BBQ Sauce, Salsa, Salad Dressing

[GETMETOCA]

This weekend, I'm visiting my parents and my Mom introduces me to one of her friends. This friend and her husband are setting up a booth at the local Farmer's Market to sell their BBQ sauce that they developed and marketed.

Sure enough, its a great tasting product, beautifully packaged, and they're having a blast letting everyone try it out with samples of grilled pork and chicken. Obviously, it was an endeavor for fun and not their initial income. But who knows where it could lead?

I realize that I'm totally interested in how this all started. I don't claim to be the best cook, but I love to dabble in the kitchen. I'm constantly inventing and experimenting with sauces, marinades and dry spice rubs for ribs. I started asking my Mom's friends about how they got their start, the chain of events that lead up to the end product (which is selling in the local supermarkets and Mom and Pop stores very well)

She gave me the whole story in a nutshell and I'm starting to think "I can do this too!"

So here's my question to you guys - anyone try their hand at small side business endeavors?? How'd it go? and any watch outs? What about marketing and labeling? Your experience doesn't need to be from a foodie perspective! Thanks All :confused:

 

[biglou]

I wish I could be of help, but all I can offer is to be the quality control tech for your new endevour! Just send me a gallon or two of each batch, along with several slabs of ribs, and I will ensure that each batch is as good as it can posibly be. But be warned, I am a very strict QA man. I may require several "tests" per batch before giving it my official okee-dokee! :D

Seriously, I am kind of in the same boat as I am thinking of doing some moto-related work on my own. I know I have the skills, and I love doing it. I just don't know what niche to persue. I'd be interested in any of the pitfalls. My one worry is that I would mess up something that would just eat any profit from that and several other jobs.

 

[smb_racing]

The city of Athens here in Ohio has a program to help out developing small businesses (primarily in the food market). They have a sort of "community kitchen" that you can use to keep the overhead down until the product is introduced and really starts to take off. They also help with packaging and marketing and even have a small storefront to showcase locally made items. There are others like this from what I've heard, don't know what states but you might check into it. If I find a link to the website with the info I'll post it for you. Good luck :)

 

[Rooster]

Liability aslways seems to be what concerns me the most.

I used to be a chef and often considered marketing some of my recipes. The thing that scared me was the poosibility of a mass food poisoning! :eek:

I do sell my own weasoning for use as a salt/pepper tabel spice or as a rub for meats. I'ts all dry goods, so there is little to worry about. As far as marketing, it's all been word of mouth and the farmers market on wednesday evenings. I buy little clear bags from a packaging store and just put a sticker on the bag for identification. Pretty simple.

 

[GETMETOCA]

Originally posted by RoosteR13
Liability aslways seems to be what concerns me the most. I used to be a chef and often considered marketing some of my recipes. The thing that scared me was the poosibility of a mass food poisoning! :eek:

That is a great point Rooster! My whole "day job ;) " is Food Quality Control so I've got the HACCP, FDA, USDA, GMP, Microbiology, etc thing down. But that doesn't mean there isn't room for error! That thought is always in the back of my mind! :scream: Its the Marketing aspect and the "idea to store shelf" stuff I'm really lame at.

Lou - I will GLADLY let a grilled meats connoisuer such as yourself sample my culinary concoctions!! No problem! but after Roosters words of wisdom, I'll have some waivers for you to sign :)

SMB Racing, sure wish I knew of such a deal here in the Bay Area, if you come up with that link, I'll take a look. You know that reminded me of those micro brew places in the City where you go there with your friends and brew up your own mix, make the label, then after it ferments to perfection, you go back and do the bottling and labelling then you get to take home a few cases of "your brew". That sounded like a lot of fun!

 

[70 marlin]

send it to mi. it's closer!

 

[smb_racing]

found a few links, it's actually a pretty good idea on the part of the organizers, a shame more communities don't have things of this nature, anyway you can read up for yourself

http://www.seorf.ohiou.edu/~xx051/first/localpjct.html
http://www.wcfcourier.com/life99/990518kitchen.html
http://www.casanueva.com/shop/in_a_bottle.htm

 

[KXTodd]

I checked on doing something similar a few years ago. Talk to some of the smaller owners and check for the food shows in your area. They have a huge trade show in Baltimore, MD I think is where it's at every yr., supposed to be thousands of people and products showcased. I was looking more into Salsas, Hot sauces etc. and talked to a lot of owners that were pretty cool, also there are alot of books published about the bus. Your state might have a local grown program like we do in Va., they do alot of marketing for you. That will get you an in w/ the small shops but forget about the supermarkets unless you go big time and are prepared to pay their big time slotting fees to be on the shelf. Specialty shops, gift basket makers and people like that are your best bet, lots of competition though. I could test out some of that barbecue for you too if you need extra opinion :confused:

 

[clutchcover]

Alot of small restaurants will buy sauces and ect. if you ask and they like it. Might be worth a shot. If you get an excess or need it tested for poison send it my way to Idaho;).