Startup Producing Hand made Pesto, fermented cheeses and more

[luludzieza@gmail]

Hi everyone,

 

my idea is to produce fresh and fermented food.

Where should i start from ?

What kind of premesis i do need ? 

 

Regards 

 

[De Ketchupmaker]

Hi,

One of the startingpoints is the website of NVWA, the Dutch food authority. 

[TwaBla]

19 uur geleden, luludzieza@gmail zei:

my idea is to produce fresh and fermented food.

Where should i start from ?

 

You have the skills and experience in preparing food products, but maybe not as an entrepreneur.

 

First do market research by looking at similar ventures, researching who buys and who uses these products, reading as much as you can and talking to different people: producers, distributors, buyers and users. So you get basic assumptions of how the market works and maybe already where the opportunities (and risks) are.

 

Next test your assumptions by making small batches and asking for opinions.

 

Then scale-up to a small professional level based on the test results. You could maybe work from a rented kitchen temporarily.

 

Be smart and dare to ask!

[Intercompanysol]

There is a big difference in regulation for factories and producers. And making fresh food preparations such as in a restaurant or butcher (Who sell for example jars with sauces or olives they make themselves). I would start by looking at the exact type of business model you have in mind, and perform market research as TwaBla has already mentioned.

 

What you can deduct from these existing businesses is the regulations they follow. For (takeaway) and (fresh) food preparation such as what I mention above. The rules and requirements involve similar regulations as restaurants. Restaurants usually follow the following steps:

- Find a location. Make sure the ''bestemmingsplan'' is allowed for restaurants. (The government should have specified that this venue is allowed for ''Horeca'' or ''Restaurant'' purposes.)
- Some cities require a specific additional permit ''exploitatievergunning'' or ''catering permit''
- You are likely required to follow training and obtain a certificate that you (or the manager of the business) are certified in handling food safely ''Sociale hygiene''

 

Starting a takeaway restaurant or catering, delicatessen. Would be much, much easier in my opinion than starting an own ''food factory'' or such type of firm. And if it performs well, you can always consider expanding production. 

 

For restaurants or takeaway it is also  important you consider the costs involved in proper inventory, staff costs and rent.

 

For restaurants or takeaway:
https://business.gov.nl/starting-your-business/checklists-for-starting-a-business/checklist-for-starting-a-hotel-restaurant-or-cafe/

 

Another source that might be more relevant for you explains more about 'catering'

https://business.gov.nl/regulation/operating-permit-catering-establishment/

This might be also relevant for you: (Especially if you ''produce'' canned foods or certain types of products)

https://www.rivm.nl/en/food-safety

https://business.gov.nl/regulation/applying-food-hygiene-haccp-principles/

https://english.nvwa.nl/

https://business.gov.nl/regulation/registration-and-accreditation-netherlands-food-and-consumer-product-safety-authority/