Marketing

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The Business Side of the Food Industry

General Business Assistance
Food Regulatory Questions and Product Label Review
Legal Things to Think About
NC-Based Co-Packers
NC Shared-Use and Incubator Kitchens

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General Business Assistance

NCDA&CS Agribusiness Development Contacts:

Annette Dunlap (919.707.3117) or Ron Fish (919.707.3119)

Services:

• Comprehensive Business Plan Review
• Identification of potential financial resources
• Referrals to regulatory agencies
• Information regarding services of other agencies
• Information about product liability insurance
• Information about getting your product tested

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Food Regulatory Questions and Product Label Review

Contact: NC Food & Protection Division (919.733.7366) Ask for a Food Compliance Officer.
Or, visit their web site at: http://www.ncagr.gov/fooddrug/food/foodbiz.htm

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Legal Things to Think About

Sales & Use Tax Number (sales tax must be collected if you sell value-added products)
http://www.dornc.com/taxes/sales/

Low-Cost Legal Services for Entrepreneurs
http://ncleap.ncbar.org/

Tax ID Number for Your Business and Other Tax Considerations:
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=99336,00.html

Information on Business Legal Structures:
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=98359,00.html

Guidelines for Incorporating, forming an LLC, or Registering a Business Name if you are a Sole Proprietorship operating as a “d/b/a” (Doing Business As):
http://www.secretary.state.nc.us/corporations/

Inspected Establishments willing to Process Meat Products
http://www.ncagr.gov/meatpoultry/business.htm

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NC-Based Co-Packers

Bobbee’s Bottling
3959 NC Hwy 39 South, Louisburg, NC
Contact: Jerri Alford
Phone: 919.496.4286
Contact web page: http://www.bobbeesbottling.com/contact.html
Web page: http://www.bobbeesbottling.com/services.html

What they process:
Sauces, syrups, marinades, jellies, and seasonings (wet and dry mix).
Minimum order is 50 gallons.

Services:
Works with new entrepreneurs to scale up recipe for large-scale production.  Handles all ordering ingredients, mixing, chopping, cooking, testing, bottling, coding, and shipping.
Heat induction sealing
Two sided labeling
Blown on neck labeling
Flask labeling
Shrink band safety seal
Our quality assurance program guarantees product consistency
Volume shipping to any location or multiple locations
Vendor must provide own labels and have appropriate level of food liability insurance coverage.

D’Vine Foods
1585 US Hwy 701 S., Elizabethtown, NC 28337
Contact: Allie Nance
Phone: 910.862.2576
Contact e-mail: allienance@dvinefoods.com
Web page: http://www.dvinefoods.com

What they process:
Jams, jellies, ciders, juices, sauces, pickles, dressings, chow-chow, relishes, butters, syrups, salsas

Services:
Specialize in products that can be made from locally grown NC produce. Minimum order is a 20-25 case first run, approximately one-half batch for us.  Can put out about 200 cases a day of any product.

Shipping:  Freight truck or the customer can pick up; co-packer also has a truck that goes to Raleigh for customer pick up at no charge.

Labels:  Can print labels in house or producer can use outside suppler, whichever is most cost effective for them.

Golding Farms Foods
6061 Gun Club Road, Winston-Salem, NC
Contact: Mickey Craver
Phone: 336.766.6161 x1215
Contact e-mail: procurement@goldingfarmsfoods.com
Web page: http://goldingfarmsfoods.com/co_co-pack.php

What they process:
Condiments and dressings (pourable liquids only)

Services:
Private label and co-packing services.
4 Food Scientists on staff
New, expanded fully equipped lab
Fully staffed QC Department
SQF 2000 Level III Certified, excellent rating
Assistance with packaging and ingredient sourcing

Recommended for food entrepreneurs experiencing one or more of the following:

Volumes are too low for a full production line
Not enough capacity in existing facility
Needs are temporary
Need special runs for test marketing
Need expertise in food lab R&D
Need expertise in sourcing
Volumes are too low for a full production line

Company sources all ingredients.  Customer must provide labels; company will provide assistance with sourcing design and printer, and complying with regulatory requirements.

