When choosing to stock baby food on your shelves, you want to make sure that you are choosing the right baby food manufacturers. It is important to stay up to date on the latest baby food manufacturers news and trends to remain competitive. Staying in the loop will help you better serve your customers and remain knowledgeable about the latest baby food brands on the market.

Consumers purchasing baby food know what to look for on the label and are often quite knowledgeable about the purchases they are making. Baby food companies are constantly changing to adapt to the needs of the consumer. As a retailer it is essential for you to know what these changes are. Consider the following when stocking your shelves with various baby food suppliers:

1. Read parenting magazines and websites to get an idea of what consumers like and don't like from baby food manufacturers.

2. Read consumers blogs that detail their experiences with the baby food industry.

3. Read about the latest in baby food production and what is currently recommended for optimal nutrition.

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Stay on top of what parenting information says consumers should look for in baby food brands

Parents often go to dedicated parenting resources to get guidance into what their babies should and should not be eating. They are likely to follow what the current information says about baby food production rather then abiding by what used to be most accepted. Parenting information changes rapidly, and as a retailer you should know the current recommendations.

I recommend: Parents.com has an online section dedicated to what's best for baby's nutrition. BabyCenter has both articles and expert answers to parent's questions about baby nutrition.

Listen to what parents are saying about baby food producers

What better way to know what consumers want than hearing right from their mouths. Reading consumers blogs and web posts can give you a front row seat to what consumers are and are not accepting of when it comes to infant food companies. No matter what anyone else is saying, if the consumer isn't going to buy it, you don't want it on your shelves.

I recommend: Babies Online is a blog all about babies, but there is specific section of the blog dedicated to just to nutrition. Or check out blogs like The Mommy Blog written by and for moms.

Keep current on the nutritional recommendations in the infant food industry

Learn about the infant food production regulations from valid news sources. Hearing about the industry from an outside source allows you to be confident that the information is not biased and will uncover any pressing information you should know before selling certain products.

I recommend: Places like FLEXNEWS keeps up-to-date business news for anyone in the food industry. And for the final word on infant food production regulations, refer to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be sure to carry different baby food brands as well as different baby food for various age groups, from infant formula to solid baby food, to appeal to all of your customers.

If you plan to retail baby food, then you’ll want to know the most about the infant food industry as possible. You should know the basics of baby food production as well as the top baby food manufacturers in the current market.

Two of the top baby food companies include Gerber and Beech Nut. Both of these companies produce a large number of baby food items, including pureed vegetables, fruits, cereals and snacks.

1. Choose the products you want to retail. Besides old staples, like pureed vegetables and fruits, considering ordering a range of specialized products from infant food companies, like puff snacks and baby biscuits.

2. Look at the different manufacturers of baby food. You’ll want to work with a company that produces quality products with a highly efficient labeling program. Infant food manufacturers should label whether the product contains nuts, dairy and gluten.

3. Order your items from different baby food companies. Give your customers a selection by ordering a range of baby food items from several different baby food manufacturing companies.

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Compare baby food brands

Besides the top brands, like Gerber and Beech Nut, look at smaller baby food producers to see what types of products they have to offer. Gerber and Beech Nut have a very similar product catalog, so smaller companies give you a chance to offer a better variety.

I recommend: Check out the brand Parent’s Choice when comparing the available baby food brands. Another smaller scale company you may want to consider using is Gaia Baby Food. They offer classes where you make homemade baby food in their facility to take home--something you won't find from larger baby food production companies. They give you the ingredients and know-how, and you get a week's worth of healthy baby food.

Locate organic baby food manufacturers

Recent growth in the organic food market makes it viable for small business owners to include products from organic baby food manufacturers.

I recommend: If you want to order from the leader in organic baby food production, then contact Earth’s Best. Check out the HAPPYBABY foods. This baby food manufacturer makes premium organic food for babies, including probiotic dry cereals, frozen organic entrées and pureed organic vegetables.

Work with top baby food suppliers

Prepare your figures prior to placing orders with baby food suppliers. You'll want to estimate the amount of baby food you need to order to satisfy your customer base.

I recommend: For contact information on organic baby food suppliers, select one of the links provided on EcoBusinessLinks. For a more comprehensive list of baby food suppliers, you can use the Global Sources site, a part of Trade Media Holdings Ltd.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Besides listing possible allergens on their products, baby food companies need to label suggested age ranges of the different food items. You'll likely find the food separated into different stages of infancy, starting with as young as 3 to 6 months. Stock your shelves with a range of ages to appeal to all customers with infants.

