Ingredients and supplies
Introduction
Your ingredients and supplies have a direct impact on food safety and quality assurance. The person responsible for buying these supplies must do so with security and safety constantly in mind. Either take on this role yourself or designate it to a staff member who understands its importance.
You may want to develop your own expertise about ingredients and how to best use them. Several courses are available in food sciences from Ontario universities and colleges. You may want to consider taking a course or contacting an academic institution for expert advice.
When buying supplies, keep your product specification documents readily available (see Developing your product prototype). Keep track of the lessons learned regarding the ingredients used in your prototype testing. Think also about the cost of the goods over their whole life cycle and decide on the best value for your use. Develop a process for accepting deliveries: once the product arrives, cross check it against the invoice to determine any discrepancies between what you ordered and what you got, then decide whether to accept it or not.
The Supply Chain Management Association provides training on supply chain management and certification for you and your staff, along with a variety of examples of legal clauses in purchasing orders and agreements.
In this section you will learn:
- where to buy ingredients and supplies
- how to get ingredient certification
- about supply management systems
Where to buy ingredients and supplies
Your product development process reveals the exact ingredients and amounts you need to reproduce your recipe safely, consistently and cost effectively.
Ideally, you should use the exact ingredients used in the product development process, although this may not always be possible. As the amount of product you need to produce changes, you may need to search out acceptable substitutions. Finding where you can buy those ingredients will depend on the quantities and the unique qualities of the ingredients.
If you plan to start with using small amounts, your local store may be the place to go, or find a supplier online. For slightly larger amounts, a restaurant distributor may be a logical choice. They may also have restaurant equipment suitable for smaller processing operations.
For larger quantities, contact the company that helped create your final recipe and product specification documents. Ask what sources they used for ingredients and raw materials.
The Food in Canada’s Buyers Guide
The Food in Canada’s Buyers Guide allows you to search for suppliers by company name or product category such as:
- ingredients and additives
- processing machinery and equipment
- packaging machinery
- equipment and supplies
- logistics and transportation
- consulting services
- health and safety equipment and suppliers
If your ingredient is covered by a regulated supply management system, check with that ingredient’s appropriate marketing board for suppliers. Learn more about supply management systems and find links to the appropriate boards later in this section (see Supply management systems).
Another place to check is Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s industries and business maps. The database profiles tens of thousands of Canadian companies and is used by companies all over the world to find ingredient suppliers in Canada.
Trade publications, trade directories and trade shows are good resources to help you find what you need. Finally, use your network of other food processors.
Ingredient certification
Make sure all the ingredients you use meet the applicable regulations and food safety standards for your product.
Also, ensure all ingredients meet certifications if your product is:
- halal (see Canada Gazette’s Regulations Amending the Food and Drug Regulations (Halal food))
- kosher
- organic
- allergen free (such as dairy free, gluten free)
- vegetarian or vegan
- sustainable
Find out more about how to get these certifications by searching the internet.
Imports
You can import products from other countries for processing. For more information, see Food safety regulations and other government regulations.
Supply management systems
Some agricultural products operate under supply management systems. These systems aim to balance supply and demand, so farmers do not produce more product than is needed at any given time. If the product you are making needs an ingredient covered by a supply management system, you will need to check with the commission, council or marketing board that covers that product.
Dairy
All unpasteurized milk in Ontario must be purchased from Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO). The DFO, in accordance with the Milk Act, is the sole legal purchaser from the producers and seller to the processors of unpasteurized milk.
Ontario Regulation 761 under the Milk Act outlines several requirements associated with the production and processing of cows’ milk in Ontario. DFO may only sell unpasteurized cows’ milk to a company or dairy processor that has been licenced by OMAFRA.
Dairy Farmers of Ontario
Tel:
Email: questions@milk.org
Canadian Dairy Commission
Tel:
Email: cdc-ccl@agr.gc.ca
Other products
Supplies of many other farm products are also controlled so that Canada’s needs are met effectively. The following is a list of agencies you should contact if you are planning to use any of these products:
Canadian Egg Hatching Producers
Tel:
Email: info@chep-poic.ca
Egg Farmers of Canada
Tel:
Email: info@canadaegg.ca
Turkey Farmers of Canada
Tel:
Email: info@tfc-edc.ca
Chicken Farmers of Canada
Tel:
Email: cfc@chicken.ca
Farm Products Council of Canada
Tel:
Email: fpcc-cpac@agr.gc.ca