Author Topic: Advice for making profit at a bake sale please! (Read 22387 times)

Amy :-) · « **on:** June 01, 2012, 11:19:19 pm »

Hi everyone

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 :-)

dede · « **Reply #1 on:** June 01, 2012, 11:35:25 pm »

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.

obbie · « **Reply #2 on:** June 02, 2012, 12:12:58 am »

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.

snappy · « **Reply #3 on:** June 02, 2012, 06:55:08 am »

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!

dede · « **Reply #4 on:** June 02, 2012, 06:57:19 am »

Cake stalls always sell well at markets. They usually sell out before the end of the day

Especially if everything looks good.

DizzyGirl · « **Reply #5 on:** June 02, 2012, 07:10:27 am »

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.

Amy :-) · « **Reply #6 on:** June 02, 2012, 07:42:10 am »

Thanks for all the advice ladies

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

Thanks Snappy and Robyn, I just read the entire thread on the ILB chocolate cake! Looks great

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!!

Merlin · « **Reply #7 on:** June 02, 2012, 07:54:53 am »

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.

dede · « **Reply #8 on:** June 02, 2012, 08:07:37 am »

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.

Amy :-) · « **Reply #9 on:** June 02, 2012, 08:43:45 am »

Quote from: dede on June 02, 2012, 08:07:37 am

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

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

Merlin · « **Reply #10 on:** June 02, 2012, 08:50:22 am »

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.

Amy :-) · « **Reply #11 on:** June 02, 2012, 08:52:36 am »

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.

dede · « **Reply #12 on:** June 02, 2012, 09:03:29 am »

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.

snappy · « **Reply #13 on:** June 02, 2012, 10:23:36 am »

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.

snappy · « **Reply #14 on:** June 02, 2012, 10:41:53 am »

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!