Tina,

I can’t tell from your question exactly what you need. My wife and I started a cookie and desserts company from our home and built it into a multimillion dollar business with distribution in 26 states. I would be happy to share anything I learned if you can provide more specifics.

You can either manufacture yourself or find a contract foods company to make it for you once its proven itself in a small market. Start out in your town with local stores and build from there.

Good luck,
Don

Hi Don,
My parents have some homemade receipes that are awesome. A salmon sauce that is to die for & about 5-6 other specialty items. We live in the Dallas area and these large stores will not allow you to market. I know alot of people get started right in their own homes but wow, here in the city if the “city” catches you preparing food & serving people, there are some hefty fines. Can you provide me with some contract food company info?

The salmon sauce sounds great. You can work out something with a local deli to prepare samples in their kitchen to get started. My wife and I actually cooked in our church kitchen whice was certified by the health dept. when we were “busted” for cooking at home. You are not ready for contract cooking (like Paul Newmans salad dressings) until you have a proven product (one that is selling well). Good luck.

Don, thanks so much for the info, will share with my parents.

I researched alot about this field years ago…the food business and supermarket shelves. I always wanted to come up with a food product.

Up until very recently managers of large supermarkets and other retailers such as Walgreens and even Home Depot, the managers were allowed to try a local product for the simple fact of supporting local markets and to become “customly in touch with the locals” (is customly a word? well now it is…I just invented)

Although hard to find, some managers still stock local products and ESPECIALLY food. Here’s why: many areas are heavy populated with concentrated ethnicities that simply like their kind of food and the distribution centers just aren’t partial to particular ethnicities. For instance, a couple towns over there are many Polish. The supermarket there, an A & P (major supermarket in NE) they stock local Polish made food.

Another example would be the Spanish influence in some areas. A supermarket may have to stock local Spanish made products in order to even operate there. The need for alot of kosher may be another reason.

Now Courtney, what your parents can do is try selling the salmon sauce near the ocean where there is a seafood emphasis. Try those supermarkets. It can be done.

Certified kitchens are starting to be a real problem for some, especially farmers who have been selling pies and other stuff for many years to make ends meet. The Board of Health is coming down on them now too…but I guess you can rent a certified kitchen. Run a night shift…I’m sure the owner would not mind some extra income.

I saw many times the story of how a recipe from a house gets to be a giant product…they all actually almost start that way.

Ron Komorowski
Inventor of Handi-Straps
www.handi-straps.com

Does anyone know regulations behind selling herbal tea-type remedies? I purchase the herbs from a store on our downtown area, mix them together and repackage to create a super-tea type product. Do I need a certified kitchen for this?

Thank you,

Juan

Don, what are profit margins like in the food industry?

Would super appreciate any insight into financial benchmarks for the industry.