Value Added Production at Genuine Local
Whether it's a surplus or part of the plan, we'll convert your farm crops into shelf stable products that will extend your season or jump start your CSA baskets.
At Genuine Local we understand that, as farmers, you never have enough hours in the day. And we know that the uncertainty of weather can often change your best laid plans. This is why we offer Value Added Production Services.
Genuine Local is here for you every step of the way
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Farm Focused Timing
Value added conversations start when farms are doing crop planning in January and February. Once we begin working together and figure out the details of your product, you’ll be added to our production calendar—and we’ll check in as the date approaches in order to stay up-to-date on your harvest timeline.
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Recipe Library
Genuine Local has a library of approved, ready to produce recipes that use all the standard fruits and vegetables grown in New England. If you decide to use a Genuine Local recipe, you’ll be provided the required ingredient quantities, suggested time of year for production, and baseline pricing.
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Recipe Scaling and Approval
If you already have a recipe you love, Genuine Local can work with you to scale it for production and apply for any required approvals. Ideally, this is done over the winter months so that you have ingredient quantities and pricing for finished goods before you have your crops in the ground.
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Product Pricing
Once your recipe is set, Genuine Local will develop per unit pricing for our services so that you can determine your total cost of goods and make sure the product is financially viable. By incorporating this step early, you'll have confidence you can price your product appropriately for resale.
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Product Labeling
Genuine Local will work with you to develop a compliant label using your artwork. A compliant label contains all the elements required for food labels by the FDA, including a Nutrition Fact panel, ingredient list and an allergen statement. Genuine Local has the ability to print labels in-house and can also provide UPC codes for point of sale system use.
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Business Development
We’ll help with recipe scaling, packaging/ingredient sourcing, label layout and pricing development. We’ll also connect you with other resources for business/marketing planning, accounting, insurance and more. We work with UNH Cooperative Extension, SCORE, SBDC and CWE, and more!
Here’s How It Works:
Fill out the online intake form: The intake form triggers our first conversation, which will ideally begin in January or February, while you’re doing crop planning or as soon as you realize you may have a surplus.
Decide what you want to make: After an initial meeting, we'll begin working together on your recipe, pricing, labels, packaging and target date for production.
Schedule A Production Day: You'll be added to Genuine Local's production calendar, and we'll check in as the day approaches in order to stay up-to-date on your harvest timeline and delivery of the fresh ingredients.
Pay and Pickup: Three weeks prior to your production date, you’ll pay a deposit that covers 50% of the estimated yield at a per unit cost. Once the production is completed, you’ll pay the balance of the yield and then your product will be available for pick-up or shipping!