An Organic Food Business

From zero trans-fat snacks to fortified foods with added health benefits, if it’s good for the consumer, it’s most likely good for business. Even candy is being loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, healthy extracts and vitamin C. But the real buzzword is organic. According to the Organic Trade Association, based in Greenfield, Massachusetts, organic food sales in the U.S. totaled nearly $14 billion in 2005, with double-digit growth expected from 2007 to 2010.

Gigi Lee Chang, 39, received a warm welcome when she officially launched her line of organic, frozen baby food products nationwide in major retailers like Wild Oats and Whole Foods Market as well as smaller natural and organic grocery stores this past August. Based in New York City, Plum Organics is the first to launch organic, frozen baby food on a national level, and Chang (above) expects 2007 sales to hit $1 million. Not bad for a company in its infancy.

An organic food business can be your ticket to au natural business success.

Want to build an organic food business?

1. Take baby steps. Before launching Plum Organics, Chang broke up the overwhelming task of launching a line of baby products into baby steps. Says Chang, "It was very much breaking it down and saying if I want to go from where I am now to my goal, what are the things that I need to do, what are the questions that I need to answer and then how do I go about trying to answer them."


2. Set goals and stay on schedule. "You have to be very clear on your goal of when you want to be in market because whether you're doing it full time or not, if you don't have a specific time frame to work toward, it can just get put on the back burner," says Chang.


3. Attend industry trade shows. Whether you're just attending or actually showcasing your product, trade shows are a way to get great exposure and some wind in your sail. Says Chang, "Trade shows give you a context, a way to meet people, and they can provide you with some really great resources because they have classes and workshops that you can take.``


4. Go back to school. Gigi Lee Chang, 39-year-old founder of Plum Organics, an organic frozen baby food company in New York City, signed up for classes that were being offered by her local universities. The classes helped her gain perspective into an industry that she had no previous experience in.
   

Good Luck!

~ entrepreneur resouces