I just spent $150 dollars at the grocery store for one cake!!! I could profit so much more if I bought items like powdered sugar, marshmallows, and cake flour in bulk!! And is it possible to buy dairy in bulk, like butter and eggs???

Not sure of where you're located...however, you can start at Sam's or Costco ....if you have a tax id # you can see if there is a Restaurant Depot in your area. Most places will only deliver to a business..and some have Will Call (still have to have a tax id)

As long as you are a real business - with an EIN, resale number, etc. you can set up wholesale accounts with local suppliers.

I buy my butter from Sam's. MUCH cheaper than the grocery store. They sell eggs there, too...in 90 count containers. I buy mine from a farm and pay a lot of moola for that, though.

Yeah Leah that's why I said I didn't know where she was located...cause I heard that all you need is an EIN...but here in we have to have a Tax Id #...I'm on the state line for MO & KS & in both states they are too picky imo especially since they are neighboring states (Kansas City, KS and Kansas City, MO) you would think they would work together..but they compete

of course with the exception of Sam's & Costco

No Jason....I'm referring the sales tax id # For the city or State that your business is set up in. You can't just have a EIN here...they won't accept that [and here they don't say sales tax ... they just say tax id]

I buy my 25 lb bag of flour, 5 lb tub of sourcream, 1 lb block of butter, 1/2 gallon container of vanilla and 4500 square feet of plastic wrap (best plastic wrap ever!) at Sam's club. You don't need a business or tax number to be a member there.

I buy my 5 dozen container of eggs and 25 lb bag of sugar at Walmart. Sam's club sells sugar too, but the brand I Walmart offers is cheaper than the brand at Sam's Club.

I get my vanilla from Mexico. We have family there and they bring me several liters each time they come visit. I get a few liters every time I go there as well. A liter is about $6. This is the REAL stuff and the taste is unsurpassed.

Here's another link:

http://www.snopes.com/food/ingredient/vanilla.asp

http://www.sbcounty.gov/dehs/content/recalls/20081030_mexican_vanilla_with_courmarin_no_bargain.pdf

Yeah, you are using a vanilla with an ingredient that is banned in the US and used as rat poison!!! Please stop using it!

I am sorry, ladies, I didn't mean to decieve. I can get my vanilla in the US, for a higher price. My family gets it wholesale there. It is not made in Mexico. My point was that with the American economy as it is, sometimes it is financially wise to import. But as you guys say, make you to know about things that FDA have banned here that may be sold elsewhere.

I am an avid cruiser and learned of the coumarin addative several years ago. I try to warn fellow cruisers who love the strong flavor of the mexican made vanilla, but they swear by it. What are you going to do?

Wow- I started this topic in December- and never checked back!!
Fromscratch---thanks for the tips- I make everything from scratch too, and it definitely costs more, but I love the whole process and the taste... I will have to do some research!
cai0311 - I am going to get a Sam's membership for sure!

As far as vanilla - I am making my own -I got the idea on here actually -and I bought madascar vanilla beans off of amazon, split them into 3 batches, and bought 3 bottles of vodka... In June they will all be ready! I actually did a very rough estimate and figured I'd be saving about $500 dollars!!

I am not a real business yet, I just started making cakes about 5 months ago- and pretty much do them for the cost of ingredients--but even that can be expensive! I do have someone willing to rent me space in their kitchen if and when I do decide to take the plunge -but for now- I am still trying to gain experience!

Thanks ladies!

Oh- what about cake boards/boxes.... these are adding up, too. I buy the boards from a local cake decorating supply store for 4-8 dollars a piece! Is there a better place to get these?

Bumping for a response to the last question.

I am also giving this a bump for last question. Where do you buy your boards and boxes in bulk? Thanks

I get my cake drums and cardboard circles from a variety of places, but all of them require you to be a business. Decopac, Lucks and CK products.

Boxes from BRP. Google it, I can never remember the website.

This site sells cake supplies in bulk and does not require you to be a business:

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/4447/cake-circles-cake-pads-and-cake-boards.html

cakedeco.com is where I get my silver durms. I get boxes from a few places, I usually just google around to see who has the best prices in the sizes that I need at the time since they change a lot. I buy in bulk so I don't order those very often. I use tuffboards for the individual cake boards but they're going through some kind of a merger with another company and their shipping has been crappy for the last year.

You can set up wholesale accounts with CK products and most other online food sites if you use specialty ingredients. Williams Sonoma also has a chefs program where you can get a 20% dicsount from them. I'm going to set that up when I get my business license back for this year then go crazy on them!

I buy foam core from Michaels when it's half price (normally $3.99/sheet) & cut my cake boards from it with a drywall cutter. I order boxes (100/size). Works out to $0.65-$0. 80/each. Much cheaper than buying them individually from the cake store for 3x price!

brpboxshop.com

In the west there is a Standard Restaurant Supply company that I use. I just googled it.....

Www.bakeabox.com is where I get my boxes and cake circles. No EIN required.

My dollar store has the foam core board and I can get many boards cut from one piece!

I've been working for the past year in a coffee & bake shop and we get alot of packaging supplies such as cake boxes, boards, and even cello bags for our cookies from ULine.com. They are very cheap. Not sure if you need to be a business but I don't think so.

thanks for the input! I went with brpboxshop.com - b/c of the free shipping and the pink boxes , although I loved the prices with http://Www.bakeabox.com....

Debbye27: I have to tell you my experience with boxes. Shipping on them is REALLY expensive. I bought a case of 14x14x6 for 23.00. The shipping was almost 30.00 because it was heavy and bulky. Because my supplier charges real time shipping, I didn't realize the shipping cost until AFTER it was shipped! Yikes! The next time I got a quote. We were ordering $80 worth of boxes (about 6 different sizes) and it was going to be over 100 to ship them. Ouch! It was several hundred boxes, but still! We are trying out a new bulk supplier. We will see how that goes. So far so good but we took a day trip to check out their products and brought back a load. I will be doing a bulk order soon for our new website so I'll find out how good it is! Also, I have to say, I tested a box from BAKEABOX.COM. I used a 14" tiered cake box this weekend. I LOVE-LOVE that box! It was sturdy and easy to put together. I used it on a "family" cake to try it out. It was great! I can't get that through my other suppliers. Did I say that I LOVE that box??? Anyway, keep the small print in mind and always make sure that you keep shipping in mind or that "deal" may be more expensive in the end. Good luck to you!

thanks for the info- the one I ordered from said FREE shipping to the 48 states, brpboxshop.com. I had the order set with BAKEABOX.COM, I loved their prices and options----but then saw the 30 shipping fee!! So I went with brpboxshop.com.

I have looked at brpboxshop before. If you look at it with a "per piece" price in mind, you can see that you are actually paying for shipping in the higher price. I don't know how many you go through, but keep that in mind when you are pricing. I keep a notebook and compare prices constantly. I have to keep my packaging costs low because the market here is different. I also want to offer boxes to "locals" who can't afford to buy a case of 100 but want to make a good presentation. I know that if I shipped packaging to someone, the same thing would happen. The shipping would be too high to make it worth it for them. Right now, I am working with a place that has great prices but my minimum is $150 for each delivery. (About 1/2 the price of brp) I have to make each order count! I then in turn, pass that savings on to my customers. Too bad you are so far away, I would say drop by and I'd hook you up with boxes! Best wishes!