Advice for making profit at a bake sale please!

[mistyseas]

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.

[Amy :-)]

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.

[snappy]

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.

[dede]

Yes my friend has a license and has her kitchen registered

[Amy :-)]

Hey girls, I am just checking the council website, but am not sure where to look for information regarding this?

[jakodai]

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

[keiramax]

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.

[fundj&e]

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

[mcmich]

Wow, that's a very comprehensive list Uni.
Some food for thought Amy.

[mistyseas]

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!!!

[DizzyGirl]

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.

[dede]

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)

[Amy :-)]

Ummmm, wow 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

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

[DizzyGirl]

Just one extra thing to consider. Insurance for the stall and product liability.

[dede]

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