Food Manufacturing

It is a hard question to answer without more details but generally speaking.

If you are creating things like cookies, baked products, etc. many people start at home, then take one of two routes.

1. Rent a commercial kitchen by the hour
2. Find a contract manufacturer with capacity to make your product.

If you are creating a new packaged product, most likely you will private or white label through a food manufacturer. Look at the Kirkland brand at Costco... think they run their own factories? Usually no. They find a food manufacturer and find a capacity to have a run made. Many of those companies act as Original Design Manufacturers to help you formulate and create your product.

I know one supplements company that has different manufacturers create their supplement (based on expertise) and because of their volume, package it in their own packaging and labeling operation.

The advantages of using a contract manufacturer is they will help you formulate, have proper labeling and even help you do the food testing (i.e. protein, moisture, etc). You can determine packaging and palleting requirements of the stores you want to sell in, etc.

So, if it was something you could do in your home, first place I would start is with your local municipalities food handling department. It could be sanitation, health department, etc. Every place is differenct.

Second, Go buy a close (or closest) competitor packaging and look at everything they have on it. Packaging type, UPC, Food Labeling, address, weight, disclaimers, etc.

Third, if you are going the packaged route, do one of two things:

1. google private label "keyword" and white label "keyword" - This will give you a start
2. google food manufacturer expo or food private label expo and see what you find

You might find this:

Welcome to PLMA

An expo or trade show will always be your best bet.

i owned a food mfg company. just look up manufacturers for the product you are interested in and send them a message/call them. Most people are plenty happy to help you out or give you direction. There are also private label trade shows/associations etc...

regulatory are state dept of agriculture, and FDA if you have meat etc...

startup costs really vary on how complicated R&D is, equipment needed etc... a mfg would prob charge you upfront R&D cost, unless you were really persuasive on selling them the business oppty.

I think what your looking for is called cottage food law.

Have a look around forrager.com.

Food is an awesome market..however it depends on what you want to do

Lots of food manufacturers are here in california but you meed to have a solid plan to approach them with...because if so they will help with the automation, packaging and labeling

The laws are plentyful, but a good manufacturer wont do anything illegal..as for marketing food online that.will be on advice of a lawyer or your own research