The food industry is a big wild place. There are complicated business twist and turns where you can easily get lost and fail but there are also safe zones where you can start with low investment and face minimal challenges.
This is why it is ideal for beginners and first-timers to start nice and slow when entering the food business. Though those who have what it takes can take bigger risks if they want to. Take note that the word online makes it even more difficult as food appeals to the sense of taste which can’t be accessed over the internet. Without samples, the best thing to do is to make up for it through branding.
This means having high quality package design, a user-friendly website, impressive photographs, creative and informative product page, as well as a copy that tells your story and help customers imagine how your product might taste. Everything from the label, the look, the feel and the text should all build up your brand name and brand identity.
When you work in the food industry, you should be extra careful because it is not only a matter of bankruptcy. You could also end up being thrown in jail with massive debt and all your assets confiscated. In case you sell meat, fish, or agricultural products which all require additional licensing, it is important that you consult a lawyer who is experienced with the food industry. The cost may be intimidating at first but it is for the good because the consequences of being reckless is much bigger.
Best Practices
The similarity of running a food business to any other type of business is that there is a high standard that you have to meet. For you to do that, there are certain practices that you must be able to learn and do all the time. That includes:
- Proper food handling and storage – This should be one of your top priority. You and not only your staff who should be knowledgeable and well-trained because you will serve as the guide that will keep your business on the right track.
- Supply Chain Tracing – Constant communication with your suppliers is necessary to ensure that the ingredients and other materials that you are using in your production are all safe.
- Lab testing of Products – This process is vital to identify elements that can pose risks to people’s health by triggering allergies.
- Keeping of records – It is important that you have documents that will help you track everything that is coming in and out of your stores or warehouses.
- Consulting a food inspector – As experts in the industry, their knowledge would be a great help for you to make sure that you are offering your customers the best quality of products and services that you can give.
- Liability Insurance – Imagine the worst-case scenario happens and someone gets sick, insurance will be your business’ life support. It is what will keep you covered so you won’t suffer detrimental loss.
Food Shipping
As part of the safety measures imposed to help stop the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus, many businesses have intensified their shipping and delivery services. Those who don’t have their own delivery couriers even partnered with logistics companies to bring their products to their customers doorsteps.
Shipping abroad is harder than ever due to stricter rules and varying restrictions on the different destination countries. Though the main role of the seller on the transaction ends when the food products go in the shipping stream, it is still important that they provide a customer service experience to provide assistance and attend to your customers’ concerns.
It will be your customer service representatives’ responsibility to keep customers informed about the laws in their respective countries that might affect the delivery of their orders.
Order pickup and local delivery
Having products that are not shippable doesn’t mean you cannot sell online anymore. Aside from local deliveries, you can also have a curbside pickup strategy where customers will pre-order and come get the product from your location without any direct contacts with you or any of your staff. This is one of the safest alternatives especially now that the world is being ravaged by COVID-19.