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P. R. VAILLANCOURT, TIC Gums, Inc., 178 Breakwater Way, Vacaville, CA 95688

In a manufacturer’s search for ingredients it is a necessity to include numerous factors regarding each ingredient and many of these factors affect the availability and pricing. Some companies rely on an employee's product knowledge, while others stick closely to a specification and emphasize price, delivery time, and service over or equal to functionality and even quality. As a small- or medium-sized company, when evaluating ingredients, consideration of what resources a supplier provides will help in the decision-making process. Many companies operate with few employees and little time to find and evaluate their ingredients. Therefore, up-to-date information regarding the product, its availability, updates on markets and fluctuations, and information on product quality and pricing are essential and expected from the supplier. Your supplier, as your partner should also be to provide invaluable information related to market trends, employment opportunities, and competitive products. Initial selection of an ingredient may originate from an article in a trade journal, attending a trade show, referral by a co-worker, a consultant, a distributor, or even a supplier. Yet, is the selected ingredient optimum for your specific application? Discussion will cover comparison of similar ingredients, evaluation of selected ingredients, continued use of current ingredients, and why buying ingredients has a level of shared responsibility between the customer and the supplier. Case studies will be reviewed as examples in the decision making process for selecting a supplier and reasons why this selection affects the finished product. Several specific issues will include: processing and equipment requirements, understanding your customer, and decisions based upon current issues (e.g., GMOs, Natural status, organic status). Current changes in the selection of a supplier will also be addressed such as preferred supplier programs and use of the World Wide Web.