A chef may have all the ingredients needed to develop an excellent food product. However, converting a homegrown recipe into a commercial product can be a challenge. You may need help with food product development, testing shelf life stability, nutrition labelling, and more. 

While many food researchers work in traditional full-time roles, there is an increasing number of freelance food scientists for hire. This helps startups access and afford expertise quickly and easily. 

If you’re looking to launch a food product, you may need to hire a food science consultant who can help you take it to the market. Consultants are also likely to specialize in specific areas. For example, a food formulation consultant can help you source the right kinds of ingredients and optimize the consistency and texture of your product. A food chemist can help you test the chemical makeup of a product, and a flavor chemist can advise on artificial or natural flavors that you can use. 

Before you start developing your product, you may also need to work with a food researcher who can conduct market research and help you find the right suppliers to work with. 

As hiring an in-house food scientist can be an expensive affair, most startups and small businesses consult experts on a one-off basis. Food scientists on Kolabtree charge between USD 1500 and USD 3000 for assisting with creating a new product, however, rates vary depending on the deliverable(s), the nature of work, and whether samples are required to be physically shipped. 

Consulting a freelance food technologist on an on-demand basis can help food businesses save up to 50% in costs and time.  

Here are five things to keep in mind while creating a job post for a food scientist.

• Scope of work: Provide a clear outline of the goal of your project and the deliverable(s) expected. |
  For example: Need a freelance food scientist near me to help develop a CBD-infused snack. Also require help with labelling according to industry regulations. 
• Duration:  Define how long you expect the project to run for. 
• By when you need to hire: Do you need to hire someone within a few days, weeks, or longer? Indicate up to when you’re willing to have your project open for applications. 
• Budget: Provide a rough idea of your budget and whether you’d like to pay per project or by the hour. You can revise your budget once you discuss more with a freelancer. 
• Skills required: While looking for a food consultant, you can narrow down the specialty you require.

Ready to hire a food scientist? Post your project on Kolabtree and get quotes from freelance food scientists for free.