misc Cheap Nutritional Analysis and UPC codes

Anybody know of some really good but cheap software to analyze Nutritional Information?

Also, where does everybody get their barcodes from?

--Jay
 
where to start....

how many products are you looking at doing?



Barcodes-
2 ways to get a barcode- apply to the GS1 directly,and for several hundred dollars (somehow $700 sticks in my mind but that could be totally wrong) you can get your own barcode series, which I think has up to 100 sequential barcodes.
http://barcodes.gs1us.org/dnn_bcec/TabId/90/Default.aspx

Or if you only need a couple, you can go to a barcode "broker" and just buy a couple. The broker has purchased blocks of numbers from GS1 and sells them individually. WATCH THIS ONE THOUGH! From some online reading I've done, The barcode regulations changed several years ago so new purchasers can't resell their numbers individually. Older resellers who purchased their numbers prior to the law changes are still legal to sell. I've seen them for $50-$100, but make SURE it's a good code!


And there are many food labs or Nutritional analysis places that will do one-time testing for you. They're usually around $100, but it pays to shop around. Here's a software program I'm planning on getting ....when the cash flow isn't so tight....for $400.
http://www.foodsoftware.com/Product...weetware&ClkKey=nutritional_analysis_software

4 products and it pays for itself.
 
If you're a small company, fewer then 100 employees, then you are exempt from the nutritional requirement. If you're a VERY small company, fewer then 10 employees, then you do not even need to file for the exemption. HOWEVER, if you make any claim what so ever,(low sodium, all natural, etc) then you do need to have the nutritional information on your product.
 
I just checked out www.labelcalc.com, looks similar to the free australian one. $175 per label, $2500 unlimited.
 
I provide bar codes if your interested. And will soon be generating nutr. panels for products. FYI UPC's are different then barcodes.. UPC's have a yearly payment dues and are pointless unless your huge. I bought 3 UPCs for expensiveness on my initial three products and am pissed I wasted the $ when bar codes are awesome for small companies!!!

Just be sure you want bar codes bc I want you to know what your getting!

Private message me for more info..

xox
 
Nicole, what's the difference of a barcode to UPC? neither of which are a nutritional analysis panel.

I thought they were the same.....the barcode scans and it also has the numbers below the b&w bars. If the bar doesn't scan, the checker punches in the numbers and the price come up.

Thanks for info???


I'll google also, in case you're not back on here soon....
 
They work the same, they scan the same, the difference (to my knowledge) is that UPC's are registered with some national registry .. Honestly you will get a better explanation from googling it!! So try that, but also the price difference between a UPC and bar code is SO drastic- I started working with a local co-op co-packing facility by me and the guy I have been working with has been guiding me so much through this and he explained it to me, and it made sense, but the main thing that stuck in my mind was the price so sorry I cant give you a better explanation.

He has cheap cheap bar codes and does nutritional analysis- He gives price breaks at certain amounts that I buy- but I don't need them all at once bc I only run one or two products at a time-- that is why I am offering them for sale. (The nutrition panel I pay for 10 to get the price break, but use them as I need them- almost like a gift certificate!)
 
Here's a link to a business that is reselling bar codes/UPCs. It is one I described above as having a large block of numbers that they purchased prior to 2002 when the laws changed. It has really good, easy to understand descriptions. This is the home page link, and check out their FAQ's also.

Their prices start out at $22 per code and go down the more you buy.

http://www.iwantmybarcode.com/index.htm


There is references of Large Retailers who won't accept products that have re-sold UPC numbers. A little research found this text from another UPC seller-

"You are made aware that some Wal-Mart stores or regions, some Kroger Grocery stores and possibly Wegmans Grocery stores may not possibly accept your subset UPC because it is not purchased through the GS1 and they require your own unique GLN and GS1 certificate. (We think it's interesting that officials from Wal-Mart and Wegman's are on the governing board of the GS1). These are the only three retailers we are aware of that may not accept your UPC/EAN subset number as they may require you to have your own costly manufacturer's number certificate that you can only obtain through the GS1, however we also have reports of people successfully providing UPCs to these stores and not being asked for a GS1 Certificate. If your product becomes so successful that you obtain a distributor who wants to mass market your product(s) in those stores, then your success at that point ought to justify the high cost of obtaining a manufacturer's prefix through the GS1. For everyone else, EZ UPC is an extremely easy, legal and affordable solution. Your worst-case scenario is that you would have to get new UPCs through the GS1 and put stickers over your existing ones that you buy from us to go into those stores"


Quotes I'm seeing online are that to get your own UPC prefix number (which will give you 100,000 numbers you can use) it's about $900. Or you can buy from one of the many re-sellers for a few and like they say, if you get to the point of possibly going into WaMart, it's probably time to pony up and get your own numbers.

It is interesting, 2 sites reference the fact that the BigBoy retailers who won't accept reseller numbers are on the board of GS1. What a racket!
 
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