Transylvania Vocational Services, Inc.
Street address: 11 Mountain Industrial Drive, Brevard, NC 28712              
Contact : Nancy Stricker, CEO
Phone: (828) 884-3195
Contact e-mail: nancy@tvsinc.org
Website URL:  http://www.tvsinc.org

What they process:
A wide range of blended dry food mixes such as bakery mixes, nonfat dry milk, corn-soy-blend, dry organic foods, spices and other products.

Services:
60,000 square foot plant; 40,000 square foot warehouse, with additional warehouse available for surge capacity; EDI capability and computerized inventory management; product development lab & test kitchen

Quality programs and certifications:
ISO 9001-2008; Silliker Audit; Total Quality Systems Audit (TQSA); USDA-AMS Dairy Plant certification, Plant #37-011; US Army Veterinary Command Approved Source; OU Kosher certified

Full-time Quality Manager and Food Technologist on staff

Product packaging options: 

Flexible Pillow-Style Bags with reclosable or non-reclosable features in the following sizes:

• Smallest size:  5” X 7”  (can be used for 3.2 ounce individual packages)
• Intermediate size: 7” X 11” (can be used for 2 pound bags)
• Largest size:  8” X 15” (can be used for up to 5 pound bags)

Flexible Stand-Up Bags with reclosable or non-reclosable features in the following sizes:

• Smallest size:  3.5” X 4.5” pouches
• Largest size:  9.5” X 9.75” bags

Large Bag Packaging:

• 10kg
• 25kg

Semi-Automated fill for jars, canisters and pre-formed bags in smaller runs:

• Smallest volume:  2 ounces
• Largest volume:  1 pound

Vendor must have completed business plan and completed label review.

 

Quinn Specialty Products
603-B North Ashe Avenue, Dunn, NC 28334
Contact: Bryan Quinn
Phone: 910.892.0832
Contact e-mail: bquinn@quinnsp.com
Web Site: http://www.quinnsp.com/co-packing.cfm

What they process:
Barbecue sauce, steak sauce, marinades

Services:
Works with new entrepreneurs to scale up recipe for large-scale production.  Handles all ordering ingredients, mixing, chopping, cooking, testing, bottling, coding, and shipping.

Can fill 5 oz to 1-gallon bottles, jars and jugs in glass or plastic
Hot or cold bottling
High volume production
Volume Shipping to Any Location or Multiple Locations
Heat Induction Sealing
Two-sided labeling
Blown on Neck Labeling
Flask Labeling
Shrink Band Safety Seal
Product Consistency Guaranteed

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NC Shared-Use and Business Incubator Kitchens

By Region:

Western North Carolina:

Blue Ridge Food Ventures
1461 Sand Hill Road
Candler, NC 28715 (the facility is part of the A-B Tech Campus)
Mary Lou Surgi, Executive Director
Phone: 828.348.0128
E-mail: mlsurgi@awnc.org
Web Site: http://www.advantagewest.com/content.cfm/content_id/144/section/food

Products that can be prepared:
Wet products, dry products, natural products

Specialized Equipment:

Steam Kettles
Commercial Ranges
Roll-In Rack Oven
Convection Ovens
Grill
Vertical Cutter-Mixer
Commercial Mixers and Food Procssors
Tilt Skillet/Braiser
Dehydrator
Juicer/Pulper 
Meat Slicer
Auger Filler for Dry, Flowable Products
Grinders
Apple Peeler/Slicer/Corer
Dicer/Slicer for Fruits & Vegetables
Refrigeration and Freezers

Bottlers/Fillers
Labeler
Heat Band Sealer
Vacuum Sealer
Weigh-Fill Packaging Machine 

Client must have product liability insurance

Southern Piedmont:

Anson Community Kitchen
514 North Washington Street
Wadesboro, NC 28170 (Anson County)
Derek James, Director
P hone: 704.272.5443
E-mail: djames@spcc.edu
Web Site: www.ansonkitchen.org

Hours of Operation: 8:30 a.m. – 4:40 p.m.

