# Selling homemade baked goods



## budays (Sep 11, 2012)

I'm interested in selling homemade baked goods to local business offices.  I would make a few items, put in a basket and go door to door.  What would be best way to market this idea??


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Do you have a business ID #. Do you have product liability insurance.  Find out from your local health dept if you can.


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## budays (Sep 11, 2012)

No, I do not have either of the things you mentioned.  At this point I am more concerned if my idea of taking a basket with a few items and selling door to door to business offices etc is a viable possibility?  I also am thinking of selling at convenience stores.  I am planning on selling at year round farmers market, but need other outlets.  Your advice???


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

Well, IMHO, you must first find out if it is legal to prepare baked goods at home commercially. Several states *do* have _cottage laws_ that permit this but many do not.

Given that it is legal to sell home baked goods, the next step would be to determine the requirements and/or restrictions for mobile vendors/peddlers in your area, i.e. business license(s), insurance, resellers permit (sales tax ID), etc.

As far as marketing, you need to create a _buzz_ about your products. I'd look into labeling/packaging so that your telephone number/email was prominently displayed as well as your business name, whoops, you may need a dba, i.e. a fictitious name filing, so that people can contact you for deliveries.

Make up some simple flyers to leave behind at every business you visit.

Initially, time your visits for morning and afternoon break times.

Think about offering samples, say mini muffins, for your initial visits.


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## prettycake (Dec 23, 2011)

Here in CA,  people can be fined $5,000  if they are caught selling home baked treats.  Do it the legal way and then you can be comfortable doing it w/out any doubts if what you are  doing is legal or not.  That is why with my fancy cakes and everything else,  I give them as gifts.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

I hope you have liability insurance. God forbid someone gets sick, you will loose everything.

No convienence store in their right mind would sell any product that has not insurance behind it because they will be liable also


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## budays (Sep 11, 2012)

Thank you for the advice!   Michigan does have cottage law, however you can only make 15,000 annually.  I have found commercial kitchen in friendship center which rents out space by the hour.  Have not checked on license or insurance yet.  I definitely need to get the "buzz" out being that I will be selling in a very small town, altho there are 2 other towns 25 miles away I could possibly sell in.   I would offer 2 kinds of mini muffins as a sampler initially.  How would you suggest getting the buzz out other than leaving flyers which I had planned to do?  What are your thoughts on kinds of things to sell?   Thank you for all the suggestions out there!!!


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