Professional Services 

• Accounting and bookkeeping: Proper management of cash flow is essential in running a business. You can hire an accountant or bookkeeper to help manage this or sign up for online accounting and bookkeeping services. These professionals can assist with managing income statements, determining profitability and tracking expenses. You will need these documents when filing your taxes. 
• Legal: Consider if you’d like to protect your brand and logo by trademarking it. You can also file for patents, copyrights and intellectual property protection. Legal professionals can also assist with employment contracts as well as contracts with vendors and other businesses.
• Marketing: You will need marketing support to help generate traffic to your business. Marketing professionals can assist with print and online advertising, public relations, social media and branding.
• Tech support: To optimize for success, you will need to launch a website and create directories and accounts on sites like Google Maps and Yelp. Technical professionals can assist with creating a website and adding payment gateways.

 

Ingredient Suppliers vs Food Distributors: What's the Difference?

Food ingredient suppliers sell specific ingredients and food additives to food and beverage manufacturers. These products can typically be ordered and delivered in bulk to keep costs manageable. Some ingredient suppliers even offer customized solutions and services to assist with food product development and reformulation. 

Food distributors stock products from manufacturers and sell them to retailers and food suppliers such as grocery stores, restaurants, and cafeterias. Typically, food distributors provide their own delivery services from the manufacturer or warehouse directly to the inside of their client's businesses. Orders can consist of an array of different products and can be delivered on a regularly scheduled basis. In some cases, businesses will only purchase products if they can be sourced through a particular distributor. Distributors require suppliers to have strict safety plans in place. If contacting a distributor, be ready with a HACCP plan, FDA-compliant labels, and any other quality assurance documents you can provide.

 

Ingredient Suppliers

Ingredient suppliers source the ingredients and additives needed to manufacture a food product. Below are some examples to guide your search:

• foodguys: Bulk ingredient sourcing, ingredient solutions, and more
• Grain Millers: Milled ingredient supplier, custom blend creation, formulation assistance, and consumer co-packaging
• Tree Top: Fruit ingredient supplier
• Puratos: Bakery, patisserie, and chocolate ingredient supplier
• Smirks: Bulk organic and non-GMO ingredient supplier
• ColorMaker: Natural food color additives and custom blends

 

Packaging

Help sell your product to the eyes of consumers by choosing high-quality packaging that fits with your brand. Some examples are listed below:

• Printex Transparent Packaging: Specialize in customized clear packaging for a variety of markets including food & beverage products and wine & spirits
• Graham Packaging: Lancaster, PA-based company specializing in plastic packaging for food and beverage products
• K.Sidrane: Specialize in pressure-sensitive food and beverage labels, shrink sleeves, flexible packaging and point-of-purchase display signage
• Rootree: Ontario-based company specializing in flexible and sustainable packaging
• Presto Labels & Packaging: Specialize in labels, shrink sleeves, and flexible packaging
• Pack Plus Converting: Specialize in flexible packaging
• Oliver Inc.: Specialize in folding carton packaging and pressure-sensitive labels

 

Co-Manufacturers/Co-Packers

Co-manufacturers and co-packers are contracted by food businesses to prepare and package their food products. Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and PickYourOwn.org have lists of co-packers organized by state.

 

If you would like your business listed on this page, please email all applicable information to Drexelfoodlab@drexel.edu. Hyperlinks or references to any businesses, services, or websites of third parties on this website do not constitute or imply their endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation by Drexel University