Forum Thermomix
Welcoming Center, Management and General Chat => Chit Chat => Topic started by: Amy :-) on June 01, 2012, 11:19:19 pm
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Hi everyone ;D
I am doing another baking marathon next weekend. This one is not specifically for charity, but I'm sure I will end up donating some of the money I make to somewhere because that's just what I'm like :-))
Anyway, since the last one I did was all for charity, I didn't bother working out any costs or anything. I just baked, sold and donated, but this time I want to be sure I'm making a profit.
I have chosen five recipes (possibly six) which I am going to bake in bulk. Brownies, a slice, and three different types of biscuits. I have to pre-packaged them all, and list the ingredients. I think I can do this on one big poster though, and display it at my stall.
I have never actually baked to sell at a market/sale, so I was really hoping for some advice on what I need to consider, and maybe some strategies that have worked well for others :)
Thanks and love to you all :-*
Amy :-)
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A friend of mine makes baked goodies and sells them at supermarkets, markets and to individuals. I think she works out what it cost to make and doubles that to sell them.
She labels each item with a list of ingredients. And I'm pretty sure she has to also add nutritional value on the labels as well.
Also had to register her kitchen and get a license to be able to sell here items through the local council.
She only runs it as a hobby at this stage. But she is doing really well.
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I found when we made cakes to sell, ILB choc cake, banana cakes, apple tea cakes sold the best.
I always made heaps of those 3 for the kindy cafe. we always sold out.
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I just made some of ILBs chocolate cake again today and it is great.
Maybe also include a couple of whole cakes at your stall - if people are going over to a friends house that evening or they want some dessert at home that night they are much more likely to buy a whole cake. I would only ever buy a single biscuit or slice to eat right there and then, not to take away. But i would definitely buy a whole cake!
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Cake stalls always sell well at markets. They usually sell out before the end of the day :)
Especially if everything looks good.
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Also cater for kids. Kids pest their parents to buy things when they look good.
Also nice looking labels help.
It is all in the packaging. Presentation is everything.
Pretty patty cake papers, a nice table cloth etc. you want people to notice how nice your stall is, then they will stop, see your pretty creations and buy buy buy.
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Thanks for all the advice ladies ;D A few questions though :-))
Mandi, the market only goes for three hours. I am planning on doing 4 times the 5 recipes I have. Do you think I will have enough time to sell it all? I am just worried about having lots of leftovers :-\ But then I am worried I will sell out and be left knowing that I could have made lots more and sold it all :P
Thanks Snappy and Robyn, I just read the entire thread on the ILB chocolate cake! Looks great :D How many whole cakes would you suggest I make, Snappy? And would you say round cakes or loaf cakes? Or ring cakes? ??? Should I ice them as well? Or just dust with icing sugar?
DG, I have nice tableclothes and I know all my goodies will look good, but I am having trouble finding good packaging. Someone suggested I use styrofoam trays and wrap them in plastic wrap, but I though that might look a bit tacky? I also need different sizes to do large and small packs. And if I bake whole cakes, I need something for them too. I know the packaging needs to look really good, so any suggestions, tips, advice, recommendations, warning, etc. from anyone and everyone would be really appreciated!!
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I did the ILB chocolate cake for our recent school fete and it was one of the first cakes to get sold for the day. Presentation is also a key factor- I agree that chocolate cake, apple tea cake etc goes really well.the other stuff that went well was rocky road, honey joys and mini meringues, I think a personal show stopper would be macarons but obviously is a bit of work.
Biscuits are also an option eg chocolate chip, or muffins etc. anything wrapped nicely in cellophane with a ribbon and labelled nicely seemed to go really well.
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Are you just doing a one off market Amy? Or looking at doing them regularly?
If your doing them regularly I wouldn't make too much for the first one, once you have done one you will start to work out how many of things you need more of or less, what sold the quickest etc. I'm no expert but I know when my friend first started she found the cakes went pretty quick and the slices, biscuits were a bit slower. She used to bring home what she didn't sell and have a Facebook sale of what was left.
My friend also uses the throw away plastic containers for biscuits, slices and muffins. And cakes made into a loaf shape just wrapped in glad wrap and labeled. :)
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Are you just doing a one off market Amy? Or looking at doing them regularly?
If your doing them regularly I wouldn't make too much for the first one, once you have done one you will start to work out how many of things you need more of or less, what sold the quickest etc. I'm no expert but I know when my friend first started she found the cakes went pretty quick and the slices, biscuits were a bit slower. She used to bring home what she didn't sell and have a Facebook sale of what was left.
