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Old 10-29-2012, 03:19 AM
 
Location: USA
3,966 posts, read 10,670,259 times
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Baker, butcher, maybe even produce. I wouldn't even know where to find a study on it.
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Old 10-29-2012, 07:12 AM
 
28,896 posts, read 53,999,941 times
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Only if you know what you're doing. Otherwise, take out a second mortgage on your house, cash it out in tens and twenties and give it away to people in the street.

Mind you, there are franchises out there who can help. But you really should steep yourself in the biz before you get started and make sure you open in a high-income area:

Bakery & Donut Franchise Opportunities, Donut & Bakery Franchises for Sale | Franchise Direct.com

New York Butcher : Franchise
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Old 10-29-2012, 10:11 AM
 
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Maybe custom abattoir with a portable unit - IF you can stand the regulation.
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Old 10-31-2012, 05:36 PM
 
Location: Currently living in Reddit
5,652 posts, read 6,956,650 times
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If you love food and have talent at making something, try starting out in someone else's certified kitchen, sell at farmer's markets and such and see if your products catch on.

If you don't love food and have no talent for it, don't even think about it.

Food businesses are a labor of love.
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Old 10-31-2012, 07:25 PM
 
Location: Zaria
3 posts, read 3,536 times
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Indeed a lobour of love with fat returns
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Old 10-31-2012, 07:27 PM
 
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,226 posts, read 80,425,063 times
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Make sure you have plenty of money in the bank for startup costs, and to pay the hefty product liability insurance premiums to cover lawsuits if someone gets sick and blames your food.
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Old 11-04-2012, 11:21 AM
 
17,876 posts, read 15,788,125 times
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Food is one of the only if not only small brick and mortar business one can start and have a chance at competing with corporations. I guess because it requires that personal touch and can always differentiate itself from the big companies. Plus location is key so as long as you get there before a corporation does than you have a chance at competing with them.

So if you are going to start a small business, food is as good as it comes.
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Old 11-08-2012, 10:55 AM
 
4,857 posts, read 7,578,012 times
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Too many people buy their meat and baked goods at grocery stores and super sized Walmarts and Target.

If you live in a dense city like NYC, Chicago, San Fran..Where people have an easier time getting to their local neighborhood butcher/bakery than they do getting to a box store you might make a go at it.
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Old 11-08-2012, 01:06 PM
 
41,111 posts, read 25,611,648 times
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No reason, if you do become successful the government will only take your profits. Give up the dream because it isn't worth it anymore.
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Old 11-09-2012, 02:45 AM
 
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If you take a look at the food industry- the supermarket sector, many are struggling because of wal-mart and super-box stores.....walmart sells twice as much groceries than kroger-kroger use to be the top selling traditional supermarket,,,

if it were me,,Id like to open an old fashioned butcher shop
I love the thought of specialty gourmet shops- and this is going to be happening,,because the supermarkets, and walmarts are going all case-ready meats-centralized cut,,shipped in from thousands of miles away and map-packed-vac sealed with gas,,,
now most folks dont prefer this,,,they like to know who and where the product came from,,,local being better..

you can open a specialty butcher shop and do very well, but youve got to do your homework,,it is possible,-first of all survey your area,,,see where there is/are voids in the area,,,, population /shopping centers, places with high traffic flow/visibility.
so, you dont know anything about this business,,,but you want to open a specialty market?? is this possible?? yes..
in 3 ways..
1. work for an existing specialty shop, learn the basics and learn the value added products.
2, hire a professional butcher and learn all you can from him/her
3. contact suppliers, not just delivery vendors, independent grocery store suppliers have retail specialists in each department to train and troubleshoot-these are the experienced professionals that have a pulse on the business, and most of these folks came from chain stores, so they know how to compete with them..
these "meat specialists" can train you and your employees, and you can also have part-time cutters for added back up training.

if it were me,,id meet with one of these meat specialists, have lunch with him/her, and tell them what and where you are looking,,,,this person has insight very few people have,,,he can give you equipment suggestions, where and what to buy,
also take you to existing ,,non competing stores to go in their back rooms and show what makes them successful..(think Iga suppliers)

if opening a business, you will need a business plan,,many templates online- but it all starts at projecting sales and validating or justifying how to achieve these sales, and why will customers come to your store/butcher shop
these meat specialists can help you establish a market position the big box stores dont have- from making your own sausage, to cutting and grinding everyday (again, walmart doesnt have meatcutters on site) you can push freezer plans and truckload meat sales- chain stores do not do this,,,, just profile differentiation/advantage of your shop over the chains,,and being an independent, you have flexibility the chain stores do not.

now, meat doesnt come on a rail in sides anymore- most is boxed bnls beef and pork-much more sanitary this way, and much easier to learn than years ago..

also the advantage today, is that a small shop can "friend" up a town/city on facebook and there is your free advertising,,and it works,,also have a youtube site- for tips/ recipes. etc, again...all free

Ive seen firsthand butcher shops open and do well-

conservatively, figure on a 25% margin (not mark-up) margin is profit measured by sales, mark-up is a measure from cost, always go with margin-if you do 16k in sales(12000 in purchases) thats 4, 000 in gross profit, or 25% margin(sales-purchases=gross profit, gross profit divided by sales=gross margin % (4k divided by 16k=25%

so, if you have an area/location you like even if it is only 1500-2000 squ ft, thats fine, keep expenses down..
anyways,, say you do 15k week in sales, thats 60k month, at 25% margin you are back to 15k then start taking out expenses...lease/utilities/payroll/equipment loans, and everything else

if you arent sure about equipment, again, find one of these meat specialists that work for a supplier-not just a salesman,,,but a trainer/specialist-they will give you free info on the premise you may be buying from them....so, if you do well, so do they...
thay can also give you great insight on what you need for equipment,,where to buy and what brands are the best
for ex, hobart is very reputable, for meat saws/grinders/ tenderizers and scales they have techs that service the equipment.

good luck to you
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