A sample review is most useful when it answers a specific question: does this product match the range you want to launch? Looking at a bowl of treats is only the beginning. For a private-label project, you also need a shared record of the format, recipe information, packaging and changes that still need approval.
A simple review sheet makes the discussion more productive. It helps your team compare options consistently and gives the manufacturer clear feedback instead of a general request to “make it better.”
1. Identify exactly which sample you received
Record the supplier’s sample reference, product name, date received and packaging description. Photograph the sample with its reference label before opening it. When several versions are being reviewed, keep each version separate so comments do not become attached to the wrong product.
Ask what the sample represents. Is it an existing reference format, a trial against your brief or the proposed final specification? That distinction matters when deciding what can be approved and what still needs development.
2. Compare the appearance with your brief
Review the shape, color and overall presentation against the product concept. For shaped bites, look at how clearly the design is expressed. For cubes or rings, check whether the format is consistent with the reference your team selected.
Take photographs in similar lighting and include a size reference where useful. Mark the features you want to retain as well as the ones you want changed. A request such as “keep the ring format but review the outer diameter” is easier to act on than an unexplained preference.
3. Record dimensions and handling observations
Use an agreed method to record representative piece dimensions and, if relevant to your brief, piece weight. Note the condition of the sample as received, including visible broken pieces or loose material in the pack. Keep observations distinct from agreed acceptance criteria.
If transport condition is a concern, discuss the packaging and shipping context with the supplier. A sample sent in one type of container should not automatically be treated as evidence of how a different retail pack will perform. Ask what further review would be appropriate for your intended pack.
4. Request the information for the selected recipe
Keep appearance approval separate from approval of the product specification. Request the ingredient list, nutritional specification and any product instructions relevant to the recipe you intend to order. Confirm the intended use with the supplier rather than assigning it from the photograph alone.
This is also the point to identify which documents your own product and market review requires. A visual inspection cannot establish composition or replace the documentation and evaluation appropriate to the project.
5. Review the product together with its packaging
Consider the sample alongside your proposed net weight, pack format and artwork. Your commercial team should be able to explain how the product will be presented to the customer. Ask whether the sample packaging is representative or simply used for transport.
Check that the product name, sample reference and proposed specification remain consistent across the supplier’s documents and your artwork files. Where a change affects packaging or wording, include it in the next review rather than approving each part in isolation.
6. Send one consolidated approval or revision record
Collect feedback from the relevant people in your team and return one agreed version. Group comments into features accepted, changes requested and questions unresolved. Identify the sample reference in every approval message.
Before production is confirmed, ask both teams to agree which sample and specification the order refers to. Keep photographs and the approval record together so later discussions have a clear starting point.
Browse our pet treat range or review the OEM / ODM workflow. To discuss reference samples for your project, contact BSG with your preferred format and requirements.