How To Start A Dog Treat Business
Aside from dog food, dogs are also enamored with treats. The key difference between dog food, and treats, is that dog food is meant to act as the dog’s staple meal. Whereas dog treats are meant to act as a kind of reward. If you are thinking of starting your own business, you should think about setting up your own dog treat company. It is lucrative and easy to establish and maintain. All you need is a set plan. Here are some tips on how to do it properly.
Do Your Research First
Before you start your dog treat business, it is important that you do your research first. Remember that dog treats are different from dog food. They are as the name implies merely treats, and could not really be considered a staple food for dogs. Instead, they are meant to act as a reward to dogs for good behavior. They could also act as a dessert for dogs. When you do your research, you should find out what type of flavors dogs like. It is also a good idea to check out the current prices that other companies sell their dog treats for. This will help you gauge how much you should sell your dog treats for.
Know Your Competition
Dog treats have been around for a while, which is why you should do your research properly before you set up your own.
The most important thing to do research on is your competition. By conducting research on your competition, you will find out what their current products and marketing methods are.
Set A Budget
If you are going to set up a business of your own, it is important that you set a budget for yourself. Remember that any business needs funding in order to grow, however, if you start your business without a budget, you will most likely overspend in the process. Make it a priority to set a budget for yourself, and follow it to the letter.
Establish A Factory
When it comes to setting up a dog treat factory, you will need to plan every aspect of it out carefully. First things first, you will need a very efficient production line. When it comes to the dog treat production process, you will need vats and ovens to cook the dog treats.
You will also need a small army of workers to man the production line. However, in the past few years, some industries have slowly used robotic automation. By using robot arms, you will be able to lessen your reliance on human workers, and speed up the production process as well.
Follow Health Procedures
If you are going to make treats for dogs, it is important that you follow health protocols. Remember that a majority of people consider these dogs as family, and they treat them the same way they treat other people.
Maybe even better. As a rule, it is important that you follow health procedures. Make sure that your production lines are as clean as possible. This includes the vats and ovens for the dog treats, and the conveyor belt and robot arms that will assemble and package these treats.
It is also important that you sterilize the production line floor and check the factory for vermin. Remember that your dog treats are not only tasty for dogs, but for rats, mice, voles, and other vermin as well. Their presence in your factory could mean vermin droppings, which could contaminate all your products. Just to be safe, it is a good idea to have exterminators check your factories regularly.
Make Sure Your Products Are Safe
When you come up with the ingredients for your dog treats, you should make sure that they are safe for dogs to ingest. Remember that there are so many things that humans could eat, and dogs could not. As a rule, it is important that you stay away from ingredients such as onions, garlic, tomato, and avocados. It is also dangerous to add flavorings such as chocolate, coffee, or tea to the dog treat mix because these are very toxic to dogs. When you make your dog treat recipes, it is important that you take these dangerous ingredients very seriously. Just a trace of these ingredients has the potential to poison any dog. This is a very bad predicament because it could get your company a lawsuit that it cannot afford.
Invest In Your Branding
Aside from your product, it is important that you make your branding as unique as well. Your branding will affect how people will perceive your company and products. First things first, you will need to come up with a great name. It should be easy to understand and be canine-themed.
When it comes to packaging your dog treats, the best options are plastic containers or glass containers. These two are the best options because they are great for keeping the treats crispy and fresh. If you choose to go with plastic packaging, you should make sure that they are as air-tight as possible. On the other hand, if you choose to go with glass jars, you should choose a supplier that knows how to paint glass and decorate them to your specifications. Remember that your glass containers will need to be as attractive as possible.
Aside from your containers, it is also very important that your dog treat labels are attractive, and won’t easily come off. If you want a good quality label maker for jars, you should try Levapac. The company creates some of the best label-making machines in the world and at the best prices too.
Conclusion
If you are planning on starting your very own dog treat business, you should know where to start. With these tips, you’ll start your dog treat business in no time.