People love a good barbecue. That is why you see many barbecue restaurants out there. You probably tried your hand at it and have your barbecue sauce for your creations. For potential entrepreneurs, that sauce can be a gold mine. If you think you’ve got a great sauce that people will buy, you should seriously consider starting your own BBQ sauce company. Here is a short guide on how to start it right:
Have the Right Recipe
The first thing that you need is a great recipe. This is more complex than you might think. Different regions have differing tastes. This might limit your market depending on what you’re aiming for. This also presents an opportunity. You could potentially enter the market with a sauce that has a unique flavor.
The best way to know if you’ve got the right mix is to experiment constantly. Try out your sauces until you’ve got something that has customers giving it a thumbs up.
Have the Right Permits
Now that you have a recipe, it is time to have the right paperworkfor it. There are several legal issues that you need to clear up. For one, since you are making a food product, you need to show people that you are being diligent about food safety. This is where the right permits come in. Have local authorities look over your operations to ensure that you won’t have trouble from them in the future.
You also need to label your product properly so that everyone would know what ingredients go into the sauce. Additional permits might be necessary so it is a good idea to take a trip to the local small business bureau to ask detailed questions.
Have the Right Manufacturing Facility
Cooking your sauce on a stovetop sounds appealing for those who think of themselves as a cottage industry. But if you want to hit the big time, you need an independent location outside your home so you can focus on the work. It also shows that you are a professional.
Have the Right Packaging Equipment
Your barbecue sauce still needs to get to the customers. To deliver it, you need to package it right. Most makers bottle their barbecue sauces then ship them out. For your operations, you need something more than a funnel and screw-on caps. To be as hygienic as possible, buy a high-quality liquid filling machineand an automated bottler. You only need to load up your sauce and have it do all the work. This will save you effort and allow you to churn out hundreds of bottles of sauce in a few hours.
Have the Right Sellers
Selling your product at the local farmer’s market is for low-volume sales. Contact local sellersto start your operations. This allows you to reach more people and can potentially allow you to branch out to further groceries and other locations.
A great barbecue sauce can elevate an already excellent barbecue. That is why many barbecue masters would give your sauce a try. If it tastes well, you can expect more orders to come. With properly set-up operations, you will be able to handle all of those orders. Make your mark on the industry by bringing your unique recipe to every table.