Launching a successful cereal bar business can be an extremely profitable venture for those with an entrepreneur mindset. After all, the best breakfast bars and similar products make up a large portion of the food and beverage industry.
The cereal bar business is so massive that industry leaders expect its market size to grow in value upward to $23.13 billion by 2032.
In this blog, we’re going to outline the nine simple steps one must follow to launch a cereal bar business. From order fulfillment techniques to selecting flavor combinations, we’re about to cover it all. Read on!
How to Launch a Cereal Bar Business In 9 Steps
Are you ready to start a cereal bar business on the right foot? Whether you want to start selling the best healthy breakfast bars on the market or the latest snack items, the following steps should be quite valuable.
1. Conduct Market Research
Before you can launch your cereal bar business, it's vital that you understand the current market. Which brands will be your leading competitors? Are there any diet or food trends, such as keto, influencing emerging cereal products? These are the kinds of questions you must ask before taking action.
Once you have a thorough analysis of the cereal bar industry, identify any gaps. You'll likely discover growth opportunities by looking at customer reviews across the web and social media. Maybe a lot of customers complain about the flavors that your competitors sell. Or, maybe they're tasty but not satisfying enough. Consider all the negative comments and add them to your product strategy. As a result, you'll have a cereal bar business that caters to everyone's needs and preferences.
2. Write a Business Plan
Once your market research is complete, it's time to write a cereal bar business plan. This comprehensive document should comprise everything from your mission statement to financial projections. Your business plan will lay the foundation for all operations. Therefore, expect it to evolve over time. For instance, your current pricing strategy may change years down the road due to inflation. Or, the brand's target audience might change depending on the results of consumer data reports.
3. Secure a Location for Production and Warehousing
Invest in facilities to produce your cereal bars safely and efficiently. It's also a legal requirement that you produce the cereal bars in a place that meets food safety requirements. Compliance with laws and regulations is essential in order to operate a cereal bar business without risks. Plus, you'll end up creating the best products possible. These ideas also apply to the licenses and permits you'll need to acquire for the space.
A space that can house equipment, storage units, and staff is a must. This way, all logistical processes will be able to run smoothly.
4. Determine a Flavor and Product Selection
Every cereal bar business should have a diverse selection of flavors and textures in their product line. Some of the best breakfast protein bar options have a chewy consistency. Meanwhile, high-fiber cereal bars might be delicate and crunchy. Then, you have cereal bars that are rich in grains, resulting in a soft, almost cake-like texture. When you tackle the first step of conducting market research, you’ll learn which types of cereal bars may be more lucrative than others.
Once you have textures in mind, it’ll be time to choose the flavor profiles. From cereal bars using freeze dried fruit to sweeter ingredients like chocolate chips, your culinary ideas will be endless. If there’s one area where product differentiation is a must, it’s in the flavor category.
5. Obtain Wholesale Packaging for the Cereal Bars
After your cereal bars reach the final stage of production, you'll need to package them. Don't overlook the importance of this step, as this will provoke a first impression amongst consumers. Whether customers purchase your cereal bars in a grocery store or from your eCommerce site, the packaging must grab their attention.
The quality of the cereal bar wrappers you choose will dictate the visuals that you print on them. Some materials display ink better than others. Depending on the complexity and vibrancy of your branding, materials may warrant thorough consideration.
It's also a bonus if your packaging is eco-friendly. Packaging that comes from recycled materials is a popular choice among sustainable brands.
6. Onboard an Order Management and Shipping Tool
After you make your recipes in bulk quantities and package them up, it's time to ship your cereal bars to their next destination. You can use an inventory management tool to help manage shipments.
An order management tool will also ease the process of fulfilling new orders and automated shipments from customers. As for the shipping processes, a third-party logistics (see: 3PL meaning) company can handle such tasks. However, using one isn't always necessary.
7. Source Ingredients From Wholesale Food Distributors
You can't run a successful cereal bar business without the necessary ingredients for your recipes. You’ll likely need a vast selection of frozen fruit, nuts, seeds, eggs, and more. To simplify the procurement of such a wide range of products, it’s worthwhile to purchase everything you need from a wholesale directory.
When you’re able to browse through catalogs from a variety of wholesalers, you’re inherently capable of shopping for the best prices. Once you have orders in place, you can then automate the reorder point based on your needs. You may not have a clear idea in the beginning of how often you’ll need to replace various ingredients. However, a platform with a directory and order fulfillment features like BlueCart can assist you in demand planning.
8. Conduct Wholesale Marketing and Sales Efforts
Establish digital marketing strategies for B2B, B2C, and D2C sales channels. These plans should fit cohesively with the branding and packaging designs you chose earlier.
It's important to mention that eCommerce content marketing goes a long way in the food and beverage space. From SEO tactics to influencer marketing campaigns, there are numerous ways to put your cereal bar business in front of the masses.
Once you begin conducting business on a regular basis, create an eCommerce email marketing strategy. These campaigns should revolve around recipes, new releases, and limited-edition promotions. Just remember to not send them too often, as doing so may deter loyal customers.
If you're interested in offline marketing efforts, allow your team to participate in industry-related events. Food and beverage trade shows are a big hit in general. However, it might be worthwhile for a cereal bar business to partake in collegiate events or health food conferences. Like all other marketing strategies, the events you attend should reflect your branding initiatives.
9. Sell Your Cereal Bars Via Wholesale Distribution Channels 3
Finally, once you have all the previous steps in place, it’s time to sell your cereal bars wholesale. Selling your wholesale breakfast bars via food distribution channels will make up the bulk of your sales. Subsequently, the use of a B2B sales management tool will constantly come in handy. If you conduct D2C sales initiatives, you’ll need to implement proper channels to collect and process eCommerce sales. Either way, a platform that tracks transactions from every angle will be essential for monitoring sales, profits, and inventory.
Sell Cereal Bars Wholesale Through the BlueCart App
Maybe you’re in the process of launching a cereal bar business. Or, perhaps you already operate one. Either way, it’s never too late to consider the benefits of an all-in-one order management platform for eCommerce and wholesale business models.
If that sounds like the kind of platform that your business can leverage for optimal success, book a demo today! Soon after, an industry expert will be in touch to discuss how our advanced selection of tools and resources can empower your cereal bar business.