If you love making candy and others love you for it, turn your passion into a part-time or full-time gig. Starting a home-based candy store is a relatively simple venture and the start-up costs are minimal. Your biggest hurdle will be obtaining a licensed kitchen. Once you've got that covered, you can begin selling your delicious candy locally, regionally or nationwide.
Instructions
1. Find a licensed kitchen. Foods made for resale must be made in a licensed kitchen that is subject to regular inspections. Generally, home kitchens cannot become licensed. Those that can must be sectioned off from the rest of the house. Instead, rent or share a licensed kitchen where you can make your candy. Contact your church, local halls, clubs or caterers.
2. Purchase supplies nessasary for making candies; these may include candy molds, boxes, food coloring, foil, bags, cups, ingredients and lollipop rings. There are many more things you might want for your candy store, and you can find other suggestions in the tip suggestions. The important thing is to limit your supplies until you have a steady stream of customers. The more packaging you use, the more you will need to charge in order to turn a profit.
3. Develop your recipes. Then have friends and family give feedback. Your local culinary school or college may offer an inexpensive baking class that you can take to expand your baking skills and learn new recipes.
4. Experiment in your licensed kitchen designing candy creations. Make candy spoons, lollipops, candy bouquets. Design one-of-a-kind or themed lollipops for special occasions, hobbies or holidays. Incorporate seasonal items into your bouquets or baskets.
5. Set your business apart by offering creative packaging for weddings, baby showers or corporate events. For example, cater your packaging to include the name or logo of any business that buys your goods to give as a corporate gifts to employees. Or implement green packaging.
6. Create a spreadsheet detailing your expenses. Include the cost of ingredients, gas and supplies. Then create a price list for your candy.
7. Package your candy in your signature style. The addition of nutrition information or health claims may place restrictions on your labeling. In the event that you want to include this information, contact the FDA to ensure that you meet the labeling requirements (see Resources).
Tags: licensed kitchen, your candy, candy store