Adventures in Selling Baked Goods - Page 6

Aliantha · 10-14-2013, 08:40 PM

Great work Choco. If you get to be my ss this year, you can send me some of your yummies.

Chocolatl · 10-20-2013, 03:20 PM

Thanks, y'all!

Today was a scorcher -- the 82% humidity meant it felt like it was in the low 90s. As a result, there wasn't as much foot traffic as there was last week. Took a small loss for the day. Hopefully things will pick up with the forecasted cooler weather next weekend.

Happy Monkey · 10-21-2013, 03:15 PM

What do you factor in as expenses? Ingredients, obviously. I assume there's a fee for your spot. Amortized cost of the canopy? Your time?

Aliantha · 10-21-2013, 05:10 PM

Dont forget vehicle expenses too. Easy to forget. Still an expense though.

Chocolatl · 10-22-2013, 07:25 AM

Expenses for now are ingredients, packaging, and the market fee. Will add gas for the car soon. Also need to set money aside for all of the taxes and license fees.

I'm not paying myself or factoring in my time at all -- it would be totally not worth it.

Hopefully in another few weeks I'll be able to take a small paycheck, but the real value for me right now is in the satisfaction of doing something for myself. It's been a great feeling to see people's faces as they take their first bite.

Chocolatl · 10-28-2013, 12:42 PM

The weather was beautiful yesterday so we had a pretty good day!

Changing the menu up a bit for November. I've had people ask for a sampler pack, but I'm not sure what three flavors would go in to one. Opinions? This month's flavors are:

AZTECA-- chocolate cake + cinnamon chili dark chocolate ganache filling
BUENOS AIRES-- vanilla cake + dulce de leche filling
CLASSIC-- chocolate cake + marshmallow filling
HARVEST FESTIVAL-- pumpkin cake + maple filling
KEY WEST-- key lime cake + coconut cream filling
PARADISO-- espresso cake + chocolate hazelnut filling

Pete Zicato · 10-28-2013, 01:50 PM

Pick two combos guaranteed to please and something more adventurous.

orthodoc · 10-28-2013, 05:33 PM

Those all sound fantastic, choco! Can you package sampler packs on the spot? Then people could try the three that intrigued them the most. If they have to be pre-packaged, I think maybe a chocolate-lover's pack (the two chocolate cakes and the espresso cake with chocolate hazelnut filling) and a 'Harvest Holiday' pack (vanilla, pumpkin, and key lime) would cater to different tastes.

Or, put 2 chocolate with the vanilla and the two lighter cakes with the espresso (I'd go for that one).

You're doing great, keep going!

Happy Monkey · 10-28-2013, 05:42 PM

Seasonal neapolitan? Chocolate, vanilla, and the seasonal 'fruit' (ie pumpkin)?

Chocolatl · 10-29-2013, 08:10 AM

Hmm, I think I'll try the chocolate lover's trio for this first weekend and we'll see how it does. I can't package them on the spot as the law I'm working under states everything has to be prepackaged. I am thinking of packaging a few individual pies this weekend. They're more time consuming, but I think people might buy one if they're not willing to commit to three.

In other news, I was invited to attend a chocolate festival here in town! What an honor! I had to turn it down as it's a three day event with 9000 attendees, but man -- how great would that have been!

Clodfobble · 10-29-2013, 12:54 PM

I think the Azteca, Buenos Aires, and Paradiso would go well together in a "Latina" combo.

Lola Bunny · 10-29-2013, 10:08 PM

Those flavors all sound so yummy!

Chocolatl · 12-08-2013, 07:14 AM

Weeeell, the trio didn't actually do well, so I dropped it after two weekends. Now I do singles, so people can pick and choose what they want to get three for $5.

The last two weekends have been pretty slow and I took a loss. Boooo. Hoping today perks up! December's featured flavors are gingerbread ('tis the season?) and peppermint cocoa -- which tastes like a Thin Mint turned into cake form. Nom nom!

xoxoxoBruce · 12-08-2013, 03:54 PM

Giving them more power over their purchase is usually a good idea.

monster · 12-08-2013, 05:10 PM

You can always have decorative signs suggesting combos with creative names.

