Private label

Private label goods are goods that are retailed, packaged, and sold.

Choose the product you want to sell: The core of a private label brand is finding a product and then putting your own label on it. You can decide the product based on a personal brand, your passion, a secret recipe or a unique perspective on a product. 

Cottage Food Business: You may be thinking about starting a food product from your home kitchen such as preserves or baked goods you can sell at a local farmer's market or community event. Before you get started, visit DC Department of Health to make sure you're fully compliant.   

Additional business costs: Private label goods tend to be more expensive than reselling or drop shipping. To figure out the margins, calculate the costs incurred at the initial creation of the product to the warehouse or store of your choice. This includes manufacturing costs, shipping and customs, and inbound shipping. Typical costs include: 

  • Production costs: The materials, manufacturing cost, labor and shipping costs.
  • Packaging: The presentation of the finished product, including branding, name and logo
  • Commercial Kitchens: Commercial kitchens are fully equipped prep kitchens that can be rented out for shared use. Commercial kitchens are licensed as such.

  https://www.dcwbc.org/how-shared-kitchen-spaces-are-supporting-food-entrepreneurs-during-the-pandemic-and-beyond-dc-womens-business-center/

Food labels: Labels for private label food goods are very important. Two labels are needed. The front label should have your logo and branding. The back label is the nutritional label that shows:

  • Address of production
  • Ingredient listing
  • Allergy warning
  • Nutritional information and analysis: breakdown of the products (calories, etc.)
  • *If you sell less than 100,000 units a year and have less than 100 employees you are eligible for FDA exemption from nutritional analyses 

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