Key Takeaways
- Schwan Food Company, McCormick Corporation, and National Food Lab offer paid taste testing opportunities. Compensation varies from $15 to $30 per session, lasting 15 minutes to an hour.
- Contract Testing Incorporated and MMR are large sensory testing companies that pay $25 to $30 per session, with a limit of 4-5 sessions per year, and may require additional sensory tests for eligibility.
- Alternative ways to get paid for food testing include participating in paid marketing research trials, working as a food critic (earning $37,720 to $100,000 per year), or becoming a food blogger (averaging over $32,800 per year).
5 Companies that Do Taste Testing for Money
Schwan Food Company
Taste Testing for money is an easy way to get a job at the Schwan Food Company, a popular food development and research company located in Marshall, Minnesota,
You can spend as much as $15 to taste pizza, ice cream, breakfast, and frozen foods. Each tasting session lasts 15-45 minutes.
You are eligible to participate three times a month or at least twice a year, depending on how often your profile fits the criteria for the test they have in mind.
However, you don’t need a degree in culinary arts to become a Schwan taste tester. You must be a Minnesota resident and register your profile on their website.
McCormick Corporation
The testing program is located at the McCormick Company in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Participants will test foods ranging from snacks to beverages.
You don’t need to live close to the facility, as you can take the tests at your convenience. Register for free on their website and be placed in the database.
McCormick uses this database to pick participants randomly. If you’re lucky to be selected, they’ll email you questions to see if you’re eligible for the test. If your answers meet their requirements, they’ll let you know your pay and the test duration.
You can participate in up to four studies per year, though not more than one tasting session every three months. They conduct tests every day of the week(except weekends) from the day until the evening. The minimum age for eligibility is 18, but parents can register their kids to their account when the company needs a child for a particular test.
National Food Lab
For residents of Livermore, California, there’s an opportunity to get paid for taste testing at the National Food Lab Company. This food manufacturing company works on new recipes and constantly searches for food tasters to try these products. As a taste tester, you will taste foods and beverages and give honest feedback.
With a minimum payment of $25, each tasting session may last about 50 minutes to 1 hour (based on the test). Every day of the week is open from morning till evening, even on weekends! So you can participate several times a year.
Anyone can enroll for free. You will receive notifications about upcoming tests by phone call or email. Therefore, you have to live in or near their facility at Livermore to participate.
Contract Testing Incorporated
Contract Tasting Inc. is one of the largest sensory testing companies manufacturers use to test food products. Therefore, many food options are available, including; snacks, frozen dinners, cookies, pizza, soups, and more!
However, note that you can’t participate in their testing studies more than five times yearly. You earn a minimum of $25 to $30 per session. You could receive more depending on the type and length of the test. Most studies last about 1 hour.
To get started, create a profile with your personal information. CTI will alert you when a new test fits the profile you have given. Everyone is eligible to sign up, so you can even include your kids.
MMR
MMR is a sensory-tasting company that specializes in food product testing. Before starting the study, they will examine your senses to verify that you’re a good fit. The verification process involves taking taste and odor recognition tests and asking you to describe the attributes of food items.
Therefore, you must have no known food allergies or other allergies that may affect your senses.
You will work four days a week for a few hours each day. You also get to carry out some of the studies in the comfort of your home.
MMR is an excellent place to consider if you’re a good taste tester who enjoys eating and wants to make some easy extra cash!
Other Ways to Get Paid For Food Testing
Work for Paid Marketing Research Trials
Marketing research is an integral part of every organization. Before releasing every product, companies hire research firms to conduct product testing using focus groups, internet surveys, or taste-testing plans. This strategy helps them to save millions of dollars on a bad investment.
But where can you fit in?
You can work as a paid taste tester for any market research firm open everywhere nationwide! Earn $5 to $20 for short surveys and an average of $50 to $200 for longer surveys. Your job is to give them feedback on new food products, compare them against popular companies, and share your opinions on services and products before launching.
You will need to fill out a preliminary questionnaire to see if you qualify for the study. Your location, age, sex, career, marital status, if you drink alcohol or smoke, and every other relevant information about you makes up your profile. No payment is required from you. If you qualify for participation, the market research company will contact you via call or mail.
Here are some common popular marketing research studies you can participate in:
Work as a Food Critic
You can earn up to $37,720 to $100,000 per year testing food as a food critic.
“The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that writers and authors (including food critics) earn about $61,240 per year on average.“
This job could be an excellent option if you consider yourself pretty good at taste testing. You’ll get to taste different foods at restaurants and give them a review based on your opinions. You can work as a freelance critic, giving feedback on a personal blog or a social media page dedicated to your food critic career.
Sometimes, you will review the ambiance or customer service in the restaurant or hotel. You can earn a lot by taking up multiple food critic gigs. Pitch yourself to various food publications. You can start with local publications to gain your ground before landing a full-time job.
A food critic career often requires writing skills or an English, Journalism, or Communications-related degree. Apply for entry-level writing positions as a stepping stone to building your food critic career.
Another way to get work is to complete an internship to gain relevant experience to add to your portfolio as a food critic. After gaining some experience, begin applying for full-time critic positions. Seek out paid positions on job board platforms, newspapers, and magazines.
Become a Food Blogger
Are you a food lover looking for some extra cash while having fun? It would be best if you considered starting a food blog. This is an opportunity to turn your passion for food into a side job or even a full-time career.
“The average blogger salary is over $32,800 per year, based on several anonymously submitted salaries” (Glassdoor)
To become a successful blogger, find out what is most valuable to your reader audience and provide that in your blog. You could develop recipes, take food photos and videos, write blog posts, and share them on your blog.
- Advertising for brands.
- Selling or recommending a product, e.g., ebooks, cookbooks, online courses.
- Affiliate marketing
- Sponsorships from big companies.
However, you have to promote your blog to attract more visitors and increase your earnings. The traffic to your website determines your food blog’s earnings. You need to develop a marketing plan to drive traffic to your website by utilizing resources such as Google SEO optimization, email marketing, making YouTube videos, or sharing your content on other social media channels.
Make money blogging by building good networks and consistently delivering quality content to your audience.
