How to Start a Home-Based Bakery Business

By (author) Detra Denay Davis

Publication date:

11 March 2011

Length of book:

192 pages

Publisher

Globe Pequot

ISBN-13: 9780762760824

BOOK DESCRIPTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Home-based baking is one of America's best-kept business secrets. This sleeper industry offers even novice bakers the opportunity to bake from home for profit using tried and true recipes and equipment already on hand. And yet its many rules and how-tos are so elusive that few people out there who love to bake and dream of taking their products from the kitchen to the market actually end up doing so. Enter How to Start a Home-Based Bakery Business—the first book to cover every essential aspect of planning, starting, and running such a business successfully.

Outline

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - So You Think You Want to Start a Home-Based Bakery

Assessing Your Baking SkillsAssessing Your Business Skills

Home-Based Baking Rules and Regulations

Getting Organized

How This Book Is Organized

Chapter 2 – Setting Up Your Home-Based Bakery Business

Setting Up Your Kitchen

Preparing Your Family for a Transition

Employing Family Members

Complying with Local, State and Federal Requirements

Working with Your Local Health Department

Working with Your Local State Department of Agriculture

Renting an Incubator Kitchen

Equipping Your Kitchen

Organizing Your Pantry

Packing and Labeling Your Goods

Transporting Your Products

Customer and Vendor Relationships

Chapter 3 - Getting Started

How to Structure Your Business

How to Organize Your Office

Kitchen Office Essentials

Writing a Business Plan

Business Books, Software, Videos and Online Resource

Chapter 4 - The Legal Aspects of Home-Based Baking

Why You Must Follow the Law

Zoning Issues and Home-Based Baking

The Essentials of Business Liability Insurance

Developing Business Policies and Procedures

Food Safety and Sanitation Rules to Live By

Chapter 5 – Setting Up Prices

How to Price Your Products

How to Calculate Your Labor Cost

Wholesale vs. Retail Production

How to Produce Profitable Products

Chapter 6 – Sales and Marketing

Where to Sell Your Home-Based Baking

Defining Your Niche

Naming Your Business

Positioning Your Products

Designing Signature Products

How to write an eMarketing Plan

12 Steps to a Great Press Release

Developing a Home-Based Baking Portfolio

Online Marketing and Social Networking

Word of Mouth Advertising

Selling Your Products Online

Keeping Track of Your Customers

Chapter 7 Bookkeeping for the Home-Based Baker

Seeking Professional Assistance

Paying Your Food Tax

U.S. Federal Taxes for the Self-Employed

Accounting Software for Home-Based Bakers

Managing Your Business: Why Some Home-Based Bakers Fail

Chapter 8 – Ready, Set, Bake

Home-Based Baking Checklist

Organizing Your Baking Time

Developing a Product Line

Do You Need Help?

Product Delivery and Transportation

Delivering the Goods

Chapter 9 – Selling Your Product Online

Establishing Your Web Site

Selling via Online Food Malls

Developing an eCommerce Web Site

Food Photography: Images on the Web

Learning from Your Online Competitors

Chapter 10 – Interview with a Home-Based Baker

Calling All Cakes – Owner Whitney Couch

Gellocake – Owner Lilian Chavira

Maine's Cake and Cookies – Owner Diane Purkey

The Box Turtle Bakery – Owner Abraham Palmer

The Cake Chic – Owner Julie Pietz

Twisted Sisters Barkery – Owners Teresa Hunt, Pam Ray, Diane Willis

Chapter 11 Top Kitchen to Market Products

Top 10 Home-Based Baking Product Ideas

Top 10 Home-Based Baking Products for Shipping

Top 10 Home Food Processing Products

Appendix

Culinary Schools/Pasty Program

Online Culinary Resources

Top 10 Baking Blogs

Recommended Reading for the Home-Based Baker

Professional Baking Books

Industry Magazines and Online Resources

Professional Organizations

Suggested Workshops and Seminars

Index

About the Author