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Name for a bakery - This one's different! I swear! =)

post #1 of 44
12/3/10 at 8:33am
Thread Starter 
Hello all!

I am looking to start a bakery that specializes in two quite different areas:
* Custom cakes and cupcakes, and other "people" desserts.
* Organic and vegetarian dog treats and other retail like collars, clothes, and stuff for dog owners like dog-loving plaques for the home, etc.

I plan to run the whole show from my home kitchen. icon_biggrin.gif

Im trying to come up with two good names something like Divine Delights (which would be the main name) and Doggie Delights or something to that affect. Then I can have two websites - DivineDelights.com, where Id have the customer choose between going forward for people desserts, or go to the DoggieDelights.com site for dog stuff. Obviously both domain names would need to be available (the ones in this example aren't icon_cry.gif), and the main name would need to be non-restrictive, so it could apply to a dog-centered company and a people-centered company.

Oh, I live in Massachusetts if that helps.

Oh - and I'm not necessarily against having one name for both, I just couldn't think of any name that would sufficiently encompass both aspects of a business like that.

Id really appreciate any input Thanks in advance icon_smile.gif
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post #2 of 44
12/3/10 at 10:21am
Maybe it's just me, but it seems a little weird to buy baked goods from a company that also makes dog treats. If you do plan on pursuing both markets, I would advise setting them up as two completely different businesses with no cross-promotion.
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post #3 of 44
12/3/10 at 10:33am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jasonkraft

Maybe it's just me, but it seems a little weird to buy baked goods from a company that also makes dog treats. If you do plan on pursuing both markets, I would advise setting them up as two completely different businesses with no cross-promotion.



jasonkraft,

This is another type of feedback I was looking for. Okay, that is what I am going to do then. So the names don't need to be related or anything.

Thanks so much for posting an honest, and in turn very valuable reply!
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post #4 of 44
12/3/10 at 12:10pm
Thread Starter 
Anybody else have any ideas?
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post #5 of 44
12/3/10 at 12:18pm
You are spreading yourself pretty thin.

My suggestion is to focus on one thing and do that really really well.

Edit, NMarie.
 
 

 

 

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post #6 of 44
12/3/10 at 12:29pm
Hi! I thought about doing a similar thing. But, instead of going both ways, I've concentrated on creating people cakes. But to satisfy the desire for creating doggie treats, I donate dog biscuits in cute decorated bags to the local humane society when they have fund raising events. You'll find that people who are crazy in love with their dogs won't think twice about buying a human cake from you--but it doesn't seem to work the other way around.

Good luck!!! :0)
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post #7 of 44
12/3/10 at 12:31pm
My opinion is that I find any food that you feed to a dog nasty, and wouldn't want to order a cake from the same person my neighbor could order their dog treats from. I have a dog, and won't touch his food, it totally grosses me out. I would market them as two different companies, but I'm not even sure that as a customer, I found out they were being made in the same kitchen, by the same person, but under two different companies that I would order a cake from them. I understand that most homemade dog treats are made from peanut butter and other things that people eat, but it still grosses me out, sorry. I hope I haven't been too harsh....I just find things that dogs eat nasty.
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post #8 of 44
12/3/10 at 12:46pm
I questioned whether or not the health department would even allow this. but i agree with others on doing seperate businesses. just doesnt sound right? sorry!
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post #9 of 44
12/3/10 at 12:47pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for everybody's wonderful input!!!! icon_biggrin.gif

jen1977: I absolutely don't think that you were too harsh! I always appreciate honest input (as all of us bakers must) thumbs_up.gif It's funny because I posted this on a forum on cheftalk.com - here: http://www.cheftalk.com/forum/thread/63197/name-for-a-bakery-i-know-you-ve-seen-it-a-thousand-times-but-this-one-s-different - and someone said exactly the same thing.

Taking that into consideration and the comments made by -K8memphis and KnticEnerG, I think you all are right. I should focus on one thing or the other. KnticEnerG, wouldn't it be nice to be able to do it all?! icon_wink.gif

Now I guess I have a big decision to make... Dogs or people... Hmmm icon_lol.gif

KnticEnerG, do you have any regrets in chosing the people thing over the dog thing?