Products that can be prepared:
General baked goods, cookies, jams, etc.

Client must have proof of product liability insurance

Specialized Equipment:

Vulcan 10-burner range with two conventional ovens
Two baker’s pride full-size convection ovens
Traulsen 2-door freezer
Trausen 3-door refrigerator
Hobart sanitizing dishwasher
Metro mobile proofer
Microwave oven
20-quart mixer
Commercial food processor
Commercial 1-gallon blender

Piedmont/Triangle:

Piedmont Food & Ag Processing Center (PFAP)
(planned opening date is late August, 2011)
500 Valley Forge Road
Hillsborough, NC 27278
Matthew Roybal, Manager - PFAP
Phone: 919.245.3226
E-mail: pfap@co.orange.nc.us
Web site: http://www.pfapnc.com

Focus on support retail packaged foods, catering, vendor trucks, and small production.

Requirements may include any required certifications, permits, and insurance.

Specialized Equipment:

60-gallon kettle
Rotational baking oven
Bottle filler
Juicers
Dehydrator
Vacuum-packaging machine

Triangle:

The Cookery
1101 West Chapel Hill Street
Durham, NC 27701
Nick Hawthorne-Johnson, Owner
E-mail: hello@durhamcookery.com
Web site: http://durhamcookery.com/

Durham Cookery is a membership-based culinary incubator kitchen that offers a facility for individuals interested in developing or expanding a culinary business.

Specialized Equipment:

4 Full Size Convection Ovens
6 Burner Range
Salamander Broiler
36” Char Grill
36” Griddle
40 lb Fryer
80, 40 and 6 qt Mixers
Continuous-Feed Slicers/Graters
Continuous-Feed Robot Coupe Processors
60 qt Immersion Blender
60 qt Tilt Kettle
Bakers Station
20 Sheet Pan Dough Proofer
Walk-In And Reach-In Coolers
Reach-In Freezers
52 Rack per hour Dishwasher
Raw Meat Prep Area
Personal Lockers

Southeastern:

Burgaw Incubator Kitchen
Street address: 115 S. Dickerson Street, Burgaw (Pender County)              
Contact e-mail: planning@townofburgaw.com
Phone: (910) 663-3451
Contact name: Rebekah K. Costin
Website URL:  http://townofburgaw.com/historic-depot/incubator-kitchen/

Requirements of Users:
Proof of product liability insurance
Completion of ServSafe Starter Course (available online)
Business Privilege License
Registration with FDA (federal)
Approval by NCDA&CS (state)

Rental and Other Fees:
$20/hour for less than 50 hours per month
$16/hour for 50 or more hours per month
$35 for Kitchen Orientation
$150 for Cleaning and Security Deposit
$10 for Overnight Freezer Storage

Available Specialized Equipment:
10-burner gas range
Convection ovens
25” gas char grill
24” gas flat grill
36” gas flat grill
Food processor
30-quart floor mixer
Dehydrator (NOT NSF certified)
Flash freezer through separate contract with Feast Down East

Eastern Carolina Food Ventures
WestPark Business Technology Center
946 Penny Branch Road
Warsaw, NC 28398
Lynn Davis, 910.290.0525 OR Teresa Davis, 910.271.1750
E-mail: Lynn Davis, ldavis@jamessprunt.edu; Teresa Davis, tdavis@jamessprunt.edu
Web site: http://www.jamessprunt.edu/kitchen.html

Eastern Carolina Food Ventures Incubator Kitchen is a regional, shared-use commercial incubator kitchen designed to help develop food entrepreneurs, create new food businesses, and grow existing food businesses.

Requires product liability insurance and proof of permit(s) from appropriate regulatory agencies.

Specialized Equipment:

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