ChipMonk co-founder Jose Hernandez was recently asked by Authority Magazine: ‘What are the 5 things you need to know to create a successful food line or specialty food?’, and his answer was published on medium.com!

As president of a rapidly growing low-carb, keto friendly mail-order bakery, Jose has learned some valuable lessons along the way, but what’s in that secret sauce? Let’s find out. Here are Jose Hernandez’s 5 Things You Need to Know to Create a Specialty Food Product:

1. Find balance:

“You need the right team behind any product. Identify your personal drawbacks (e.g. I don’t have a business background) and either find a partner or build a team who balances out your weaknesses with their own strengths.”

2. Be patient. Be Persistent:

“Know that you are in this for the long haul. If you’re not willing to spend years on this project (and probably lots of financial and emotional pain), you may want to reconsider. Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone and that’s okay.”

3. Prove your worth:

“Prove to yourself and others that your product is viable and that people want or need it. You need proof of market demand for your product before you invest a ton of money developing it. We started selling immediately to see how people reacted to our product and to see if there was a need for it.”

4. Get others excited about your story:

“Media and influencers can be a great tool for growth early on. Identify outlets or individuals who speak to your target audience. Offer to send them free products or samples. Tell them your personal story. Even one shout out or article about you or your product can be a game changer in the early days. We found YouTube and Instagram influencers in the space, sent them samples, and received plenty of reviews and extra attention.”

5. Invest in your brand & listen to your customers:

“Branding and packaging design are no joke. Think about where your product will be purchased and design packaging that grabs someone’s attention and gets them to try the product. You can always start with something small and simple then refine it as you go along. The key is to listen to your customers. Find out what is important to them and make sure you communicate those attributes in your packaging and brand messaging.”

If you’d like to check out the full article on Medium, here’s the link. And if you haven’t already, please subscribe to our weekly newsletter for the latest deals, recipes, and updates from ChipMonk Baking. Thanks for stopping by!

-The ChipMonks