Navigating the co-man industry might feel overwhelming at first, but here are a few insights from the co-man side to help.
- Co-mans are looking for brands that are ready
There are hundreds of brands looking to take their small recipe and commercialize it, and that process takes 6+ months. Co-mans are much more interested in brands that can launch their product in 1-3 months, so if you have done all your homework before starting the co-man search, you’ll be miles ahead of your competition.
Use our guide to gathering relevant documents to make sure you have everything you’ll need.
- Co-mans aren’t looking to steal your product idea
Brands often get hung up on NDAs and hiding their proprietary material. We understand why - this is your baby! However, that fear is sometimes misplaced. Food contract manufacturers are primarily focused on providing services to their clients rather than stealing their ideas. While it is possible for them to reverse engineer a product if they wanted to, it is not in their best interest to do so. Contract manufacturers thrive by building strong relationships with their clients and establishing a reputation for professionalism and trustworthiness. Their success relies on repeat business and referrals, which can only be achieved by maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of their clients' proprietary recipes and formulations. Contract manufacturers understand that their clients entrust them with their intellectual property, and they prioritize fulfilling their clients' needs by producing high-quality products and delivering them according to the agreed terms.
- Co-mans want you to succeed
Co-mans invest a lot of time and money at the start of a new project. From vetting dozens of new inquiries weekly and testing formulations brands provide, to running small test batches on large equipment, there is a lot of work that goes into onboarding new brands. The way that pays off for a co-man is a long-lasting relationship with the brand, so they want you to succeed.
Got any other co-man secrets you wish you knew earlier? Email them to alex@partnerslate.com, and we might put them up here!