|
The Food Biz
When we first got started in 2003, there were many times when we absolutely yearned for a website that had
step-by-step directions for how to get started in the food business. It just seemed like such a daunting task
that, without sheer perseverance, we would've given up immediately. We started with what we thought was a good
product and after some encouragement from our (biased) freinds, we decided to go for it.
If there is any single piece of advice I can give someone, it is that you REALLY have to love your product.
No matter what happens, you are going to be working some late hours and most of the time you will be exhausted.
If you truly love it, you will do whatever it takes. So if you have any doubt whatsoever, then you should stop now
and come up with a better idea for your business.
Hopefully, by sharing our own experience, it will make it a little easier for those of you who are thinking
of starting their own food business. The rules and regulations are different in every state, so keep that in mind
as you get into the licensing part of this page.
Getting Started
So you've got a cookie recipe from your grandmother and you'd like to get it on the market and see what happens.
The first thing you're going to have to do is get it in front of people as quickly as possible so that you can
see if it will be universally appreciated and to get feedback on the recipe. We talked to several people who were
already in the food business and thats what they kept telling us. Luckily, we live in an area where there are 2-3
farmer's markets around town, so that's where we started. At the Sunset
Valley Farmer's Market, we were able to get a booth up pretty cheaply so we could see what people thought of
our idea. Then, as we got responses and suggestions from customers, we adapted the recipe and trotted out the
new recipe the following week until we had something that people were excited about. We asked people what flavors
they felt were missing from the local grocery shelves and we created products based on that feedback. In the process,
the market helped us make a little money to keep our effort going, which certainly helped!
Here's what you're going to need to do to get started:
Remember, you don't need a lot of money to get started in the specialty food business. You don't even need to
know anything ABOUT the food business. But you DO have to have a lot of confidence in the product you are making.
If you take baby steps all along the way, everything will seem so much more surmountable. And, let's not forget, fun...
|
