So shipping drums of thick liquids has become too cost prohibitive for me. Shipping costs SEVERELY cut into my margins. What are my alternatives?
Find another supplier that's willing to come down on shipping? There's already a severe shortage of suppliers that deal in smaller-than-shipping-container size quantities. The growers in South America want to unload their harvest all at once (understandably).
Make my own mash? I don't have the acreage to grow my own peppers for the sauce output I do, but I could easily buy/ship the lighter-weight pepper pods. Where is the best place to source fresh pods in bulk?
What about dried chile pods? Can you reconstitute them and make a convincing liquid pepper mash from dried pods?
What about dried/ground chile powder? It would be way cheaper to ship, but I'd think you would lose the fermented flavor and consistency this way - I'd have to alter my recipe entirely.
I'm still a small fry in this biz, what do the bigger shops do?
Sorry for rambling, I'm just trying to feel out my options a bit more.
Find another supplier that's willing to come down on shipping? There's already a severe shortage of suppliers that deal in smaller-than-shipping-container size quantities. The growers in South America want to unload their harvest all at once (understandably).
Make my own mash? I don't have the acreage to grow my own peppers for the sauce output I do, but I could easily buy/ship the lighter-weight pepper pods. Where is the best place to source fresh pods in bulk?
What about dried chile pods? Can you reconstitute them and make a convincing liquid pepper mash from dried pods?
What about dried/ground chile powder? It would be way cheaper to ship, but I'd think you would lose the fermented flavor and consistency this way - I'd have to alter my recipe entirely.
I'm still a small fry in this biz, what do the bigger shops do?
Sorry for rambling, I'm just trying to feel out my options a bit more.
)and where are the barrels coming from/ going to?