10-14-2013, 08:40 PM	#76
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Great work Choco. If you get to be my ss this year, you can send me some of your yummies. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

10-21-2013, 03:15 PM	#78
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	What do you factor in as expenses? Ingredients, obviously. I assume there's a fee for your spot. Amortized cost of the canopy? Your time? __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

10-21-2013, 05:10 PM	#79
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Dont forget vehicle expenses too. Easy to forget. Still an expense though. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

10-28-2013, 01:50 PM	#82
Pete Zicato Turns out my CRS is a symptom of TMB. Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Chicago suburbs Posts: 2,916	Pick two combos guaranteed to please and something more adventurous. __________________ Talk nerdy to me.

10-28-2013, 05:33 PM	#83
orthodoc Not Suspicious, Merely Canadian Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 3,774	Those all sound fantastic, choco! Can you package sampler packs on the spot? Then people could try the three that intrigued them the most. If they have to be pre-packaged, I think maybe a chocolate-lover's pack (the two chocolate cakes and the espresso cake with chocolate hazelnut filling) and a 'Harvest Holiday' pack (vanilla, pumpkin, and key lime) would cater to different tastes. Or, put 2 chocolate with the vanilla and the two lighter cakes with the espresso (I'd go for that one). You're doing great, keep going! __________________ The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. - Ghandi

10-20-2013, 03:20 PM	#77
Chocolatl Glutton for Gluttony Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 1,409	Thanks, y'all! Today was a scorcher -- the 82% humidity meant it felt like it was in the low 90s. As a result, there wasn't as much foot traffic as there was last week. Took a small loss for the day. Hopefully things will pick up with the forecasted cooler weather next weekend.

10-22-2013, 07:25 AM	#80
Chocolatl Glutton for Gluttony Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 1,409	Expenses for now are ingredients, packaging, and the market fee. Will add gas for the car soon. Also need to set money aside for all of the taxes and license fees. I'm not paying myself or factoring in my time at all -- it would be totally not worth it. Hopefully in another few weeks I'll be able to take a small paycheck, but the real value for me right now is in the satisfaction of doing something for myself. It's been a great feeling to see people's faces as they take their first bite.

10-28-2013, 12:42 PM	#81
Chocolatl Glutton for Gluttony Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 1,409	The weather was beautiful yesterday so we had a pretty good day! Changing the menu up a bit for November. I've had people ask for a sampler pack, but I'm not sure what three flavors would go in to one. Opinions? This month's flavors are: AZTECA-- chocolate cake + cinnamon chili dark chocolate ganache filling BUENOS AIRES-- vanilla cake + dulce de leche filling CLASSIC-- chocolate cake + marshmallow filling HARVEST FESTIVAL-- pumpkin cake + maple filling KEY WEST-- key lime cake + coconut cream filling PARADISO-- espresso cake + chocolate hazelnut filling

10-28-2013, 05:42 PM	#84
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Seasonal neapolitan? Chocolate, vanilla, and the seasonal 'fruit' (ie pumpkin)? __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

10-29-2013, 08:10 AM	#85
Chocolatl Glutton for Gluttony Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 1,409	Hmm, I think I'll try the chocolate lover's trio for this first weekend and we'll see how it does. I can't package them on the spot as the law I'm working under states everything has to be prepackaged. I am thinking of packaging a few individual pies this weekend. They're more time consuming, but I think people might buy one if they're not willing to commit to three. In other news, I was invited to attend a chocolate festival here in town! What an honor! I had to turn it down as it's a three day event with 9000 attendees, but man -- how great would that have been!

10-29-2013, 12:54 PM	#86
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	I think the Azteca, Buenos Aires, and Paradiso would go well together in a "Latina" combo. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

10-29-2013, 10:08 PM	#87
Lola Bunny Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 2,728	Those flavors all sound so yummy!

12-08-2013, 07:14 AM	#88
Chocolatl Glutton for Gluttony Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 1,409	Weeeell, the trio didn't actually do well, so I dropped it after two weekends. Now I do singles, so people can pick and choose what they want to get three for $5. The last two weekends have been pretty slow and I took a loss. Boooo. Hoping today perks up! December's featured flavors are gingerbread ('tis the season?) and peppermint cocoa -- which tastes like a Thin Mint turned into cake form. Nom nom!

12-08-2013, 03:54 PM	#89
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Giving them more power over their purchase is usually a good idea. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

12-08-2013, 05:10 PM	#90
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	You can always have decorative signs suggesting combos with creative names. __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

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