INNOVATION
New flavors and new traditions are born every day here, thanks in part to our commitment to innovation, market research and product development.
Product Development Process
When creating new foods, our team of culinary and food science professionals follow a proven 4-Phase Process:
- Phase 1 – Ideation (including R&D)
- Phase 2 – Concept Development
- Phase 3 – Concept Testing (including Sensory Lab)
- Phase 4 – Prototype Development
Once marketing trends have been identified and a cost analysis has been performed, we develop the initial food product sample which undergoes extensive analysis and testing, including a sensory evaluation in our Sensory Lab, a profitability study and multiple scalability tests.
If the product is deemed feasible, a prototype is created, along with shelf-life testing, nutrition and ingredient labeling, packaging and marketing. Last but not least, because of our nimble size and structure, we’re uniquely equipped to take your product to market faster than most larger food production companies.
Research & Development
You’ll often find us in our test kitchen looking for ways to improve flavors, textures, consistency, shelf-life and profitability. But before we ever start tinkering with a new product, we take the time to understand the product category and identify new opportunities in the market. By leveraging today’s most advanced food industry software, we can identify both macro and micro trends in the industry, as well as the demographics of the targeted customers. These insights help ensure the foods we create are well-received and popular for years to come.
Sensory Lab
Our Sensory Lab is the place where great foods are perfected. It’s where we evaluate the entire sensory experience of a sample product, asking ourselves, how does the food look, taste and smell? Are the textures right? Is the consistency right? We perform comprehensive shelf-life studies on all of our products and test our foods against microbiological parameters to ensure complete food safety. We also offer nutrition and ingredient-labeling capabilities in-house, providing an easy turnkey solution for our customers.
Certifications
Our food production facilities are USDA, FDA and SQF, Level II, certified. Our staff is thoroughly trained in good food manufacturing practices, standard sanitation operating procedures, product quality and consistency, and packaging and mixing integrity. We adhere to the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) management system for food safety and are audited annually by the Department of Defense. We are also proud to support local farmers by using Certified South Carolina Grown food products whenever possible.
Packaging Options & Trends
We work closely with you to determine the packaging option that’s right for your target market. From traditional clamshell packaging to more trendy solutions like single-serve or grab-and-go, we’re focused on delivering our foods in the sizes and styles your customers want. Our standard sizes include 2oz, 3oz, 4oz, 8oz, 12oz, 16oz, 20oz, 24oz and 32oz, and we offer a number of custom packaging solutions as well. We can even help you with the branding and design of your packaging if needed.
