Most of the start-ups in the beverage domain start as an idea to introduce a new drink or commercialize a homemade drink. You will need a commercial recipe to launch that concept in the market and create a product ready for the consumers. Commercial formula is the term used in this industry for any potable recipe which is ready for production. Commercializing your recipe provides the contract manufacturers with all the required information, which will enable them to create your product in a consistent, efficient, and safe manner.
One of the most exciting parts of the beverage business is coming up with your recipes and having that first sample of your drink in your hand – just like a newborn child! Ensure that you are making use of a registered and experienced laboratory for food and beverage companies. The first step is to prepare and sign a contract with them to ensure that your idea and recipes are protected and not shared with anyone else. Next, you can set up another meeting to discuss your idea in detail, the flavour profile, which category your drink belongs to, and all the other pertinent information that will help the laboratory better understand your requirement and come up with different formulas.
During your meeting, you might have to answer questions about sweeteners, the amount of carbonation, the shelf life of the product, and more questions about which you may not have heard before. Don’t be shy or hesitant if you do not answer all these questions in the first meeting. Since you are new in the industry, you might lack adequate information, which is quite normal during this stage.
It is essential to provide all the information in a detailed manner so that the formulator can understand your product. This will also enable the producer to get an idea about the overall flavour profile, fragrance, appearance, colour, and aftertaste of your intended drink. Your test samples’ results will be closer to your vision depending upon how clearly and concisely your project brief is provided to the formulator. Some of the other characteristics that are important while providing information to the formulator include:
- The health benefits and various claims of your product, such as it is an energy drink, does it aid in weight loss, promotes relaxation, helps in increasing focus, etc.
- The certifications that you want to include, such as whether your product is organic, halal, kosher, vegan, gluten-free, Non-GMO, etc.
- Call out ingredients or calories flavour such as whether the drink uses real juice, is made with stevia, its sugar-free, etc.
- Whether your product requires natural or artificial colours?
- Any allergen restrictions
- What is the preservation method?
- What is the expected shelf life of your drink?
When it comes to perfecting your recipe, it can take quite some time. It is better to have several recipes and then compare them to see which one works the best and is the closest to your intended beverage idea.
Your entire brand is built upon how well your expected beverage is formulated. Hence, you need to ensure that you and your producer spend ample time perfecting your drink’s formulation. This perfection of the formulation is the key to a successful product.
Once you have provided all the necessary information to your producer, he will start by souring the raw materials required for creating the initial samples. Creating the first round of prototypes can take about one to two weeks. The formulator will send you the samples for review and feedback, and this is one of the most exciting moments in your entire journey of setting up a beverage business!
After the first tasting, it is crucial to give the laboratory feedback and do not be shy in giving an honest opinion. Don’t worry about offending anyone if you are not happy with a specific part of the formula or the results. Many entrepreneurs have come up to me and shared how they feel bad or shy to talk about modifications to the formula. Once you have the final product, I recommend that you share it with your trusted people and those who are experts in this field. This will enable you to collect more information about your product and find out whether others are enjoying it or not. If you are making a functional drink, it is ideal to share it with people in different age groups to see how well your drink functions.
After all the back and forth and modifications, if you are finally happy with your proposed liquid formula and if it is meeting all your requirements and vision, you sign off on the final formulation. The laboratory will send you the commercial formulation and the manufacturing process, and you are all set for production!
While creating your recipe, keep the below tips in mind:
- Source of sugar and sweetener – If you have a functional and healthy drink, providing information about the source and amount of sweetener is quite crucial. Ensure that you are procuring your sugar from a safe source and it is acceptable in your target market area. There are an extra health tax and government tax on your product in some countries, depending upon the type of sugar used. Consult about all such vital information with your local expert before finalizing your recipe.
- Colour – If you have opted for glass bottles for packaging, make sure you use the right colour related to your drink’s flavour. For example, if you have a grapefruit flavoured drink, you can opt for a light pink bottle. Use natural colours and avoid using sources that can lead to health-related questions. According to various statistics, consumers tend to avoid products that use artificial colours.
- Amount of carbonation and packaging – In certain types of packaging, there is a limit for carbonation. For example, in some glass bottles, if the carbonation amount is more than 9 g/l, your final product might explode. In some types of packaging, the carbonation amount may reduce over time. Hence, you must be aware of your package specifications and share them with the laboratory to ensure that your final product is apt for the type of packaging you have chosen.
- Shelf life – Depending upon the ingredients of your recipe, the formula, and the packaging, it is possible to determine how long your product will last. Sometimes, your packaging color may fade, or the amount of carbonation may reduce over a period. Also, try and avoid using preservatives in your drink, as most health-conscious people do not like it. Instead, you can opt for pasteurization. The ideal way to ensure that your product has the most extended shelf life is to discuss it with the laboratory experts.
Recipe vs Commercial Formula
Most people who are new to the food and beverage industry think that they can easily shift from creating a drink in their kitchens to mass production just by scaling their recipe. They do not realize that there is a key distinction between a recipe and a scalable commercial formula.
- Recipe – Recipes consist of ingredients and a set of instructions describing how to prepare the drink at home or in a restaurant. A recipe’s outcome typically varies from batch-to-batch, depending upon the person making it, measuring methods used, the accuracy of the measurements, and adherence to the recipe.
- Commercial Formula – A commercial formula is a fixed set of specific ingredients with their exact percentage by weight and standardized processing instructions to create your beverage at scale consistently. All the commercial formula ingredients total 100 percent, thus, allowing your formula to be scaled up or down depending on production demands.
By now, you must be able to answer the below set of questions about your product. If you are still unsure about the answers to any of these questions, I suggest you read and research more.
- What is your product, and what is unique about it?
- How different is the product from that of your competitors, and what is your advantage?
- Is there a need for your product?
- Do you have an idea for your recipe?
- Are you planning to use the services of beverage development from other companies?
- What type of ingredients will be used in your recipe?
- What kind of packaging do you want to use?
- What is the initial quantity of the product that you wish to produce?
How do we provide you with this service?
When you work with our Recipe Development Service, you can be confident that you’re in good hands. We have years of experience in this field, and our international award-winning products are a testament to our quality. With the help of our partners, we can source the best ingredients from around the world and create a perfect, unique recipe that meets international standards for competing in big markets.
Having your prototype products with us means we’ll work with you until you’re happy with the results. We’ll make as many changes as you want and only charge you for the raw materials and shipping fees. If you wish, we can have a tasting session where our experts will try your beverage and give you their feedback.
Once the recipe is finalized, we can provide you with the ingredients sourced and the costs. When it comes to an end, we can do a test run on shelf-time and give you an ideal suggestion for your product’s shelf-life. We can also register the intellectual property of the drink recipe assigned to you, and we will be all set in this phase!