My friend also uses the throw away plastic containers for biscuits, slices and muffins. And cakes made into a loaf shape just wrapped in glad wrap and labeled. :)
I was going to see how this one went Mandi. If it goes well I might start doing it regularly, especially if I make a good profit :-)) If its a complete ass-up I wont bother again ;D
Hmm, thats interesting. I'm glad you mentioned about the biscuits, because thats mainly what I was planning to bake. Maybe I need to add some more cakes instead. Too bad I don't have Facebook! :-\
Loaf cakes in glad wrap. Excellent idea. Why didn't I think of that? :-))
Like I said, I have never done this before. So when you say don't make too much, how much do you think is too much?
Thanks for all your advice Mandi :-*
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How big is the market ie how many people come through? I would bank on at least about a dozen cakes and several more dozen cupcakes, muffins etc. The biscuits at the school fete did eventually sell but I know I loitered around the cake stall later on in the day and they did seem to sell last- maybe people just don't bother making their cakes any more and prefer to buy them- I don't know! Biscuits I guess can be bought anywhere so unless they're 'special' eg vo-vos etc they may be too boring.
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Aside from the weekly farmers market, this is probably the most popular market in my town. I have never actually been to it before, not even just to browse the stalls, so I have no idea what to expect. I have only heard about it.
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Gee Amy I really don't know how many would be not to many.? Depends on the size of the market and I guess how many other stalls sell cakes etc. maybe you should go along to the market first to see what other stalls are about and how many people go.
My friend was going to a market in a small town that had only around 20 stalls and her stall was the only cake stall, she had about 10 cakes, 20 + slices (6 in each), 30 muffins and a few dozen packs of biscuits. I'm only guessing at what I seen.
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I would think 5-10 whole cakes for your first stall, anf a couple of dozen biscuits, slices etc. Ive never done a cake stall before but i guess i would want to sell out rather than have leftovers. And The ILB choc cake also makes great cupcakes.
As for presentation - go the loaf cakes for your first stall and just wrap in glad wrap. Maybe buy some colourful cheap ribbon or natural string from the $2 shop and tie it around the loaf and attach the label to this.
You can also buy cellophane and get 4 or 5 biscuits of a similar size, stack them up and then roll them like a bonbon and tie both ends with ribbon.
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And i really dont mean to be the downer here, but have you looked at your councils licensing requirements? I know that even to bake for a market in our city your kitchen has to be registered (which is why i dont do it). If the council does a spot check or it someone gets sick from your food fines can be in excess of $10,000 - that's a lot of cakes to make up that fine!
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Hi Amy and all, I started supporting our local growers market to get it up and running. I started with excess garden produce and jams, pickles, chutneys etc. They both do really well. I have recently started selling cookies as well and found packaging a problem in a small country town. I settled on presenting the cookies in sterilised used moccana coffee jars and priced accordingly to content.I glued the labels on. I also did some cellaphane bags tied off with a bag twist then attached the label with a piece of curling ribbon to the bag. When the health inspector came to check my kitchen he informed me that as well as ingredients on the label a best before date and the address of the premises had to be on the label. My mum got the only jar left over for mothers day! As I have other products to sell I only did a few jars and bags but am now thinking of doing a cheese and herb line of biccies as well so anyone got a good recipe please? Cheers and all the best.
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Gee Amy I really don't know how many would be not to many.? Depends on the size of the market and I guess how many other stalls sell cakes etc. maybe you should go along to the market first to see what other stalls are about and how many people go.
My friend was going to a market in a small town that had only around 20 stalls and her stall was the only cake stall, she had about 10 cakes, 20 + slices (6 in each), 30 muffins and a few dozen packs of biscuits. I'm only guessing at what I seen.
I really want to participate in this one because this market is only held once every two months. If I miss this one I will have to wait until... August (had to think there!) for the next one. I think these markets are pretty popular, and I haven't heard that many other people bake, so I could be filling a demand. Hopefully. And from knowing where it is held, I know that there will be far more than 20 stands.
And i really dont mean to be the downer here, but have you looked at your councils licensing requirements? I know that even to bake for a market in our city your kitchen has to be registered (which is why i dont do it). If the council does a spot check or it someone gets sick from your food fines can be in excess of $10,000 - that's a lot of cakes to make up that fine!
Snappy, the lady who told me about this market used to bake for it as well. She didn't say anything about needing a license, apparently I just need to display the ingredients list of my products somewhere and make sure all the cakes and biscuits are pre-packaged. Do you think I should check with the council though?
Mistyseas, I love the idea of coffee jars! Unfortunately I don't drink coffee though, and have no idea where I could find similar things for a reasonable price.
