Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Wholesale Dessert Co.


bripastryguy

Recommended Posts

It is much harder for a professional to work in a non-professional enviroment than the other way around. It is very hard for me to produce professional product from a home kitchen. I would rather get the shop atleast partially set up and then make my samples than half ass them in my house.

Am I being stubborn?

I just know what can be produced from a professional kitchen

Well, it's certainly up to how you want to do this, but I wouldn't let this stop me if it was my only problem. Like Sinclair said, as long as you have the right equipment.... And me, being resourseful as I am, I don't even believe that. I'd make due with what I have, and make it work for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, your being a little stubborn. As long as you have the right equipment it doesn't matter where you work (IMO), yes it's slower.

But there are tons of work to be done before sending out samples. Mainly working on costs, pricing and profits. In my opinion you want to aim for the most profitable items that take the least amount of labor.

What mark-up percentages are you using, will that work on all your items and still place you in a reasonable price range? Are you going to except net30? Do you have enough money in the bank to keep purchasing while your waiting for payments? Have you found the least expensive wholesalers? Priced out the difference between using different brands of chocolate and how it relates to your profits? Got all your recipes sealed in a book? Got your packaging lined up? etc...........

Do you have a product list? Do you have a minimum order? What about cancelations?

If you could post what you already have lined up in your product list I'd be more than happy to help in anyway possible. Are you doing mini's, ala carte/banquet items and whole tortes? Are you doing what's popular or are you looking to create your own niche doing variations?

i have my basic product list set up, it will avry depending on clients needs. Net 30, they all start with COD to build credit (just like dealing with any other company).

My cost to profit ratio is : selling price is approx. 3 times my cost (yes, i will figure in utility useage, packaging and delivery, etc...)

Each client will have a minimum. Cancellations will have to be received by fax or email. No verbal cancellations (it is the only way to avoid the "Didnt you get my message, BS").

I have a list of reliable suppliers. We have a company near me that is called Restaurant Depot (they carry almost everything I need at wholesale prices) cake boxes, carboards, ingredients, equipment, etc... Specialty items and good quality chocolate is the only things they dont carry.

My packaging for my samples is tulipe boxes made by qualite', very nice and elegant. Items for delivery will be in sturdy corrugated card board boxes that are lines so that they will not deteriorate in the freezer.

Recipes are all set. Minimum is depending upon area of delivery and the quality of the client (payment made on time, etc...)

My line consists of minis, full size tortes, wedding cakes, specialty cakes, holiday specialties, cookies brownies, bars, sauces. garnish batters. We will also provide a consultant service in helping set up pastry departments in restaurants that dont have a pastry personnel.

"Chocolate has no calories....

Chocolate is food for the soul, The soul has no weight, therefore no calories" so said a customer, a lovely southern woman, after consuming chocolate indulgence

SWEET KARMA DESSERTS

www.sweetkarmadesserts.com

550 East Meadow Ave. East meadow, NY 11554

516-794-4478

Brian Fishman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wendy,

My product list is till in the planning stages, so it is very hard for me to put it here:

Some items that are a go are:

Individual Desserts

Molten Chocolate Cake (yeah I know....it still sells here)

Milk Chocolate praline cone

Fruit Tarts (almond dough, frangipan)

Lemon Disk(finished for customer pref)

Lime Disk (finished for customer pref)

Cherry Linzer

Chocolate Caramel Dome with Hazelnut Creme Brulee center

Chocolate Caramel Dome with Passion Fruit center

Unmolded creme brulees

Verical apple strudel (purse)

Sin squared (chocolate mousse & cheesecake)

Toasted Hazelnut Semi Freddo

Malt Semi Freddo

Sauces and Garnishes

Vanilla, Wht Chocolate, Espresso, Rasp, Blueberry, Mango, Passion, Caramel, Rum Raisin, Cider reduction.....

Vanilla Tuile batter, chocolate tuile batter, chocolate lace tuile, bandy snap batter, Almond tuile, etc....

Specialty cakes and some breads

still a work in progress..... I will be doing tastings with my partners and local area chefs to see what the diffinitive line will be. The list will constantly evolve.

"Chocolate has no calories....

Chocolate is food for the soul, The soul has no weight, therefore no calories" so said a customer, a lovely southern woman, after consuming chocolate indulgence

SWEET KARMA DESSERTS

www.sweetkarmadesserts.com

550 East Meadow Ave. East meadow, NY 11554

516-794-4478

Brian Fishman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's exactly why you should post your menu: because it's a work in progress. It's something specific to work on and just think about. Seeing this list tells me what recipes your using and then how you could build out with your other desserts(tortes and such) so you have overlap in your items. Also shows me what you might be missing that is popular or that would round out your line. That's how everyone can help you.

