Feasibility Analysis · For food founders
Find out if your food idea can work before you spend $15,000 finding out.
Most food products that stall don't fail at the bench. They fail because nobody checked the hard questions first. Can it be made without the ingredient you're avoiding? Will it stay safe on the shelf? Can a co-packer run it at a price that leaves you a margin? I answer those questions on paper, before you pay for a single prototype.
$2,500 flat fee · Written report + review call · Credited into formulation if you move forward
Just need a plan for the whole journey? Most founders start with the $950 Product Launch Roadmap.
Sound familiar?
You have a recipe, not a plan
It works in your kitchen. You don't know yet if it survives a co-packer, a shelf or a label review.
You got a big quote
Someone quoted $10,000 or more for formulation, and you want to know it's worth it before you sign.
You're not sure what you're asking for
Clean label, high protein, shelf stable, no gums. Some of those fight each other, and it's hard to know which.
What's included
The questions I'll answer for your product
Can it be made the way you picture it?
A review of the research and technical landscape: The ingredients, processes and concentrations that make your product work, and what gets in the way.
Will it be safe, and what will regulators expect?
Food safety and risk: Shelf-Life, pH and water activity, allergens, processing requirements and the regulatory path your product falls under.
Can you actually source it?
The ingredient and supplier landscape: Who makes what you need, how consistent it is and what clean-label or organic options exist.
Where does it fit in the market?
The products you'd compete with, how they're positioned and priced, and where yours can stand apart.
What's the smartest way to build it?
Two or three formulation directions, worked through with you, with the advantages and disadvantages of each.
So, should you do it?
A clear go or no-go recommendation, delivered as a written report and reviewed with you on a call.
How it works
Free 15-minute call
We make sure the analysis is the right first step for your product.
Kickoff
Your goals, your customer, your must-haves and your deal-breakers.
Research and analysis
All on paper. No benchtop work, so no ingredient or lab bills.
Report and review call
We walk through the findings together, and you leave with a clear next step.
One flat fee
Fixed scope, no hourly meter running. If you decide to move forward, this work becomes Phase 1 of your formulation project, so nothing gets redone.
- Research and technical landscape review
- Food safety, allergen and regulatory risk assessment
- Ingredient and supplier landscape
- Market landscape and product strategy
- Two or three formulation directions, with trade-offs
- A written report with a clear go or no-go recommendation
- A review call to walk through it together
Not included: Benchtop prototypes, shelf-life studies, process authority review and co-packer trials. Testing is done by specialized partners and billed separately, and I can recommend them.
Food companies I've worked with
“We consulted Bryan as Food Scientist assessor of our beverage concept. He is very knowledgeable, extremely quick to reply, has a quick grasp of what you, as a non-scientist, are exactly looking for and delivers in a timely and correct manner.”
“He usually has an answer at the ready, and when he doesn't, he reviews the literature and presents a robust science-backed answer in accessible language.”
“Not only has he provided a lot of beneficial resources, but has also offered practical solutions based on his expertise.”
Hi, I'm Dr. Bryan Quoc Le
I'm a food scientist and the author of 150 Food Science Questions Answered. For more than ten years I've worked across food tech, biotech and nutraceuticals, and my work has been featured in The New York Times, TIME, Scientific American, National Geographic and Rolling Stone.
My favorite part of any project is the very beginning, when an idea is still flexible and one good question can save months. That's what this analysis is for.
Questions founders ask
Will you make a prototype?
Not in this step. The analysis is done on paper on purpose, because ruling out a bad path on paper is far cheaper than ruling it out at the bench. If you move forward, benchtop formulation comes next, and this work carries straight into it.
What if the answer is no?
Then you just avoided a formulation project that typically runs $10,000 to $15,000. I'll explain why it doesn't work as planned, and what would have to change for it to become a yes.
How long does it take?
It depends on the product and how much research it needs. You'll get a delivery date at the kickoff call, before any work starts.
Is the fee refundable?
The fee is nonrefundable, because the research starts the day we kick off. That's why the free 15-minute call comes first, so we're both confident it's the right fit.
Will you sign an NDA?
Yes. I'm happy to sign one before you share your concept or recipe.
What does it cost to go all the way to a prototype?
Full formulation projects usually run $10,000 to $15,000, paid in $2,500 milestones. Try the free food scientist cost estimator to see how the pieces add up for your product.
Know before you build.
Book a free 15-minute call. Tell me what you're making, and I'll tell you honestly whether this analysis is the right first step.