Product Development
Product Development Services
The Product Development team at CSU Spur can help you turn your idea into a prototype product. While we can accommodate clients at a variety of scales, most of our clients are new, emerging food entrepreneurs. Each of our product development clients is unique, and so we will listen carefully to your needs and goals.
Fill out the Contact the FIC form at the bottom of the Request Services page.
Guide for New Businesses
We recommend all new businesses review this reference:
Partnering With You To Develop Products
We can take on the work of developing your product formula ourselves, only coming to you when we have a prototype sample for you to taste. Or, we can work alongside you in the kitchen, offering suggestions and advice as you take the lead. Talk to us about product development options for new and emerging entrepreneurs.
Food Development Process
We can help counsel you through the steps you should take to start selling a new food or beverage product. Here is an example of our typical process:
Reach Out to the FIC
Connect with us through our web portal to describe your need and initiate an NDA if desired.
Exploratory Consultation
If it seems like we can help you, we’ll set up a consultation to discuss your project goals in more detail.
Proposal
We will send you a project proposal that includes estimated costs, estimated timeline, and projected deliverables for the project.
Approval and Contract
You’ll look over the proposal and let us know of any modifications you want to discuss. We are happy to re-evaluate the scope of work to accommodate your needs. When you have approved the proposal, we will execute a contract and officially begin the project.
Kickoff Meeting
In this meeting, your team will meet with our whole team to get into the “nitty gritty” of your project goals and expectations. We’ll discuss questions like what types of ingredients you want to use or avoid, what the nutritional requirements for your product are, what shelf-life you are aiming for, and more.
Background, Research, and Sourcing
During this stage of a few months, we will spend time researching the ingredients and equipment that might work best for your project. We will also find ingredients we can work with. These may be from the grocery store, or they may be from suppliers we are connected to, depending on the scale and requirements of the project.
Benchtop Formulation
We will develop a scalable formula for your product that meets standards for safety and is ready for the next stage of scale-up.
Prototype Tasting
Throughout the course of your project, we will send you protypes (typically 3) for tasting and feedback to bring the product closest to your goals.
Project End
Along with your scalable formula, we’ll also create nutritional facts panels for your product as well as workflow diagrams indicating how to reliably recreate it.
Product Formulation or Re-Formulation
- Tell us your vision for your product and we can work with you to develop a formula or refine an existing formula to accomplish your goals
- Price determined by consultation
On-site Co-development
- Work alongside one of our food scientists in the kitchen to improve your product, streamline your process, or strategize next steps in your journey
- pH, aw, Brix, moisture, salinity, and/or TDS testing included as needed during co-development session
- Production of Nutrition Facts Panel and scalable formula
Consulting
- Can be virtual or on-site
- For non-confidential questions or advice, view our Request Services page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of clients do you normally work with?
The type of client who is the best fit for us is just starting out. Usually, we work with people who have a good idea, but they haven’t started to produce or sell it yet, or they have only sold it at a very small scale (such as farmers markets).
If I work with you, will I have a market-ready product at the end of the process?
At the end of your contract with us, you will have what is called a Minimum Viable Product. This refers to a formula that works well at a small scale and has been concept-tested, but which may still require adjustment as you scale up. Scaling up often means making adjustments to your suppliers, equipment, and workflow. All of these factors may require that you adapt your formula slightly to accommodate small differences.
What is the right stage in my business development process to use your product development services?
Before you work with us to do product formulation, it is generally best that you have carried out some kind of market survey and that you have considered your short- and long-term goals for your product, including how much you might be willing to invest. You should not have yet committed to final packaging, or to a co-packer.
Can you help me find a co-packer?
Generally, we work with clients who aim to self-produce and don’t move on to co-packing directly after working with us. For that reason, while we have contacts to some local co-packers and a few in other states, we do not have extensive contacts with co-packers. We can provide a few recommendations and resources where you can search for co-packers. However ultimately, finding a co-packer will be your responsibility when you decide to take that step.
Can you help me find ingredient suppliers?
When developing your product, we will aim to do it with your scale in mind. This often means using suppliers who sell in bulk or wholesale where possible. Our network of supplier connections expands every day, and so we can usually provide recommendations for suppliers of your ingredients. However, we don’t guarantee this, as some formulas require specialty or custom ingredients, and also because we are not able to negotiate pricing or other arrangements with suppliers on your behalf.
Can you help me figure out my costs?
Because we are not the final purchaser of ingredients, suppliers will not negotiate pricing with us. Often, we are unable to know the cost of ingredients. For this reason, it falls to you to find out the costs of all your materials. However, once you have gathered this information, we can coach you on how to use it to calculate your cost of goods sold (COGS) and your Unit COGs as part of our consulting services.
How will I be billed for this service?
Once services are agreed upon, and all materials are submitted on behalf of the client and work can begin, the client will receive an invoice that must be paid prior to service completion. All invoices are due upon receipt, and past due invoices are subject to late fees. All materials such as reports, test results, etc. will not be distributed until the invoice is paid. Invoices can be paid via this website on the Pay your Invoice tab on the left pane, or on the home page.