You want to work smart, that's very important from the start. You want to come out of the starting gate with out tripping. You'll have plenty other obstcles to handle.

By the way, in my opinion unless your specializing into a very specific area of baking I think it would be foolish to omit any popular items like molten cakes. We all have to make what sells unless your independently rich.

What do you mean by "disk", what's a lemon disk?

How do you sell an unmolded brulee'?

Are you sure you want to make your own tart shells? Most places I know of buy them in because their more time consuming then their worth.

Will you package your molten cakes? All the ones I've seen brought in were in paper cups so then didn't have to unmold them at the factory.

Can your apple studel be frozen? Will you bake them off or will they?

I love making semi-freddo's but I've had a hard time selling them. I tend to believe you have to relabel their name, cause no one knows what a semi freddo is. What do others think about it?

Will you put all of your individual desserts on their own gold boards, will they come wrapped in acetate liners?

Is there a minimum count for each item? Can I order 3 of each? Will you send everything out frozen or thawed?

I'm sort of playing devils advocate to help you. There's so much to think about when your starting and the more you do ahead the less money it will cost you in mistakes, hopefully.

All your items sound good, I'd love to try them all!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wen,

Great points.

Lemon disk, Lime disk, 3 Citrus Disk-curd with shortbread base, very versatile and will be shipped frozen.

All individual desserts will be acetate band wrapped, sent fresh or frozen, depending on item. They will be sent in boxes, not with gold boards unless they ask for them (pay as well) or if they are being displayed for retail sale.

My molten cakes are baked in ss rings, not the aluminum cups. They will be sent frozen under the guise "Chocolate Coulant"

Unmolded brulees, baked in flexipan with a small amount of gelatin. Sent frozen.

All frozen items will be sent with thawing and serving instructions.

Apple strudels are more made to order. Then can and maybe frozen in their raw state, sent with baking directions to the client.

Semi-Freddo- Say Frozen Souffle and it sells, most people know what a souffle is.

There will definetly be a minimum order for each location, depending on prior purchase history and destination (how far away).

My usual minimum was 1 doz. and usually a $$$ of $100.00

Edited by bripastryguy (log)

"Chocolate has no calories....

Chocolate is food for the soul, The soul has no weight, therefore no calories" so said a customer, a lovely southern woman, after consuming chocolate indulgence

SWEET KARMA DESSERTS

www.sweetkarmadesserts.com

550 East Meadow Ave. East meadow, NY 11554

516-794-4478

Brian Fishman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

WELL ITS A REALITY!

We started work on the store and its going slow but we will get tehre. I cant wait to start producing.

Anybody do Logo work ?

"Chocolate has no calories....

Chocolate is food for the soul, The soul has no weight, therefore no calories" so said a customer, a lovely southern woman, after consuming chocolate indulgence

SWEET KARMA DESSERTS

www.sweetkarmadesserts.com

550 East Meadow Ave. East meadow, NY 11554

516-794-4478

Brian Fishman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

THANKS BAKER.

Trying to get my partner to give exact figures on money he spent. Having partners is fun :blink: But he and everyone involved will handle there stuff. I'm so stoked and cant wait to start baking in my own shop.

"Chocolate has no calories....

Chocolate is food for the soul, The soul has no weight, therefore no calories" so said a customer, a lovely southern woman, after consuming chocolate indulgence

SWEET KARMA DESSERTS

www.sweetkarmadesserts.com

550 East Meadow Ave. East meadow, NY 11554

516-794-4478

Brian Fishman

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello pastryguy,

I'm a lurker and don't post much, but I noticed you needed a logo. I can help you in that department. My name is Arturo Bantug and I'm a graphic designer.

If you'd like to check out some of my portfolio samples, they can be viewed at www.ArturoBantug.com and www.TypeWise.com. You can also view the website www.TobysIceCream.com. I lurk on this board because I make ice cream and started an ice cream catering company a few years ago, for fun.

At any rate, please email me privately if you'd like to work together on a logo, menu, or business stationary.

I think your venture into the wholesale dessert business is fantastic! I hopefully will move into the food business full time myself, sometime in the near future. Your plan sounds solid and well thought out. I wish you the best of success!

Thanks,

Toby

Edited by tobism (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...