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Snappy, the lady who told me about this market used to bake for it as well. She didn't say anything about needing a license, apparently I just need to display the ingredients list of my products somewhere and make sure all the cakes and biscuits are pre-packaged. Do you think I should check with the council though?
You should be able to find out this information on the council's website. Personally, i would check but i am alittle pedantic like that. Maybe the other lady didn't have a food license, but you need to know if you do need one and what the penalities are if you dont get it. Make the choices that are right for you - but make them from an informed position. You might find that even if you dont need a license there are rule about packaging, labels, best before dates etc so i would definitely look into it.
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Yes my friend has a license and has her kitchen registered :)
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Hey girls, I am just checking the council website, but am not sure where to look for information regarding this?
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Hi Amy, I found this document online, it doesn't say much about permits, etc but it does explain the labeling requirements and the need for gloves, tongs, etc.
http://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/EC/EC-740.pdf (http://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/EC/EC-740.pdf)
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You usually find the info under the health department. I would strongly advise finding out your obligations. Our playgroup looked into having a cake stall for fundraising but decided against it due to all the legal/council requirements.
I second the visit the market first and do a bit of research even if this means missing this market and waiting for the next one. I would get there at first opening, see what stalls are there, if there are cake stalls see how much stock they have, check out their prices, their produce, packaging, then wait around to see how well they sell/ how much stock they have at the end.
Also, you may want to have a strategy for what to do with left over stock, ie donate to local hospital, soup kitchen etc or is it stuff you can freeze to use later.
The more research/planning you do the more successful you will find the experience. I wish you luck.
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Amy i hope this helps
To increase sale
1.do a few samples (try b4 to buy) have some hand wash and a box of tissues handy
2.Have order forms ready so they can order for the next market day or any other times
3.Photo album, of sweet and savory items u make
4.Ask customers what they would like to see more of
5.Facebook, gumtree
6. Have some icing ready so the kids can decorate their own cupcakes
7. ½ b4 the market ends mark down your prices your 2 for 1
8. Make things that the other stall holder don’t have
9. add lots of colour and plants to your stall
Don’t give up on your 1st week, give it 4 to 6 weeks
Things to consider when pricing your items
1 .your time @ 17.50 p/hour
2. Rent on the stall
3. labels/containers
4. Wastage
5. License
6. Insurance
7. electricity cost
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Wow, that's a very comprehensive list Uni.
Some food for thought Amy.
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Yes you do need to have a license and you are meant to have it with you at the market. I take mine each market as required in case the health inspector does a random check! initially I thought it was too much 'hoo ha' having the kitchen inspected etc but then I thought hey, would I want to eat something from a kitchen that has not been passed and it really was no big deal as long as everything is clean etc and no pets in the house. You can make an appointment by ph at your local council for the inspection.
Amy The jars were all given to me along with other empty jars for preserving. Now I have customers bringing boxes and bags of empty jars as well as returning my own!!!
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Perhaps you should wait. Go to the next market with samples. Suss out any competition and get advise from other stall holders.
Do some market research..... Ask your potential customers what they want. Give them samples. Be honest. Tell them That you are planning to have a stall next time (Aug). Hopefully they will then become your walking talking advertisement.
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Poor Amy, all this info may feel overwhelming. But if it's something you would like to do on going then it will be worth doing. My friend has done really well with her hobby. It's grown heaps in the last few months and she loves being able to work from home. Like you she was a cleaner which kept her really busy working 20+ hours a week in private homes. Now she works 2 hours a f/night as a cleaner and the rest of the time she does cooking. Good luck with what you decide.
If you want I could PM you her email address if you want advise (I just got to run it by her first but I'm pretty certain she won't mind) :)
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Ummmm, wow :o :o :o I didn't think selling a few biscuits and cakes would be so complicated!!
Thank you all so much for all your advice. Uni, that list is fantastic, and Mandi, thanks again for that email address :D :D
After considering everything, I have decided to start planning a bit better. This week I am going to phone the council and confirm licensing requirements and any legal stuff I need to be aware of regarding home food production. I'm also going to read the newspapers (which I don't normally do) and find out more about this market. I'm going to ask everyone I know too. I think I also need to give my actual stall a bit more consideration like a few of you have mentioned, as well as the packaging of my products.
And thats just the very beginning of my list.... AGGHHH!!!
I am usually the sort of person who decides they want to do something and then can't be stopped. But I think you wise and wonderful ladies are right, and I think it would be best if I wait until August before participating in the market.
I want to thank you again for all your advice, because now I'm sure I have a better chance of making a profit when the August market rolls around, and hopefully it can become a regular thing. If anyone thinks of any extra considerations or suggestions, please post them here! I have created a note in Evernote and am copying all your suggestions into it ;)
Sorry if anyone feels that I have been very naive and wasted their time :-[
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Just one extra thing to consider. Insurance for the stall and product liability.
