Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Cake Decorating Business › Gumpaste Flower Business
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Gumpaste Flower Business

post #1 of 25
2/21/12 at 8:18pm
Thread Starter 
I recently found out my husband and I are pregnant (very exciting) icon_biggrin.gif But it's made me put my plans to open my own cake business on the back burner for a few years. In the mean time I've been trying to think of ways to make money at home that might still benefit my business later on. Have any of you thought about or are selling gumpaste/royal icing flowers to local business or even shipping them out? My thinking is I can get a ton of practice making flowers while still being able to stay at home and even making a little bit of money. I have yet to talk to the health department to see what they think since they are an edible item, i'm not positive they can be produced in a home. I just was wondering what your opinions are on this type of business. TIA!
Imagination is the minds paintbrush
Reply
Imagination is the minds paintbrush
Reply
post #2 of 25
2/21/12 at 8:31pm
As someone who has purchased gum paste flowers for the bakery I worked for I say go for it! It's tough to find really good flowers out there. You could open an etsy account...it's free I think and you could make to order and not have to build up a huge inventory.

And I don't think that gum paste would qualify the same as say bakery or other food items. You're not buying them to eat...you're buying them to use as decor...it's just a plus that you can eat them and they won't kill you!
(although have you tasted gum paste flowers before? Yik. Necco wafers taste better).
Good luck and post when you're ready to sell!
A closed mouth gathers no feet.
Reply
A closed mouth gathers no feet.
Reply
post #3 of 25
2/21/12 at 8:40pm
I've definitely seen people on etsy sell gumpaste flowers and cake toppers! It would be great practice. Congratulations, btw!!!!!! thumbs_up.gif
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 25
2/21/12 at 8:41pm
Congratulations!

If I had the skill, I'd be selling flowers on etsy! Easy way to make money.

It's a craft decoration, not a food item so you shouldn't have any HD issues, although call them to make sure in your area.

Good luck!
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 25
2/22/12 at 8:01am
And, if I may suggest, spend time in creating the flowers that a busy cake shop doesn't want to spend the time to do! Especially the filler flowers like hydrangea's. They are the most time consuming and I would buy those in a heartbeat. I had someone locally come to me and offer me full blown gumpaste roses and peonies. Sorry, but those I can make all the petals for a peony myself in about 10 minutes flat. Bring me bunches of hydrangeas, and you got my attention.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 25
2/22/12 at 10:55am
Thread Starter 
Thank You for all of your suggestions and encouragemet! I need some practice before I could even attempt to sell any of my work but it's nice to have something to strive for!
Imagination is the minds paintbrush
Reply
Imagination is the minds paintbrush
Reply
post #7 of 25
2/22/12 at 11:52pm
If you want to bypass FDA and HD, just list them as non-edible.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 25
2/23/12 at 3:26pm
I sell gumpaste on etsy and it's not that easy. The shipping costs kill you because of the packaging they need, and there's a high rate of breakage. It can be done but you need to do a lot of research about the packaging and shipping part of it. The things that are the best to sell are the least breakable ones, so more solid pieces, things with fewer petals etc.

I much prefer selling the tutorials and molds that I have listed. They don't break icon_wink.gif
http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
Reply
http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
Reply
post #9 of 25
2/23/12 at 4:00pm
Make them out of pastialage. They won,t break as easy. It is easy to work with also, once you get use to it.hth
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 25
2/23/12 at 5:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by icer101

Make them out of pastialage. They won,t break as easy. It is easy to work with also, once you get use to it.hth



Really? I always thought that pastillage was more brittle than gumpaste. Do you have a recipe that you use to make it? I'm curious now.

I find that different gumpaste formulas ship better than others, so the recipe does make a difference.
http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
Reply
http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
Reply
post #11 of 25
2/23/12 at 10:27pm
Costume, would you pm me your vendor name on etsy? I have looked on there before for flowers.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 25
2/23/12 at 10:31pm
I'd like to know about pastilage as well!
A closed mouth gathers no feet.
Reply
A closed mouth gathers no feet.
Reply
post #13 of 25
2/24/12 at 3:56am
I'm on etsy as acaketoremember. I've moved into listing more non--breakables after dealing with boxes of gumpaste being used for kicking practice by the post office. Then I tried sending something UPS and the box fell open and everything fell out, so they delivered an empty box. So one isn't better than the other!
http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
Reply
http://www.acaketorememberva.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/acaketoremember
http://www.youtube.com/karabuntin
Reply
post #14 of 25
2/24/12 at 9:53am
When I've ordered flowers they were always sent Fed Ex and they were packaged extremely well. We always bought extra to account for breakage but never really had a major problem. All costs were passed on to the total cost of the wedding cake so we never lost anything.
A closed mouth gathers no feet.
Reply
A closed mouth gathers no feet.
Reply
post #15 of 25
2/28/12 at 7:31pm
Thread Starter 
Is it better to buy the gumpaste or make it yourself? I've made it before and it turned out ok but i'd much rather buy it. Thanks for all the info, I've been worried about the shipping and thinking maybe I could keep it more local so I can deliever it myself. I need so much practice first though. I was looking at some of the flowers on etsy and there's no way I can compete with them! But practice makes perfect icon_biggrin.gif Some day i'll get there.
Imagination is the minds paintbrush
Reply
Imagination is the minds paintbrush
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Cake Decorating Business
Cake Central › Cake Forums › Cake Talk › Cake Decorating Business › Gumpaste Flower Business