I am looking for advice on producing frozen pizza bases. I want to start a business selling frozen pizza bases wholesale. I know how to make the base but what happens next? How do I get the base to look fit for retail sales and ready for packaging? Is there any cooking involved? I have no experience at all in the process but desperate to learn. Help!
May I ask why you want to enter this particular part of the business with little to no experience? This seems to be more of a manufacturing background, and less of a pizza background to me.
I’m a pizza guy who makes live pizzas. I don’t know from making frozen pucks of pizza dough. Maybe Google can help, or calling a co-packer to see if they have anythingfor you.
I can’t remember anyone having any manufacturing background 'round these parts (Think Tank) recently.
May I burst your bubble?
Why should anyone buy your product?
Is it that much better/cheaper/exciting than the 50 or so now available on the market?
I can buy a pretty darn good product from, say, Roma foods for $.50 each - can you beat that price, delivered with a better product, all across the USA?
Now if you can, there is an opportunity, but it is a slim market…the big guys all produce their own product, in-house…
Many indy’s make their own dough far cheaper than you can ever hope to achieve and to convince an indy yours is better is nearly impossible…
Now, lets look at your market…is it still viable?
If so, you’ll need a special system to rapid freeze your dough, (tunnel freezer expensive) equipment to make/round/flatten your dough (moderately expensive) and packaging/labeling/holding freezers (expensive)
Do you have the $100,000+ dollars ready to invest?
Did I ruin your day, or give you encouragement?
While you are correct about many independent’s, there are far other markets to target . . . grocery deli’s, frozen pizza companies, carnival/fair vendors, retail grocery for public sales. Mama Rosa has a decent grocery store refrigerated par-baked crust. Lots and lots of places to sell besides us independent, dough snob, penny-pinching pizza purveyors 
yes, but Mama Rosa’s & other products in grocery store generally pay “slotting” fees to gain space on the retailers shelves…tuff 2 do 4 a little guy…
He may have a market, but it may be so slim to capitalize on w/such a small product start…he’d be going head 2 head w/Rich’s 4 instance…is his product that much better/cheaper/etc and can he deliver it to the lower 48?
If hes produces/distributes a 16 oz. dough puck, for say $.50 & it costs him $.20 he’ll need to sell half a million just to generate $150,000 gross profit, or about 1,369 pucks a day…a very big number…
So… Where do you go from here?
Selling a frozen dough through stores such as grocery stores, club stores, or distributors, makes you a commercial frozen food manufacturer. You must be prepared to abide by ALL of the rules, regulations and laws governing the operation of a commercial food manufacturer. To get a broad perspective of what is all involved go to <www.fda.gov> and click on the different options including those on Home Land Security (yep, you will come under their scrutiny too). By far, your most cost efficient action would be to contact a co-packer that will produce your product to your specifications, then you can concentrate on figuring out how you are going to market the product. Two companies that you might want to contact would be Custom Foods, Inc (John Khoury) at john@customfoodsinc.com 913-585-1900 or Little Lady Foods (John Geocaris) <www.littleladyfoods.com> 847-806-1440.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor
yes I will be classified a manufacturer. I want to enter this market as my bases will be organic, no preservatives or chemicals. I am prepared to start from humble beginnings. I have made pizza at home for years but I cook them straight away. I want to sell them frozen so I dont have to add any preservatives. After first year of business I plan to introduce the full pizza. I just need to learn the process.
Thank you Nick I appreciate your suggestion.
Thank you for your positive feed back.
I am actually in Australia and we only have one major supplier of frozen pizza’s and bases which are full of preservatives. I plan to have a far superior quality so I can charge slightly more…
I will look into the equipment you mentioned. humble beginnings as they say. You have to start somewhere.
Oh and by the way you didn’t ruin my day, I appreciate your genuine response.
You have an excellent organization there in Australia called BRI (Bread Research Institute) that also might be able to point you towards some assistance, especially with your country’s food laws.
Please let me know if I can provide you with any additional assistance.
Tom Lehmann/TDD