Guide to sample requests

Food product development is busy at the quietest of  times, so the ore time saving tricks you can use the more time on developing products.

When it comes to sample making there are a few tricks you can use.

1.Production Samples

if it is a simple product that is very difficult to get wrong, Use you production colleagues, BUT ensure you provide them an idiots guide on how to make the sample, how many and how it should be packed. However Easy you think it is they will make it complex. But once you build a working system for sample generation this can save you alot of time.

2. Sales Requests

If you have been in development long, you will have come across the “dont you remember I asked for” quote from your sales person, or ” I’m sure I emailed you the address”. To save on arguements I suggest you have a sample request form so that anyone wanting samples provides the following information.

Date required, What is the sample, how many are needed, who it is being sent to, what presentation is it for.is costing, ingredients, cooking instructions needed with the sample.

By forcing people to fill out this document it will do two things, 1. give you all the information you need for the samples, 2. it will reduce the amount of samples they ask for, rather than being a quick discussion item, they will have to go to the trouble of filling a form.

3. Make samples in batches

As we all know it takes time to gather/make the components for a sample, it is just as easy to make 5 samples as it to to make 1. I strongly suggest you make 5 or use up all the ingredients it might take a few minutes more but can save hours. When the sales person asks for a sample to send to the customer. I suggest labeling up the sample and storing it.

4. Move to trial stage early

When you are confident that the product is finalised, move to trial. There is a commercial cost to this decision but if you know there is a heavy sampling period coming up. Move to trial and get a quantity of products available to you. I also suggest an early trial to help identify any major issues in your product before you launch. A £200 trial early can save £1000’s later.

In Summary, samples can take a lot of resource from your department and it is a semi-unproductive process. I strongly suggest minimizing its impact on your time.

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