Back Office Executive

Key Discussion Points Before Signing

1. Ownership & Confidentiality

Clarify that SRN & Co (FarmHarvest) will own 100% rights to the final formulations, recipes, and product concepts developed under this project.

Ensure Food Buddies cannot reuse, resell, or modify these formulations for any other client or internal development.

Confirm a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) will be signed before the project starts — protecting your ideas, references (e.g., Cheerielane concept), and future market plans.

Verify if the recipe documentation will include all technical details such as ingredient ratios, process temperature, and cooking sequence, not just a summarized report.

Ask if they will hand over editable versions (Excel or Word) of all reports and cost sheets after project closure.

2. Exact Deliverables

Clearly list and confirm every tangible and intangible outcome you will receive upon completion.

Deliverables to Confirm:

One base recipe for popcorn-Cob shaped (premix or molded form).

Three unique flavor variants, fully developed at lab level and ready for scale-up testing.

Detailed recipe sheets – including ingredient composition, process flow, equipment used, and time-temperature details.

Vendor recommendations – list of suppliers for each key ingredient, flavor, and packaging material.

Costing sheet – estimated raw material cost, yield %, and indicative per-unit production cost.

Sample pods – physical lab samples for evaluation, along with preparation instructions.

Statutory and FSSAI category recommendation – guidance on classification, labeling, and permissible claims.

Shelf-life and storage suggestions – indicative stability period, packaging needs, and storage conditions.

Final handover report summarizing all work done, recipes, and findings.

Ensure all these deliverables are included in the ₹2.5 lakh fee.

3. Scope Limits & Additional Charges

The proposal excludes travel, lodging, and external lab testing — confirm what situations will trigger those extra costs.

Ask for a clear written list of exclusions, such as packaging prototype design, pilot plant production, or sensory testing outside their lab.

Confirm if recipe modification after first approval will attract additional cost.

Fix a maximum limit or prior approval requirement for any additional expense.

Ask if GST is included or to be added extra on ₹2.5 lakh.

4. Timeline & Workflow

Food Buddies mentions 8 weeks from advance payment. Request a milestone-based timeline, e.g.:

Week 1–2: Ingredient mapping and initial formulation.

Week 3–4: First round of lab samples.

Week 5–6: Feedback and optimization.

Week 7–8: Final approval and handover.

Confirm who will coordinate updates (e.g., a weekly progress email or short review call).

Decide on sample shipment method and cost responsibility.

Ensure any delay from either side leads to proportional timeline extension without penalty.

5. Quality and Performance Criteria

Discuss expected popping quality — e.g., how uniformly it should pop, taste profile, and texture after cooking.

Define the benchmark product (Cheerielane) for reference so both parties visualize the same end goal.

Set sensory evaluation standards (appearance, aroma, crunch, flavor balance).

Confirm if Food Buddies’ lab trials will simulate real cooking conditions (pan, induction, etc.).

Check how they’ll ensure consistency in each variant and whether you can participate in or receive photos/videos of the test batches.

6. Recipe and Process Documentation

Request a process flow chart for each product — step-by-step mixing, shaping, drying (if any), and packaging process.

Confirm inclusion of equipment list and technical specifications suitable for scaling up later (for your own or a co-packer’s use).

Ensure they include FSSAI labeling suggestions and any special claim validation (e.g., Natural, Gluten Free, Preservatives Free”).

Ask for ingredient percentage disclosure for internal use — not just qualitative descriptions.

7. Post-Development Support

Confirm how long Food Buddies will provide clarifications after project closure (e.g., 30 or 60 days of post-handover support).

Discuss whether they can support pilot-scale testing or commercial trial (and at what extra cost).

Ask if they can assist in identifying co-packers or machinery vendors if you move to production stage.

Clarify how minor refinements (flavor intensity, color) will be handled post-project.

8. Commercial and Payment Terms

Confirm payment stages: 60% advance and 40% on final approval at lab level.Can it be done as 40 % , 20 % & 40 % .

Define what “approval” means — whether it’s visual sample acceptance, sensory approval, or written confirmation.

Ensure invoice and GST details are properly mentioned.

Ask for a tax invoice with project reference number for internal accounting.

9. Dispute & Legal Understanding

Verify that Chennai jurisdiction is acceptable for us (as mentioned in the proposal).

Request that all disagreements first go to mediation, not immediate arbitration.

Ask that intellectual property clauses (recipe ownership, confidentiality, exclusivity) be added explicitly before signing.

10. Future Collaboration Potential

If product development succeeds, explore options for:

Scale-up formulation support

Industrial batch testing

New product lines 

Ask if Food Buddies offers retainer models or discounted pricing for repeat projects.

🟩 Final Decision Checklist Before Signing

Area

Confirmed

Notes

Scope & Deliverables clearly listed

☐

Ownership & NDA terms defined

☐

Recipe documentation detail confirmed

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GST inclusion & no hidden costs

☐

Milestone-based timeline

☐

Sample review process agreed

☐

Post-handover support duration

☐

Legal & IP clauses added

☐

Pilot production next-step clarity

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