Hi there,

I have been gluten-free for several years now and in this time I have spent a lot of time perfecting my own recipes with my mom and girlfriend to create very tasty, soft, melt-in-your-mouth gluten-free foods.

I mostly have dessert things like Brownies, fruit-based breads (ie: Banana Bread), Pies, Pizza dough, etc.

I see many stores online and I was thinking it would be neat if I could sort of sell my stuff to the stores and they take a cut kind of thing. Does anyone know more about this?

Thanks

I believe it takes quite an investment, as you need to have a facility which is approved by a health inspector and all that. I don't know all the specifics, but here are some places to start:

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome
http://www.restaurant.org/foodsafety/how_to_inspection.cfm

HTH

ah yes and lets not forget all that added insurance required as well, yes very expensive indeed


Might I suggest instead making a cookbook using your recipes? No gov agency required or added insurance

Good idea. There is an internet marketer named Willie Crawford who does a handy business on the side with a collection of recipes aimed at a niche market.

You could be next!


Otherwise, look into the insurance / business license / health certification stuff, and then see if your local health food stores would be interested in carrying fresh-baked gluten-free treats like brownies. Once you develop a fanatic local following, it may be easier to expand your market.

It's possible (In some states) to get your kitchen certified to sell things at local farmers markets. Maybe you could start there this summer? A friend of mine went through a whole nutty certification to sell jam at a farmers market in MA. But she didn't have to make it in a professional kitchen. So, it might be possible.

you could advertise at health food stores and GI clinics in your town.

but first you should post some recipes here so we can check and see if they are truly as fabulous as you say!

Something else you can do is to go to your local restaurants and see if one will let you come in on off hours and use their kitchen. You could supply them with for sure gluten free desserts in exchange. Do not ask a bakery, you would never get those free of gluten, but you could use any other restaurant. If you have a restaurant you eat at frequently they would be the place to start. You could then look into putting the baked goods into local shops and make lots of celiacs in your area happy.
My restaurant used to specialize in folks like us but I never had time to do any gluten-free desserts. It would have been nice to have something gluten free to offer. I know myself and the owner of that restaurant would have given you a great big hug 5 minutes after you walked in the door.

Like some of the mothers said, farmers markets are a great place to start. You do have to be sure of what the rules are in your location. Not just federal, but state, city, provincial where ever you are there are many rules when it comes to selling food to the public. In some cases you have to have a government certified kitchen but in some areas there is an exemption for selling only at local farmers markets. In other locations you have to take a sometimes lengthy class and pass a 90 question Serve Safe test.

Often it's only the kitchen issue that makes it hard for people to sell what they produce. I should say it can depend on what you sell too. Jam and jelly with a pH of 3.5 might be able to be made in a home kitchen and sold at a market but baked goods or other goods containing dairy or oils might be prohibited. There's really no shortcut and you need to find out the rules from your local health dept.

Good luck, Hope we can order them from you on line one of these days.
ken

Good idea about off hour restaurant kitchens. They often rent them in Hawaii but charge a small fortune. Church kitchens have to be certified here too and you can usually rent those for next to nothing as long as they dont have events planned.

Thanks for all your replies!

My girlfriend went to school for Culinary and she got a a certificate that makes her a certified health something or other (I have to ask her for the exact thing, but it's useful)

As for the certified kitchen, I am in Canada and I don't think that's too much of a hassle. If anything, I would certify my mothers for sure .. but I will look into that

Also I am thinking of starting a blog and post all the recipes with pictures/video so people can definitely try it out, but if I want to sell this stuff I shouldn't really release the recipe eh? It's a catch-22 ..

Good luck with it. A lot depends on your area in Canada too. Your girlfriend having the certificate will be a help.
I teach at the culinary school in Kona. Sometimes with the kitchen there are requirements for certification that home kitchens usually can't accommodate without major remodeling. Triple sinks, electrical outlets that are higher from the floor than conventional home outlets, special surfaces etc. Ontario is much tougher than BC for many of these rules too.
Trying to rent a kitchen from a restaurant, church or like I do from the culinary school during off hours, makes things a lot easier.

Good luck
Ken