A Mexican food maker entering the US, a launch-stage brand, a supplement maker, and the labs that fit
Three food makers that needed testing, audits or certification, matched with an audit and certification firm and a testing lab.
$1,997
Paid by each food maker for 2–3 safety firms
$3,589+
Paid by each safety firm for 3–6 food makers over 60–90 days
3 + 2
Food makers and safety firms matched
The two sides
A food maker manufacturing in Mexico and expanding into the US, a food company bringing out new products that wanted good testing, and a dietary and protein supplement brand preparing to launch. On the other side, a firm doing certification and renewal audits, and a testing lab looking for new food-company customers.
What happened
01
We started from certified food makers on the USDA’s public organic register, where a recent certification means more testing, audit or certification work is close, and wrote to them and to labs and certifiers in the same week.
02
The audit firm asked what kind of audits the food makers needed. We answered plainly: certification and renewal audits for makers already in production. The lab asked when we could talk.
03
The Mexican maker said the US expansion was creating the need. The new-products company wanted testing around each launch. The supplement brand asked whether the labs handled supplements, so we narrowed to labs that do.
04
We paired the expansion with the audit firm, and the launch company and the supplement brand with the lab, which paid once for its package. Each food maker paid its own fee.
Why it worked
A food company cannot sell without proof the food is safe, and that proof is bought again with every batch, renewal and inspection.