeniably the best quality you can find anywhere. however, its the other crap you have to deal with to get it that turns my stomach. i started a thread on another forum about a year and a half ago how sysco stomps on the little guy, and it is still going strong today. it seems all over the country, sysco has scaled down from working with small restaurants and not so politely either. they have put many small places its a bind by their business tactics without remorse. if the company self destructs tomorrow, i would call it a national holiday at my place. if anyone really needs more of an explanation, just email me and i will send you the thread.
i am [email protected]
peace.

oh yea, slick is right. it takes millions in liability insurance to get a new product on the market. plus, tons of FDA testings and regulations have to be met. i have a product too, that would fly off the shelves, but havent found a way to market it. my guess is for us to find someone like ‘donald trump’ who believes in it to back it up…..

quote:

Originally posted by billie-girl

I need help! I have a product I created that would be ideal to sell at amusement parks or any outdoor concessioons. I really dont know where to start….would I need to go through a food broker or could I go through Sysco and how difficult is that? Can anyone help me out there? Thanks!

Is this product so unique that you might need a patent? If NOT, tell us about it… [}:)]

I don’t exactly remember what Sysco requires, but the millions in insurance was enough to turn my head. And like CSD said, you won’t get far without a kitchen that’s subject to inspection.

Baby step your product as a test marketer. Set up a small display at a local farmer’s market or independent food store and allow customers to sample your product. Bring some to sell too. First check with your local health department. Most won’t allow the use of a personal residence to prepare food and may require a professional facility with proper licensing.

Probably have to start out as your own salesperson… Maybe recruit some in other states… Once the product gets a nod from the industry you’ll probably have no problem approaching a national distributor.