For farms and ranches
Sell what you grow, packed under your own name
What you can do on this page
- See the steps from where you are now to a store shelf.
- Read the stories that fit your next step.
- Ask for a free one-page shelf plan for your own food. A person writes it.
Short answer
Selling packed product under your own name is a different business from selling at the farm gate. Buyers ask for packaging, a label, barcodes, and records that show where each lot came from.
We help you pick the first product, set up those pieces, and find the stores that buy local.
This page is for you if
- You sell fresh, at the farm, at markets or to a packer.
- You want more of the margin under your own brand.
- You are not sure which product to pack first.
The steps, in order
- Pick the first productFresh packed, or value-added such as sauces, jerky or dried goods. Each has different rules and costs.
- Check which food-safety rules applyProduce, meat, poultry and eggs each fall under different rules and inspectors. Meat and poultry usually need USDA inspection.
- Keep lot recordsIf your food is on the FDA Food Traceability List, FSMA 204 asks for extra records at each step.
- Pack and label itA pack that holds up in shipping and a label with your name, the weight and any required facts.
- Add codesGTIN barcodes on each unit, and often SSCC labels on cases or pallets for distributors.
- Find buyers who want localIndependent grocers, co-ops and regional chains with local programs.
We can help with each step. See what we do.
Stories for you
The FDA traceability rule (FSMA 204) in plain wordsBusinesses that make, process, pack or hold certain foods must keep extra records, so the FDA can trace an outbreak fast.Read the story →How a small food maker gets into grocery storesStores need packaging that sells on a shelf, a price that leaves room for their margin, and a way to get stock delivered on time.Read the story →GTIN vs SSCC: what food brands need to knowA GTIN identifies a product; an SSCC identifies a shipping unit. Many retailers and distributors ask for both.Read the story →
Not you?
In our product
What you get, as our customers see it.
Real screens from our reports and dashboard, made for a made-up brand. Click any one to open the full sample.
