Initiating a jerky business can be as easy as making beef jerky in your kitchen and selling it at a local market. But there are some things to consider before you begin, such as finding success or earning an income from the process. In order to make this easier for yourself, here’s what you should know.
If you plan to sell beef jerky for profit, your production facility must be state or federally inspected. If you only wish to sell in the same state as it was produced, then a local inspection will suffice. However if customers are located across state borders then federal inspections are required by law.
Inspection
A state or federal inspector is going to visit your facility everyday, so staying on top of it and being ready for them is important. Many small businesses focus on their success, working from home and selling wherever they can. Both state and federal government inspectors don’t bother looking for violators unless consumers get sick or complain about the jerky.
Product Labelling
A common option for small businesses is to hire a meat processing facility that has passed federal and state inspections. This way, they don’t have to worry about the inspection process themselves. The facility can use your recipe or their own house recipe. They can even source beef specifically to your requirements, or they will keep it neutral by using different meats from a variety of sources on different days of production. They will even source beef specifically to your requirements, or use their own! Once the process is finished they’ll package it with a label printed with your name on it for you!
Many entrepreneurs struggle with finding a facility that will produce their jerky to the desired flavor and consistency. The solution is to try different facilities until one can replicate your original recipe as closely as possible. If you want to find a list of federally inspected meat processing facilities, do a Google search on the words “USDA Establishment Number.”
Preservatives
The beef jerky in your store’s snack aisle has been there for years. The problem is that sodium nitrite, a common preservative used to prevent spoilage and food-borne illness, might cause cancer–there are studies on both sides of the issue though. Despite the demand for a healthier, preservative-free jerky that can be sold in stores with ease, manufacturers and retailers are hesitant to stock it due to its poor shelf life.
A small, upstart beef jerky company looking to avoid preservatives should consider selling in markets where long shelf life isn’t a problem. Selling at farmers’ markets, street fairs and trade shows is common practice for smaller companies with limited distribution options. Companies can also sell online from their website or have arrangements with local stores to buy back old stock when they come by every week
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Distributors
The jerky brands you see in convenience stores and grocery stores are placed there by distribution companies. You can’t just talk to a national retail chain about stocking your jerky – you have to go through their distributor first!
Smaller, niche distributors and/or small non-chain grocers are more likely to be interested in your jerky. They may stock natural foods as a way of differentiating themselves from larger grocery stores. Independent health food stores would love for you to sell them items that contain no preservatives because they want their customers to feel like the products were made locally – so look around at local places!
Find A Reliable Partner
Initiating a beef jerky business from the basics is no easy task, but it can be very rewarding. It takes years of dedication just to build up a customer base, and even then you’ll find that your life revolves around your new enterprise–your business will become an important part of who you are as a person!
If you’re considering starting a beef jerky business, talk to your spouse first and get them on board. If they don’t want to join the company as a partner then maybe it’s not the right time for this venture. Or if that doesn’t work out either, take deep breaths with an empty headspace so that when you go into action mode there is nothing but success in front of you!