Choosing the right ingredient supplier for your food manufacturing business is not an easy task. You need to make sure that they offer high-quality ingredients, excellent service and have a good reputation. Even when you choose a reputable ingredient supplier, you could find that they just don’t hit the mark.
So, how do you make this tough decision? Below, we look at some of the things that you should consider before choosing a supplier.
Quality Of Ingredients
One of the main concerns that you will need to address when you are choosing a reputable ingredient supplier for your product is the quality. Some suppliers will offer higher quality ingredients than others and the price will usually reflect that. It can be useful to ask where the supplier sources their ingredients from in order to assess this. You can also usually ask for a sample as this can help you draw your own conclusions.
Check For Accreditations
Depending on the industry, you’ll usually find that there are some certificates and accreditations that ingredient suppliers can provide you with. A reputable ingredient supplier doesn’t have to have a long list of industry awards but if they do, you can usually rely on them for your business. One thing that you might want to look out for is SALSA accreditation as this can show that a company is the real deal.
Discuss A Delivery Schedule
If you are going to be relying on this ingredient supplier to help you get your products out on time, you are going to need to make sure that they can commit to a delivery schedule. You’ll need to know when they will deliver and how often. What happens if they forget to bring something? Do they bring a replacement or send a refund? If it is the latter, you’ll need to find an alternative so this isn’t always the best option. Companies who can’t commit to a tight schedule aren’t usually reliable.
Don’t Forget Food Safety Management
When you are looking for a reputable ingredient supplier, you should make sure to consider their food safety management policies. Not only do you need to know that they are safely sourcing their ingredients but that they are also working safely and hygienically in their factory. Usually, if you ask for a food safety certificate, they will provide one. This is extremely important so don’t forget to check before committing to anything.
Compare Prices
As noted above, a higher quality product is usually going to cost more. However, this doesn’t mean that you should just agree to a price that is convenient for you. Comparing prices that various suppliers give you is part of the process and they will understand if you can’t agree right away. Remember to compare various factors alongside the price such as reputation, delivery agreements and quality. This way, you can come to the right conclusion.
Try Who Knows Ltd
At Who Knows Ltd, we consider ourselves to be a reputable ingredient supplier across many industries. We deliver high-quality ingredients that are freshly squeezed and on time. Our juice is used in cheesecakes, sorbet and many other great food products. We always put our customers first and ensure they are happy with their products.
Get in touch today to request your free sample of our 100% freshly squeezed juice. Who knows… we could end up being your new reputable ingredient supplier!
