Publications

• Professionals looking for sourcing and manufacturing partners mainly look for vendors by researching a combination of sources. Trade magazines or journals are popular publications among these professionals.
• Specifically, the professionals read trade magazines focusing on the food industry. The magazines are a good source of industry news and trends. The magazines also feature adverts of potential suppliers and manufacturing partners.
• Publications by trade associations are also good sources of information for professionals looking for sourcing and manufacturing partners.
• Trade associations provide reports about the trends in a given industry as well as other statistical studies that can guide people when choosing suppliers and manufacturing partners.
• Other sources of information include exhibitions, business advisors, directories, and recommendations.
• Directories such as Thomson and Yellow Pages can be a good starting point when looking for sourcing and manufacturing partners. They provide profiles for thousands of manufacturers and suppliers.
• Recommendations from friends and acquaintances also provide a valuable guide when making a decision.

Websites

• Professionals looking for sourcing and manufacturing partners visit the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code website. By searching their products using their NAICS codes, the professionals can easily locate sourcing and manufacturing partners.
•  Better Business Bureau (BBB) is also a common website. The website provides useful information about the credibility of potential manufacturing partners and suppliers.
• Other websites visited include individual companies’ websites, Facebook review page, and other online review websites. Specifically, the professional seeks to identify any complaints raised about the partners or red flags.

Social Media Channels

• Facebook helps professionals looking for manufacturing and sourcing partners to read reviews about potential partners. Good reviews build confidence in a company and improve credibility. They also create a sense of trust around a business or brand.
• Thus, the professionals use the reviews to guide their decision making process. Other social media channels that offer review functionalities include LinkedIn and Instagram.

Main Purchase Decision Making Factors

• One major purchase decision factor in bringing on a sourcing and manufacturing partner for a food brand is quality. Food quality and safety are an important consideration in the food industry. Besides reducing production cost, effective quality control produces high-quality products.
• Thus, when choosing among partners, one should evaluate their practices and standards.
• Another key factor is the track record. A sourcing and manufacturing partner’s track record provides an insight into efficiency, quality of their work, and their reliability. The record provides a snippet view of what to expect from the partnership.
•  Communication is another main decision making factor. Good communication is a vital ingredient in a manufacturing and sourcing process partnership.
• The fact that two businesses are involved creates a fertile ground for broken signals or communication breakdown. Without good communication, it is hard to obtain the product or process envisioned.
•  Pricing is a major consideration too when choosing a partner. Manufacturers set prices differently depending on the scale of services offered. End-to-end service is highly priced compared to other packages.
• Thus, the professionals obtain price quotes from various companies and weigh them against the pro and cons of each partner.
• Other factors to consider include compliance, flexibility, capacity, and capabilities and expertise.