Does anyone have any input on which business would be more successful? I am hoping to be able to do it full time in the future but obviously I'll need to work at my current job full time and do the business part time in the beginning.
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post #10 of 44
12/3/10 at 12:49pm
We have a bakery here in Minneapolis that serves both dog treats and people treats. I havent been there yet, but hear it goes over really well. People stop by for a cupcake and get a treat for their dog, so I think you have a great idea. Not sure about how it will go in a home bakery though.

Good luck! If I were closer I'd buy Doggie treat for my baby icon_biggrin.gif
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post #11 of 44
12/3/10 at 12:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by kweenofengland

I questioned whether or not the health department would even allow this. but i agree with others on doing seperate businesses. just doesnt sound right? sorry!



No need to apologize, I wanted honest input, so thank you for being honest icon_smile.gif

I think the health department would allow it, considering I'd be using natural "people" ingredients for the dog treats - flour, apples, peanut butter, etc. I would definitely need to look into it though if I ever did pursue both sides - thanks for the suggestion!
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post #12 of 44
12/3/10 at 12:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by nmarie

Does anyone have any input on which business would be more successful? I am hoping to be able to do it full time in the future but obviously I'll need to work at my current job full time and do the business part time in the beginning.


IMO the dog treats business will be very difficult to execute successfully...why would people come to your home to buy dog treats and other products instead of picking them up for less at PetSmart or Wal*mart? Organic and upscale dog treats can even be found in grocery stores these days.

A more small-scale venture specializing in customized pet products might work, you could sell on Etsy.com as well as locally.

For the bakery business, you should start with a business plan and take a look at local market conditions, competitors, costs, and pricing structures.
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post #13 of 44
12/3/10 at 12:56pm
You should look into how many custom bakers there are in your area, and how many gourmet dog bakeries...it might be better to be the only gourmet dog bakery than the 50th custom cake bakery.
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post #14 of 44
12/3/10 at 12:59pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lchristi27

We have a bakery here in Minneapolis that serves both dog treats and people treats. I havent been there yet, but hear it goes over really well. People stop by for a cupcake and get a treat for their dog, so I think you have a great idea. Not sure about how it will go in a home bakery though.

Good luck! If I were closer I'd buy Doggie treat for my baby icon_biggrin.gif



I wish I had a store front. I agree that a brick and mortar situation would probably go over a bit better with that combination - so people could see that it was all just human food - not Pedigree kibbles accidently getting dropped into cake batter icon_lol.gif I had a feeling that some people may get weirded out by the mixture of both people and dog treats! Totally understand it, though!

If I go the dog way I will let you know and maybe you can get some treats from my site icon_smile.gif
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post #15 of 44
12/3/10 at 1:08pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Quote:

You should look into how many custom bakers there are in your area, and how many gourmet dog bakeries...it might be better to be the only gourmet dog bakery than the 50th custom cake bakery.



Very good idea. I will have to look into that.

There are a few prominent bakeries in the area but I don't see much in custom cakes and cupcakes. They do more like pies and hearty baked products. I feel like the cake decorating industry is booming due to custom cake related TV shows, but I also think that right now is a bad time for people in general, in terms of finances, so maybe that's why I'm afraid that it wouldn't do that well. Another downer about the cake decorating vs. the online dog boutique is that I can only sell the cakes locally - obviously you can't ship a big ol' cake icon_lol.gif

I know there are a couple of dog boutiques in the area but I also know the woman who runs them - let's just say she does a bad job icon_razz.gif

Quote:
Originally Posted by jasonkraft

Quote:
Originally Posted by nmarie

Does anyone have any input on which business would be more successful? I am hoping to be able to do it full time in the future but obviously I'll need to work at my current job full time and do the business part time in the beginning.


IMO the dog treats business will be very difficult to execute successfully...why would people come to your home to buy dog treats and other products instead of picking them up for less at PetSmart or Wal*mart? Organic and upscale dog treats can even be found in grocery stores these days.

A more small-scale venture specializing in customized pet products might work, you could sell on Etsy.com as well as locally.

For the bakery business, you should start with a business plan and take a look at local market conditions, competitors, costs, and pricing structures.



Very true... However, if I went the dog way, I would sell everything either via a website and farmers markets to customers or wholesale to local pet boutiques.

Thanks for the input!
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