Talk it through
For a menu with a dozen dishes, a new market, or a label you're not sure how to describe. Calls are by appointment, so the person on the line has your artwork open before you say hello.
(201) 650-7613
Contact · 48 Alexander Ave, Parsippany, NJ
Say hello
Tell us what's on the label, what's on the menu, and which shelf it's headed for. Somebody at the desk will read every word, then reply with a written quote before the day is out.
§ 01 / Pick your door
Ring the bell, ring the phone, or slide a label under the door.
Write it down
Attach the PDF, the .ai or the .xlsx spec sheet. We'll count the words, name the language pair, and quote it in writing, which is also the invoice.
orders@elmanchovy.comMail us a sample
We write better about food we've tasted. A jar, a tin or a sachet sent to the studio gets opened, tasted and photographed before any copy moves. Mark it “sample, for translation.”
48 Alexander Ave, Parsippany, NJ 07054Know the number
From $0.16 a word, with a per-language minimum. The full ledger lives on the services page.
See the rates →§ 02 / The brief
Reply within 1 business day
Send us the jar, in words.
Name the product, the market, and roughly how many words. Don't have a count? Say so, and we'll tally it from your artwork. Nothing is billed until you've approved the written quote.
Prefer paper? Attach files by replying to our first email.
Form E&A-01Scoping request
§ 03 / The studio
By appointment
The desk is open when you've booked it.
We're a working studio, not a storefront, so the door opens for scheduled calls and sample drop-offs. Ring or write, and we'll hold the hour.
- Scoping callsBy appointment — book a call
- Quote turnaroundSame business day
- Email repliesWithin 1 business day
- Rush jobsUnder 48 hours, +35%
§ 04 / In the parcel
A packing list
What makes the first quote exact.
None of it has to be perfect. A photo of the jar on your kitchen counter beats a polished brief that never arrives.
- 01ArtworkPDF, or the native .ai / .indd file, final or near-final.Word count
- 02Ingredients and nutrition panelIn the order they sit on pack.Rulebook
- 03Destination and channelRetail, direct-to-consumer, or through a distributor.Market
- 04Words that stay putBrand names, a product name like “Elm Smoke.”Glossary
- 05A sample, if you can spare oneWe'll taste it before we write a word.Tasting
§ 05 / Before you write
Small print, plainly
Questions that arrive before the first email.
What happens after I send the form?
You'll hear back within one business day with a few clarifying questions if needed, then a written quote by language pair and word count. That quote is the invoice, with no hourly clock behind it.
I don't know my word count. Is that a problem?
Not at all. Send the artwork or menu and we'll count it. Labels under the per-language minimum are billed at the minimum, for example $102 for French.
Can you start with just one SKU?
Yes. The first SKU builds the glossary and translation memory. Repeated text on the next SKUs in the range is matched at 60% off.
Do you only work with New Jersey producers?
No. The studio sits in Parsippany, but the work travels by email and shared files to makers anywhere who are entering a new market.
§ 06 / Ready to start?
Send us the jar. We'll send back its second language.
A written quote the same business day, by language pair and word count, from $0.16 a word. Calls are by appointment, so pick the hour that suits your kitchen.
orders@elmanchovy.com