Whether you are a person who needs an energy bar to get through their workday or a gym junkie who needs a protein bar to start their day, these quick snacks are perfect for absolutely anyone, which makes for the perfect business model if you are a chef looking to create your own protein bar brand. While making nutrition bars can be easy, turning it into a viable business model may not. To help you launch your own competitive business, here are some helpful tips on how to start a protein bar company.

Your Business Checklist

1. Solidify Your Brand and Marketing Strategy

Unlike other business models, you will want to come up with a unique product that people will want to buy over options offered by other industry experts involved in protein bar manufacturing. This all begins with developing your marketing strategy and figuring out what you are selling and who you are selling to. Some areas you may want to focus on include:

• The dietary needs of your target audience: Are you selling specialty products like non-GMO organic vegan bars, gluten-free bars, or paleo bars? Are you looking to produce bars for people who can’t consume products that are known to contain specific allergens? What type of product do you want to produce? Do you have a bakery that you can use to safely produce these products or will you reach out to protein bars manufacturers to help you make your products with the desired ingredients?
• The ingredients contained in your nutrition bars: Will you make them out of cereal, granola, or other grains? Will they have low-sugar and high-protein like other products? What flavors will you have in your products? If your products provide certain benefits such as those offered in energy bars, can your ingredients deliver?
• The look and feel of your brand: What will your packaging look like on your baked goods? Will your packaging be appealing to certain audiences, such as vegan audiences in need of an organic product or paleo lovers?

Take your time when developing your marketing strategy and creating your product. The more thought you put in, the more you get out.

2. Brush Up on Business Law in the Food Industry

Unless you have extensive experience running a business in the food industry, you will need to reach out for professional help and do your own research to learn more about the legality of starting a protein bar company. You will need to think about the many rules and regulations that go into launching your business, such as leasing a location for your bakery, acquiring the permits and certification to begin operations, and filing the proper paperwork for the country and your state, just to name a few. If you don’t do your due diligence, you may end up facing fines and legal issues that halt operations altogether and land you in trouble.

3. Get Organized and Prepare for Your Various Responsibilities As a Business Owner

Unless you have already hired a staff to help you take care of your business, you will need to get prepared to deal with all of the responsibilities that come with owning a business. Whether that means doing your own accounting and invoices so that you can handle your annual tax return with ease, developing your professional image by creating your own business card and website, or trying to pitch your products to local sellers like Costco, GNC, or Whole Foods, staying organized is the only way you can stay on top of things.

Part of this begins with making sure that you have plenty of storage space carved out in your computer for all of your digital files and account information. For your paperwork, you should make sure that you have plenty of folders and storage space on hand that will allow you to organize any and all files you will need access to at a later date. You should expect to have sections for financial information where you may keep a tax folder and invoices, a section for all of your permits and certifications, and areas for marketing ideas and information.

If you are motivated to start your own protein bar company, the only thing standing in your way is having the right information. Use the points listed above as a starting point to help you come up with a business plan that will make your dreams a reality.