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Just one extra thing to consider. Insurance for the stall and product liability.
That should be covered by the organizers of the market, the money you pay to have a table is to help pay for insurance, but better to double check that with the organizers :)
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They might cover public liability but not product lability.
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Thanks girls, I will add it to the list ;)
I'm so grateful I have you all to help me with these things :-* :-* :-*
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They might cover public liability but not product lability.
I thought that when I re read your post DG :)
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Amy there have been some great ideas in this thread. No one thinks you have been naive - we all just want to make sure that you dont end up in trouble for your delicious baking!
Hopefully with all the research and planning you will be doing your stall in August will be highly profitable and worth the effort.
In your research over the next two months, why dont you make up some sample cakes and a voting form and offer people samples of your cakes and ask them to tell you which one they like best - you might find one type of cake is far more popular than the others and you will know to make extra of these. Also, people will then know to look out for you at the market in August.
Finally, if you think it would be too difficult to register your kitchen (like me because i have young children who have access to food preparation and storage areas - they spend about half a day in the fridge!) you can also look into renting the use of a commercial kitchen a day or two before your event and prepare your food in their registered kitchen.
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You're absolutely right snappy, there have been lots of fantastic advice and suggestions. I would never have considered a lot of them, so I am really very grateful to you all!!! :-* :-* :-*
And you have just given me another two brilliant ideas snappy ;D I wouldn't have thought to do samples BEFORE the market, but now that you mention it I can see it would be a great way to advertise for myself and make sure I am providing the types of cakes and biscuits people want ;)
And I wouldn't have thought of renting a kitchen either :-)) So thank you again!!! :D
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Amy, I think renting a kitchen is a great idea.
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Would it mean I could also use their baking pans, trays, utensils etc? ???
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Would it mean I could also use their baking pans, trays, utensils etc? ???
yes amy it would
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Just a idea, i'm sure you could find one.
Or maybe a school tuckshop that is registered.
Our tuckshop only works 3 days a week.
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Would it mean I could also use their baking pans, trays, utensils etc? ???
yes amy it would
Thanks Uni :)
Not sure about school tuckshops Robyn. I'm assuming that would mean I would have to be there during the day when the school is open? ???
I have another question too :-)) How would you ladies suggest I manage money at a stall? I have seen some of the people at our local farmer's market wearing money belts, but then othes just have tins or icecream containers sitting on a little table. Thoughts or experiences with either of these methods?
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If things get busy then a money belt is a good idea to keep money safely on you at all times.
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I did consider that Mandi. As much as I don't like to think that people would steal, I know that not everyone has the same values and ethics as we do :-\ It also made me wonder whether anyone would try to steal my goodies if I had them in crates/boxes behind my stall?
What type of shop sells money belts?
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What type of shop sells money belts?
Handbag stores, anywhere that sells travel luggage - you might even find them at Target/Kmart etc.
If you are selling things like cookies for $1 or $2 you will find a lot of people will pay with coins. Coins are too heavy and bulky for the money belt. Maybe a box for coins and notes go into the money belt.
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eBay Amy :D
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What type of shop sells money belts?
Handbag stores, anywhere that sells travel luggage - you might even find them at Target/Kmart etc.
If you are selling things like cookies for $1 or $2 you will find a lot of people will pay with coins. Coins are too heavy and bulky for the money belt. Maybe a box for coins and notes go into the money belt.
If I am going to buy one I guess I need a good quality one, so this is another expense. Would I include it when I'm working out how much to charge for my goodies?
eBay Amy :D
I love looking on eBay Mandi, but I don't have an account because I don't have the right type of bank card :-\
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Oh bugger. Well looks like you will have to go shopping. Another thing on your ever growing list :)
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Oh bugger. Well looks like you will have to go shopping. Another thing on your ever growing list :)
At least I shouldn't get bored any time soon :D
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Amy make a list of all of the outgoings 1st b4 you buy anything
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I am very outgoing. Should I include myself on the list? :-))
Lol, sorry Uni, what exactly do you mean by outgoings? I fear I am having a slightly blonde moment...
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insurance,stall fees,etc etc
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Ahhhh, I gotcha ;) I've heard that the stall fees are actually quite cheap. Someone told me $5, but I'm going to check with a few other people before I get too excited. Just in case that someone was telling porkies :-))
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that does sound like a porkie to me 2 amy, i hope i wrong ;D
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I hope so too Uni, but this person has told me porkies in the past so I think this might be another one... :-\