Start Your Own Specialty Food Business: Your Step-By-Step Startup Guide to Success StartUp Series

217 Pages·2016·4.56 MB·English

Entrepreneur Press, Publisher Cover Design: Andrew Welyczko Production and Composition: Eliot House
Productions © 2016 by Entrepreneur Media, Inc.
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ebook ISBN: 978-1-61308-333-8
Contents Preface
Chapter 1
Who Puts the “Specialty” in Specialty Food?
The Current State of Small Business in America
The Small Business Administration (SBA)
Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
The Specialty Food Industry as a Whole
Homebased
The Retail Store
Production and Distribution
Production
Marketing
Distribution
Other Specialty Food Venues
Strictly Special Order
Food Truck
Personal Chef
Retail Food Store Regulations
Sites to Know
Chapter 2
You Like to Eat but Is this Business Right for You?
Test Yourself
Small-Business Personality Traits
Other Things to Consider
The Pressure of Perishables
Deadlines
The Waiting Game
Chapter 3
Meet Your Mentors
Confectionately Yours Toffee
Kitchen Debauchery Jams and Jellies
Lincoln Olive Oil Shop
Yummy Yammy Salsa
Winnipesaukee Chocolates
Judy a la Carte
Chapter 4
Pass the Salt and Pepper: Business Basics
It’s All in a Name
On a Mission
Choosing a Business Location
Business Types
Sole Proprietor
General Partnership
Limited Liability Company
Corporations
Licenses and Permits
Choosing Insurance
Forms
Proposals
Agreements
Invoices
Receipts
Chapter 5
You’ve Been Chopped!: Market Research
Industry Research
The Specialty Food Business
The Specialty Food Association
State of the Industry
Packaging
Packaging Market Research
Retail Market Research
The Research
Determining Store Size
Production Space
Special Diets
Retail/Production Combo
Mail Order
Focus Groups
What Makes You Stand Out?
Chapter 6
The Necessary Ingredient: Financing
First Things First
Don’t Forget Life
Finding Financing
Get Your Credit in Shape
Networking
Your Business Plan
The Components of a Successful Business Plan
Buying Equipment and Inventory
Essential Equipment
Inventory
Chapter 7
Home Is Where the Stove Is: Location
Cottage Food Industry
Supplies for Your Homebased Food Business
The Commercial Kitchen
The Retail Shop
Outside
Inside
Special Display Needs
Back Office
The Retail Provider
Staging Space
Getting Product to Market
Mail Order
Shipping Service
Special Considerations
Distributors
Food Labels
Chapter 8
All Things Digital
Mobile Websites
Setting Up a Website
Design
Website Must-Haves
The Homepage
Drilling Down
The Rest of the Site
Contacting You from a Website
Updating
Marketing Your Website
Your Website URL
Keep ’Em Interested
Choosing a Web Host
Chapter 9
Chef, Sous-Chef, and Kitchen Help: Employees
Who to Hire
Reaching Out to Candidates
Advertising
Interviewing
Interviewing Strategies
Pay
Training
Letting Employees Go
Seasonal Workers
Layoffs
Termination for Reason
Vendors
Professional Help
Chapter 10
How to Not Cook the Books: Accounting
Financial Statements
Paying Vendors
Pricing Your Products
Gift Certificates
Markup
Maintaining Cash Flow
Break-Even Point
Taxes
Deducting Expenses
Chapter 11
When “To Market” Means Something Else
Why Marketing?
Networking to Business Success
The Ins and Outs of Advertising
The Small but Mighty Business Card
Information Brochures
Direct Mail
Newsletters
Press Releases
The Power of Customer Service
Retaining Customers through Top-Notch Customer Service
Giving Back to Your Community
Building Your Image
Traditional Media with a Digital Twist
Enewsletters
Press Releases vs. Event Listings
Chapter 12
Social Media
Blogs
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Photo-Sharing Platforms
Pinterest
Instagram
Snapchat
Appendix
Specialty Food Resources
Books
Conferences
Consultants
Magazines
Organizations
Packaging
Glossary
Index