Survey for Specialty Food Start-ups

This survey is for those of you who have recently started your business or who are looking to start a specialty food business.

Thank you for the opportunity to learn more about your specialty food business… I appreciate you taking the time to tell me a bit about you and your business. Please answer all the questions and provide as much commentary as possible. I will reply to you quickly once I have your answers.

    1. Please provide the following contact information

    Name:

    Company:

    Address:

    Address 2:

    City/Town:

    State:

    ZIP:

    Country:

    Email address:

    Phone number:

    2. How long have you been in the specialty food business?

    < 1 year, just exploring

    1-2 years, working on my product

    Other (please specify), mention your launch date and status

    3. Why do you want to be in the specialty food business?

    Love of food

    Innovative product

    Serial entrepreneur

    Want to own a business

    Need a job

    Think I can make a killing

    Other (please specify)

    4. What category is your product?

    Shelf stable

    Refrigerated

    Frozen

    Candy, cookie, cracker, snack

    Sauce

    Imported

    Dry mix

    Cereal

    Other (please specify)

    5. Do you have a business plan?

    Yes

    No

    Working on it

    Other (please specify)

    6. Which of the following have you done to define your market feasibility?

    Mission/vision statement

    Market analysis of your category

    Trend analysis

    Comparative analysis

    Manufacturing costs

    Creative brief

    Breakeven analysis

    Proof of concept

    Marketing plan

    Other (please specify)

    7. Have you worked with a accredited business or life coach before?

    Yes

    No

    What was your experience?

    8. Have you worked with any other consultants on this business?

    SCORE volunteer

    Packaged specialty or natural foods expert

    Food service/restaurant expert

    Food technologist

    Financial/CPA/QuickBooks/SBA banker

    Legal

    Branding company

    Other

    What was your experience?

    9. What is your biggest challenge? Please rank your answers from 1-9.

    Manufacturing
    Packaging
    Strategic Planning
    Sales & Marketing
    People
    Capital
    Focus
    Understanding the Business
    Other

    10. Have you had business experience? Check as many as apply.

    Sales

    Marketing

    Finance

    Bookkeeping

    Office Manager

    Owner

    Parents are entrepreneurs

    None

    Worked in a small business

    Other (please specify)

    11. How much money have you invested so far?

    12. How much do you have to invest in this business?

    13. What do you want to get from a consultant?

    14. How did you hear about me?

    Referral, please use the Other box to mention who so I can thank him/her

    On-line search, please use the Other box to explain what you entered into your search

    NASFT

    Food Resource Newsletter or Web Site

    Linkedin, please use Other box to specify which group or contact we have in common

    Facebook

    Other (please specify)