Before you hire anyone to develop or manufacture your food product, read this.
You have a product idea — or maybe you already have a product. You're ready to take it further: a co-packer, a manufacturer, a food scientist who can get you to scale.
But before you make that call, send that email, or sign anything — there's foundational work that almost no one does. And it's costing them thousands.
If you're just starting out...
You've been developing your recipe at home or in a shared kitchen. People love it. You're getting serious about turning it into a real business — but the moment you start researching manufacturers and co-packers, the overwhelm sets in.
You don't know what they're going to ask you. You don't know what you don't know. And you're terrified of wasting money on the wrong steps — or the wrong people — before your product is even ready.
"I can't afford to hire a food scientist yet. But I also can't afford to walk into these conversations unprepared."
If you've been selling for a while...
You're already making and selling your product — but your process is held together with notes, memory, and habit. Your formula isn't properly documented. You've tried to work with a manufacturer before and felt lost. You know you need to professionalize before you can actually grow.
The gap between where you are and where you want to be isn't talent or passion. It's structure. It's documentation. It's knowing exactly what to bring to the table before you sit down with anyone else.
"I've been selling for years, but if a manufacturer asked me for my formula today, I honestly wouldn't know what to hand them."
There's a document that changes everything. It's called a Product Development Brief.
A Product Development Brief is the single most important document you can create before entering any conversation about manufacturing, formulation, or scaling your food product.
It captures every essential detail about your product: your formula parameters, your target specs, your intended production process, your packaging requirements, and more. It's what transforms a great idea — or an informal recipe — into something manufacturers can actually work with.
Most food entrepreneurs skip this step entirely. They show up to manufacturer meetings without it, spend months in back-and-forth they didn't anticipate, and pay dearly for the confusion.
The ones who do it right show up prepared, credible, and ready to move.
I created this Brief — and now I'm teaching you how to complete it.
I'm a food scientist and product developer. My clients hire me to take their products from concept to commercial reality — and one of the first things I do with every client is build a Product Development Brief.
I've now packaged that exact tool — along with a comprehensive guide and a 4-week coaching sequence — so you can do the foundational work yourself, before you need to hire anyone like me.
This is not a generic template. It's the actual framework I use with paying clients, taught to you directly.
What you'll have when you're done...
By completing this Toolkit, you'll walk away with a professional, ready-to-use Product Development Brief that sets your product up for consistent, scalable, compliant production — without the costly guesswork.
You'll gain the knowledge, language, and confidence to lead manufacturer and product developer conversations like a pro, having already done the foundational work that consultants typically charge thousands of dollars to guide you through.
A complete, professional brief you can hand directly to any manufacturer, co-packer, or food scientist — little back-and-forth, no missing details.
Define your product to the exact specifications required for consistent, scalable, and compliant production, so nothing gets lost in translation.
Walk into manufacturer and product developer meetings already knowing what they'll ask — and ready with the right answers.
Bypass ballooning budgets by completing the foundational work any developer would have to do before getting started.
Identify the specifications that matter and communicate them clearly — avoiding scope changes and endless back-and-forth that drains your budget.
Start with the work. Choose how much expert support you want behind you.
Product Development Brief Toolkit
The complete Product Development Brief Toolkit with a 4-week guided email sequence.
• PDB Template
• PDB Example
• Reading Guide
• 4-Week Email Program
Everything you need to complete your brief independently. Digital & printer-friendly.
$99
For $99, you get immediate access to the Product Development Brief Toolkit.
Special Offer: (optional)
If you enroll in From Idea to Formula within 60 days AND with a completed PDB, you will save $250 (discounted price of $1,750).
Product Development Brief Toolkit + BONUS
Everything in Tier 1, plus my expert review of your completed Product Development Brief —
Receive written feedback from a seasoned food scientist and product developer. This is what I do professionally. You get my eyes on your work.
$249
For $249, you get immediate access to the Product Development Brief Toolkit + BONUS.
Special Offer: (optional)
If you enroll in From Idea to Formula within 60 days AND with a completed PDB, you will save $600 (discounted price of $1,400).
Product Development Brief Toolkit BUNDLE
Everything in Tiers 1 and 2, plus a 1-hour private call to discuss your project in depth.
Bring your questions, your product challenges, your big-picture goals — items are welcome in advance of our meeting.
$449
For $449, you get immediate access to the Product Development Brief Toolkit BUNDLE.
Special Offer: (optional)
If you enroll in From Idea to Formula within 60 days AND with a completed PDB, you will save $900 (discounted price of $1,100).
Not sure which tier is right for you? If you're self-directed and confident working independently, Tier 1 is your starting point. If you want to know a professional has reviewed your work before you take it anywhere, Tier 2. If you want direct access to ask questions and get strategic input on your specific product, Tier 3.
Still have questions?
This is for food and beverage entrepreneurs at any stage — from pre-revenue makers testing their first formula to existing brands preparing to scale. If you're getting ready to have any serious conversations about manufacturing or production, you need this document first.
You could complete this entire exercise in a weekend, though I recommend a pace of 1–2 hours per day over 3–4 days if you prefer a more thoughtful approach. It's worth noting that this is a living document — as you speak with manufacturers and product developers and learn what's feasible, you may want to revisit and adjust your parameters. It's completely normal for brands to refine their Product Development Brief several times before any hands-on formulation begins. Think of completing this Toolkit as laying the foundation, not the finish line.
My full course, From Idea to Formula, covers the complete product development process — and yes, it includes the PDB material you're working through here. That's intentional.
Think of this as purchasing a meaningful piece of the course in advance — at a lower risk, lower cost entry point. When you're ready to go further, the amount you've already invested carries over. The more you invest in the PDB tier, the larger your course credit. It's not a gimmick — it's how I want to reward the people who show up ready to do the work.
The 60-day window exists because it aligns with the time it should take to complete your brief and consider if this course is the right fit for you. If you finish your PDB and enroll within 60 days, you're exactly the kind of student I want in the course.
Yes — this Toolkit was designed to work across food and beverage product categories. Whether you're developing a snack, sauce, beverage, supplement, baked good, or anything in between, the foundational work of defining your product's parameters, ingredients, labeling, and production requirements is universal. Every food product heading toward scalable, compliant production needs this thinking done. This Toolkit helps you do it.
No. The PDB stands entirely on its own. Whether or not you ever enroll in the course, completing a professional Product Development Brief will save you time, money, and confusion at every stage of your product's development. The course discount is a bonus for those who want to go deeper — not a requirement.
MJ Kinney
MJ Kinney is a food scientist and product developer with over a decade of experience in taking food products from concept to commercial launch.
As the founder of FareScience, she's helped companies of all sizes — including many pre-revenue startups — develop better-for-you foods that balance nutrition, taste, affordability, and scalability.
This resource distills a career's worth of expertise into practical and foundational skills every food founder should have — especially if you have a DIY mentality, limited technical experience, and are working with a lean budget.
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Lifetime access to all Toolkit materials — Work through the PDB at your own pace and return to any section as your product evolves. Receive all future updates at no additional cost.
A deliverable you'll use from Day 1 — Walk away with a completed, professional Product Development Brief ready to hand to a manufacturer, co-packer, or food scientist.
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