Selling To A Business!

Business By katies135 Updated 16 Apr 2014 , 10:02pm by Natka81

katies135 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
katies135 Posted 16 Apr 2014 , 2:56pm
post #1 of 10

AI've been propositioned by a cafe to start making cupcakes for them to sell! They've said they don't want to pay more than 80p a cupcake and I've agreed to do it as a month trial. My business is part time as well as a full time job. I just don't know if it's worth my while. They've started only wanting 6 cupcakes every 3 days, 3 different flavours and they want them fresh, so it means making 3 mixes every other day. Also they want them delivered between 7 and 8 AM which means that I'm an hour and a quater early for work. I'm in 2 minds, in one sense it's amazing going to the cafe and seeing my cupcakes being sold *for £2.10* but on the other hand it's taking up 3 evenings of my week and 3 hours in the mornings all for £7 a week, I'm feeling the ends don't justify the means? I'd like people's opinions

9 replies
KatieKake Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
KatieKake Posted 16 Apr 2014 , 3:22pm
post #2 of 10

I don't know that seeing my cupcakes being sold for a lot more than I was being paid, getting to work over a hour early every day, having to make up 3 different flavors every other day, which probably leaves you with several left overs of each flavor, is worth the thrill of seeing my work for sale. Either they take all the cupcakes or I would forget about it.  Your time is worth much more than you are getting.  I would also raise my price.

katies135 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
katies135 Posted 16 Apr 2014 , 3:35pm
post #3 of 10

AYeah. See they said they weren't willing to pay over 80p a cupcake, and I thought well they need to make a profit too, but then to see they're making £1.30 on it and I'm making 40p just doesn't seem worth it. I guess I'm going to just contact them and say all the above and say I'm unable to continue

Crazy-Gray Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Crazy-Gray Posted 16 Apr 2014 , 3:35pm
post #4 of 10

ASo they make £1.30 for 1 minute's work taking your cakes out of the box you delivered them in whilst you make £7 a week for what 12 hours of your time and costs which are (?). No, not a good deal. I would withdraw, tell them your costs plus labour, allow them a 20% margin and if they won't take it cut your losses - you'll fast resent seeing your hard worg being cold for near 3 times what you sold it for.

Crazy-Gray Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Crazy-Gray Posted 16 Apr 2014 , 3:39pm
post #5 of 10

ACould you make your baking more efficient? Could you make up a mix that you can quickly scoop from, use cheaper ingredients, could you make your topping in bulk and freeze it in individual piping bags, could you freeze batter and bake fresh (I have frozen batter in cupcake cases in the tin and they work ok, you lose out a bit on rise and texture)...

natt12321 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
natt12321 Posted 16 Apr 2014 , 7:26pm
post #6 of 10

Can't you say that if they want such small quantities that you cannot guarantee fresh that day? That would be my answer, it takes no time at all to ice 18 cupcakes, but baking is a different deal. If they up their quantities they can have fresh every time then.

 

Personally I would have said find someone else, there are companies who are already making cupcakes and could just sell them to them without it making a difference, or if they want to be fussy about times they can bake them themselves.

costumeczar Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
costumeczar Posted 16 Apr 2014 , 8:11pm
post #7 of 10

oh hells to the no.

MimiFix Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
MimiFix Posted 16 Apr 2014 , 8:15pm
post #8 of 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by katies135 

they said they weren't willing to pay over 80p a cupcake 

 

I've seen members in pricing threads sell their cupcakes for way less. And that's their retail price. Sad.

Pastrybaglady Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Pastrybaglady Posted 16 Apr 2014 , 8:53pm
post #9 of 10

ASo in US dollars that's $1.18/cupcake. The only way this works out for you is if they supply your ingredients for you and you start freezing batters. Otherwise I don't see how you're making anything!

Natka81 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Natka81 Posted 16 Apr 2014 , 10:02pm
post #10 of 10

I would not do it for so little quantity.

   I am selling my cakes  to a store for resale. I sell 10-12 cakes a week. One day a week I bake all of them, then next day I fill,decorate and deliver them all at once.

I do all of this steps once a week.

But for so little quantity of cupcakes its not worth it.  You will spend more money on fuel driving around like that.

Can you find some other places to sell more cupcakes?

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%