Hey CC-ers,
I am looking for specific cake industry stats to conduct and industry analysis. I have found links to "retail bakery" industry info, but want to know info as it specifically relates to cake. Any ideas? ...and preferably ones that don't require me to spend $100 on a report.
Thanks,
Toni
Shane McMurray has the best stats for the wedding industry, and maybe for cakes in general. You do have to buy them, but you have unlimited downloads and only have to buy a month's worth of time. Otherwise to get real, solid industry stats which are compiled by companies that do research, you will have to pay. And really that's not unreasonable. It's their product and the biz they're in to make $.
This site may be a little helpful for your specific area: http://www.costofwedding.com/
Plug in your zip code(s). The bad part is that when it gives you an average price paid, you don't know how big the cake is. It also includes the $50 wedding cake made by Aunt Sally for ingredient costs and the $1000 premium cake made by the top bakery in town. "Average" can skew the numbers. But it's a start.
These numbers are what brides PAID ... not what vendors CHARGE. Big difference.
Is this for your biz plan? If so, contact your local County Clerk's office (via phone, email or website) to find out how many marriage licenses were issued in your county to determine how many wedding cakes were needed. Also find out how many divorces .... 60% of all weddings are 2nd and 3rd marriages, so a high divorce rate is a cha-CHING! factor for the wedding industry! 
This site may be a little helpful for your specific area: http://www.costofwedding.com/
Plug in your zip code(s). The bad part is that when it gives you an average price paid, you don't know how big the cake is. It also includes the $50 wedding cake made by Aunt Sally for ingredient costs and the $1000 premium cake made by the top bakery in town. "Average" can skew the numbers. But it's a start.
These numbers are what brides PAID ... not what vendors CHARGE. Big difference.
Is this for your biz plan? If so, contact your local County Clerk's office (via phone, email or website) to find out how many marriage licenses were issued in your county to determine how many wedding cakes were needed. Also find out how many divorces .... 60% of all weddings are 2nd and 3rd marriages, so a high divorce rate is a cha-CHING! factor for the wedding industry!
That link is great Indy! And for others who are looking for the info - the cake is listed under the reception catagory.
What a great site! Does anyone know how many guests these estimates are for?
that's the bad part about this site. You don't know if the $500 cake is for 100 or for 1000.
Some kid (oh heck, everyone's a kid to me, these days!) in one of my classes asked "What's the most expensive cake you've ever done?" I had to explain that the final balance wasn't a reflection on how expensive the cake was .... it was a reflection on how big the wedding reception was, and how we charge by the slice. So a cake for 100 is $300 ...... a cake for 300 is $900.
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