How to sell food products online [April 2021]?

Gradually, free online food ordering systems are gaining the trust of customers. This sector is booming: consumers are gradually becoming more demanding of unusual or sophisticated products, which they cannot find in the traditional distribution circuit, while the Internet is capable of filling this gap. As it grows, the distance food retailing industry is improving and finding ways of sourcing and delivering ever faster and easier.

However, selling food online involves very specific issues. We are used to seeing our food "for real" even before buying it, in places that are part of our habits. The smells, the tastings, the “real” vision of food are not possible on the internet: so many selling points that do not exist for online food sellers. How do you gain the trust of buyers and get them to buy?

Fortunately, consumers no longer hesitate to pay dearly to receive exceptional, rare products or foods prepared for them (seafood, personalized cakes). Selling edibles online is expensive because of the packaging, and the need for the fastest possible delivery: consumers know this, but before you get started you need to factor in these additional costs.

Laws and regulations

The regulations regarding the online sale of non-perishable food or any other type of food are a bit tricky.

Of course, everything will depend on where your kitchen, production plant, or laboratory is located.

However, there are a few basic rules that you can follow that I will cover here.

Before you begin, you should be aware of the laws that govern the sale of food online in your country. Then you will need:

Be transparent

Past the red tape, you have to understand those bad decisions in terms of ethics or transparency can ruin your brand. This applies to all businesses, and more particularly to the very sensitive food sector.

Pay attention to the scope of your action, that of your suppliers, the way you treat your employees, the way your suppliers manage their employees, and the impact of your activity on ecology , the world in general.

If you approach things the right way, you will gain respectability and your customers will be kind to you. You don't want to have to deal with a call to boycott your brand on the pretext that you don't respect the people (or animals) at the end of your supply chain, do you?

Choose your suppliers

Of course, you can imagine a mode of production of your products totally under your control, but it is still quite possible that you are obliged to call upon suppliers for certain commodities.

However, it is imperative that you have mastered the supply chain before engaging with a supplier.

Once you've identified a few suppliers that match your ingredient needs, start looking at their certifications as well as their supply chain. Use the internet to see if, for example, an organic ingredient supplier has the right certifications.

And of course, you can always start by sourcing from Metro or Promocash, or some other wholesaler.

Determine your way of food production

When starting your business, you have several options for production:

Home production

Some food products can be legally created and sold directly from your kitchen.

Shared commercial kitchens

Many establishments offer a shared kitchen space that can be rented (by the hour, or by the month) according to your production needs. You can thus benefit from reduced costs and simplified formalities since these establishments are already registered as commercial spaces (your cat will not necessarily be grateful to you).

Set up your own establishment

Go to the health authorities to find out about the formalities required to register a food production establishment that complies with current regulations.

Collaborate with a food manufacturer

This is an ideal option for entrepreneurs who are more interested in sales aspects than production. This is also a great option for a newbie to the industry, as established manufacturers are already familiar with various aspects of food regulations and safety.

Give consumers confidence

Customer trust is arguably the most important aspect of selling food products online. How do you give your customers confidence in your offer?

For online sales, here are some criteria to implement: