how can i take a product to mass production

[master08]

Hey every one,

Maybe someone done or know how I can take a product to mass production and then just sell it in stop and shops, Whole foods, etc.

Our business is cakes, my girl cooks cakes like nothing in US ever tired, they very unique, healthy, amazing tasting cakes based on European Recipes.

I want to help her to mass produce them with some cake manufacture, have them boxed, and try to sell them to big chain stores, and small as well.

No idea where to start. I tried to use “4 hour” approach but I just cant put it all together.

How do we go about testing it first?

How do I find companies who will mass produces it for us ?

How do we get them on a shelves of the store chains, restaurants, etc ?

I really appreciate all advices.

[hugh009]

Well, I just happen to experience in this field.

First, are you using a FDA approved kitchen to bake in? That is a must. You can find these in your Yellow pages for leasing.

Second, you need to get people in your area to eat your product besides your friends once you are baking in the approved kitchen.

I would suggest going around your area and letting restaurant owners experience her cakes along with desert shops.

Then you need to get publicity for your product. Send out a press release.

Kroger here in the South have several times a year you can present local products to their review board. I don't know if Whole foods does that or not. If selected you have to able to produce to handle all the stores they ask you to place the product.

Not an easy journey but FUN!

Hugh

[Ahern & Brucker]

Well, I just happen to experience in this field.

First, are you using a FDA approved kitchen to bake in? That is a must. You can find these in your Yellow pages for leasing.

Second, you need to get people in your area to eat your product besides your friends once you are baking in the approved kitchen.

I would suggest going around your area and letting restaurant owners experience her cakes along with desert shops.

Then you need to get publicity for your product. Send out a press release.

Kroger here in the South have several times a year you can present local products to their review board. I don't know if Whole foods does that or not. If selected you have to able to produce to handle all the stores they ask you to place the product.

Not an easy journey but FUN!

Hugh

Hugh, wouldn't it be better if he just take his product directly to the bakery that already has the infrastructure in place (transportation, customers, credit, aproved kitchen) and negotiate a deal with them? maybe getting a little piece of the pie would be quicker to profits??

his girl might not want to be spending 18 hours in the kitchen baking if she is young... he may not have access to the funds to lease an approved kitchen or have a place to set it all up.. that's some high dollar stuff and a lot to invest before you even know if the stuff will sell...

I'd think of a way to get her cake into the mouth of a baker or bakery owner might be the shortest distance... he doesn't sound to me like he want's to get into the bakery business, he just want's to exploit for profit her grandmothers old recipt's...


yes? no?

[ron komorowski]

We got some good answers here. Hey guys....how about we all team up and start a bakery? Just kidding. I don't know much but I have been thinking of food products myself for many years. One day I will try this too.

I do know that some supermarkets here in NJ have local made foods for it's townspeople. For instance, one town is mostly Polish and they have local peirogi and keilbasi makers supply the supermarket. You can try but I imagine it is very tough. Spanish supermarkets are even more custom and locally supplied.

I do know this is one of the worst times for this though. The FDA has begun a serious crackdown on unregulated little kitchens and trying to bring them up to code which is really hurting the farmer and his farm baked goods at the roadside stands. Many farmers are very upset that they can't sell their jellies and pies anymore.

I would say forget the big mass production unless but you can try to sell the concept to a big company like Sara Lee, but again, that's a very long shot. I would start with delis, let them put the cake on the dessert menu, try the restaurants too. Another thought, try the smaller convenience store shain. They too may take local products.

Remember though, your product and market is probably the toughest there is to break through. Why not also just be an employee at a bakery but say you want to add your cake into the line and cut a deal? That would work. You keep on trying, if you fail it's ok, you are learning to start a business and bring a product to market so you know for your next idea! Good luck!

Ron
Inventor of Handi-Straps

[latinolive]

You need to research your market to know the major companies and manufacturers. Do you have your ingredients calculated? Are you cooking in a FDA approved kitchen? Where do you ultimately want to distribute? Sounds like US. Have you pitched to the major manufacturers? You will need a key marketing campaign and a niche message to brrand your company to set yourself apart. What is the marketing strategy?

Carlos

[master08]

Hugh, wouldn't it be better if he just take his product directly to the bakery that already has the infrastructure in place (transportation, customers, credit, aproved kitchen) and negotiate a deal with them? maybe getting a little piece of the pie would be quicker to profits??

his girl might not want to be spending 18 hours in the kitchen baking if she is young... he may not have access to the funds to lease an approved kitchen or have a place to set it all up.. that's some high dollar stuff and a lot to invest before you even know if the stuff will sell...

I'd think of a way to get her cake into the mouth of a baker or bakery owner might be the shortest distance... he doesn't sound to me like he want's to get into the bakery business, he just want's to exploit for profit her grandmothers old recipt's...


yes? no?

That is actually exactly what i want to do, i want to find come established companies and just go and pitch it to them ,either for portion or sell the receipt' . Any suggestions on that ?
I am located in MA so probably local bakeries will make sense, but not sure what do i need to do and how do i go about licensing the receipt and then pitching it to sell it to them? any suggestion ?

[rachael24]

Let me do some research and get back to you as to what the exact steps you need to take. Thanks!

[unclebuck]

decide if you want to sell it to instituions or to the public. Getting shelf space and the marketing is very expensive. Selling to institutions should be cheaper,because it can be marketed by a wholesaler who handles your product.
First I would try selling it to resturants 1st without a middleman.
good luck

[master08]

So we should start with restaurants, just offer them those cakes fro free first to see if they like it ?

But if she decides to sell the receipt or join up with some one who will do all marketing, boxing and sales for a fee, where can we find a place like that and what do they called ?

[bakerboy]

I am currently an owner of a mass production bakery in California and we recieve calls frequently about new products, formulas... ect that people have but want us to produce. The majority of the products we make are pies and often times the public will call in with their "mothers apple pie formula" that is better than everyone else. Many times the formulas are very good and the end product taste's great. The problem is that it is only a formula. Most mass production bakeries have teams of people working on new formulas, innovative packaging.. ect. My advice to people with a "the greatest formula in the world" is to bring something else to the table. Have a customer lined up that loves the product (many grocery chains have juding panels for new products multiple times a year). This will definitely make it easier for a mass production bakery to justify spending $$$ on ingredients, labor, and new machinery.

[karry2008]

thankx for you idea& tips

[warrensway]

Just focus on the market

[cakelady]

I got laidoff June of 2008 hard to find a job. I have read some of the blogs about starting or marketing cakes. The infomation was very helpful. This is not a fly by night idea I have been baking for the past 15 years. I have recently completed a culinary program. I am also ServSafe certified. I have just finished 3 courses of cake decorating with Wilton's. I have been selling cakes here and there and I am having a hard time trying to market to a bigger clientelle.

[angle]

Hello
Significant product innovation often entails standardization of product characteristics and mass-production. This paper examines the market outcome and social-welfare property of product innovation involving mass-production. It is shown that the share of mass-producers has tendency to be larger than the social optimum. The equilibrium share of mass-produced products is determined by the indifference condition of the marginal customer, while the optimal share is based on the indifference condition of the average customer. Since the marginal customer's benefit of using local products is lower than the average customer's, consumers move to mass-produced products more than desired. However, if there is positive extendability among consumers in using mass-produced products, the market may have multiple equilibrium and the conclusion of excessive share of mass-produced products in market equilibrium may be reversed.

[richard13]

Hello
Mass production of standardized goods provides the cost advantages of economies of scale. It keeps the production costs low, while allowing an increase in production. But the drawback is that the variety of products offered, is limited and if every player in the market indulges in mass production, the product becomes commodious as there is little differentiation. The market for that product then sees a price war. In such a situation if a new player offers a degree of customization, competition shifts from the price to the product and the consumer becomes the winner. This is what mass customization does.

Mass customization is the mass production of customized goods with a goal to control production costs at the same time, cater to the consumers' individual needs. A good example is that of Dell, which, although, sources components globally and in bulk, offers product customization in the form of consumer defined configuration. Mass customization retains the cost advantages of the economies of scale, while simultaneously improving demand management, inventory management and consumer interaction.