Baby food production as we know it began in the 1927 kitchen of Mr. and Mrs. Gerber whose pediatrician advised them to puree solid food for their young daughter. Within a year they were in demand as baby food suppliers. In the US, Gerber, Beech-Nut and Heinz baby food brands control 95% of the market. There are smaller companies that often provide organic baby food products.

Baby food manufacturers education and training requires degrees in food chemistry, food technology as well as business administration teachings.

1. Baby food companies both large and small require an educated workforce to develop nutritional, safe foods for babies in their different stages of development.

2. Manufacturers of baby food develop products in test kitchens using nutritional analysis and up-to-date medical studies on the food needs of children.

3. Small baby food companies are sometimes run by people who have degrees in culinary arts but not in food chemistry.

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Look at courses in food chemistry for baby food production

Food chemistry is a science -- you learn to analyze the chemical compounds that are in foods. Programs in food science are offered in both undergraduate and graduate levels. Food science education requires high level math skills.

I recommend: Texas Woman's University offers a master's degree programs in nutrition and food science. Tuskegee University is well-known for its Food and Nutritional Sciences Degree Programs.

Find out about food technologists and what they can do for baby food suppliers

Food technologists analyze the physical and chemical properties of food, including during its manufacture and packaging stages. Food technologists are trained in chemistry, microbiology and engineering -- all as these are applied to food.

I recommend: The Institute of Food Technologists is a terrific resource for anyone interested in baby food manufacturers education and training by supplying the core requirements to become a food technologist. The Cornell Institute of Food Science focuses on training and research for the food industry.

See how lesser-known baby food brands provide quality control on nutrition

The baby food industry, especially organic baby food manufacturers, use registered dietitians to coordinate and control the nutritional aspects of their food products. Registered dietitians play a big role for the baby food products manufacturer.

I recommend: The American Dietetic Association is a good place to start for getting an education in nutrition. It provides the names of accredited schools and programs for this study. Johns Hopkins, a highly regarded institute of higher learning offers a masters registered dietitian program.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be careful of unaccredited programs in nutrition. In some states and in Europe people can call themselves nutritionists without any education at all. Accredited schools are the only schools that provide students with a form of study that meets higher education standards.

Baby food manufacturing is a very complex business that is constantly changing. The recommendations for babies' nutrition are always evolving, keeping the baby food manufacturers constantly in flux. It is important to always know the newest trends like prebiotics as well as to keep up with the most popular products containing hydrolyzed proteins or ARA. Along with the changes remain the constant, most common baby food manufacturing elements such as the use of emulsifiers and the spray drying process. No matter what, it is essential to be informed of all of the baby food manufacturing jargon in order to stay competitive.

Action Steps
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Hydrolyzed protein formula

Hydrolyzed protein formula is given to children that have a hard time digesting typical formula. In a hydrolyzed formula the protein has been broken down much further then in other formulas creating an easier to digest formula.

I recommend: Child Birth Solutions discusses how to choose the proper formula.

Arachidonic acid, ARA

Arachidonic acid, ARA, is an essential fatty acid that is added to many baby formulas. ARA is said to have health benefits for infants such as aiding in brain and eye development.

I recommend: Keep Kids Healthy outlines the benefits of arachidonic acid.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics are live cultures that add 'healthy bacteria' to baby cereal, yogurt, and jarred baby food. The idea is that the bacteria would promote healthy digestion and a happier baby.

I recommend: The Parenting Group discusses the benefits of prebiotic baby food.

Dirty dozen

The dirty dozen refers to a group of fruits and vegetables that are more likely to hold pesticides and other harmful chemicals then others. Some consumers are wary of this group of produce.

I recommend: Happy Baby Food explains the dirty dozen and acceptable baby food alternatives.

Spray drying

Spray drying is the process of making baby formula where a liquid is dried into a powder. The process does not compromise the integrity of the raw ingredients and accounts for the fragility of some of the ingredients.

I recommend: GEA Process Engineering explains the whole process of producing powdered baby formula.

Emulsifiers/stabilizers

Emulsifiers, also referred to as stabilizers, are molecules that ensure that the oil and water within baby formula does not separate. The molecule consists of one water-adaptable end and one oil-adaptable end. Together, the molecule holds the different parts of the liquid together to make a homogeneous product.

I recommend: How Products Are Made describes how emulsifiers fit into the production of baby food.