Im experienced in Baking and Food Service for 35 years. learned from my Mother who is a Retired Chef( 50 years) I would like to promote her fantastic one of a kind cheesecake. She is in bed ridden in a Nursing Home now for 5 years. I would like to accomplish her Dream. And start out small. But I am not Business minded, just dessert creative. Would like to know where to start! Any advice out there? I feel God has been nudging and prompting me to step out in Faith for quite some time now. Would love to hear from people who have small food Businesses, Or have knowledge! God Bless and Thankyou! Artruc7

Cheesecake, yummm.....

Question?

Can someone find a target if they don't have
a target?

Are you going to sell fresh cheesecakes to the local bakery shop?

Are you going to sell cheesecakes nation wide to grocery stores?

Are you going to sell cheesecakes to restaurants?

Are you going to sell cheesecakes to catering services?

Are you going to sell a cheesecake recipe?

Where do you want to start?

Who is your target customer, what are their
needs, what are their expectations, how will
your product, and the customer find eachother?

P.S. don't forget to talk to the local government food health deparment.

Hi there,
I used to live in Germany and there was a little town about an hour or so away from us that had a very quaint little cafe that served only cheesecake and coffee. It was fabulous.

Do you have the start up capital for something like this?

I wish you all the luck and God Bless.

Sher
http://www.momandhermoney.com

I have seen dessert shops or cafes built around cheesecakes that are quite successful. But you do need to sit down and ask yourself who is your market and how you intend to produce the cheesecakes (i.e. think about health regulations and volume).
Have you considered approaching a partner you can trust who is business savvy, combining your knowledge (and capital) might be what you need to make this idea a success.

Hi Lisa, funny enough, my mother and i have wanted to start up,in the cheesecake business,as well. We are both Chritsian women and i think it is such a great thing you putting yourself out there like this. It has been more then a month now, since you posted this, have you had any responce? Where do you live?

I have some idea's but i'm not sure how far you have gotten with this. Please let me know.
I hope to hear from you.
Take care
God Bless.
Sheila Wicks.

in response to your email about your mom handing down her recipe for cheesecake i think it would be absolutely wonderful for you to go ahead and fulfill your and probably her dream as well.
I too am looking to start up a cheesecake business. I just made and sold a few from my home and were told they were absolutely delicious! God wants us to prosper and if this is the way than praise the Lord!!! I am gonna go for it and you by all means should do the same.

nlembrick in New Jersey
email back . God bless

Hi Linda,
I was where you are 13 years ago. Pay careful attention to the 2nd post in this thread. Put a lot of effort into your market research. And read 2 books.
1. The E Myth. Read that one twice, if it doesn't scare the heck out of you, read it again.
2. Any Guerilla Marketing book.Especially the one on homebased business.
There is so very much more to doing gourmet baking than a great recipe.
Christine@cakesbychristine.com

Hi...I have had a dream to open up my own cheesecake shop...would you mind sharing any ideas you have come up with to help me along...I honestly don't know where to start...I sold some of my pies to a restaurant a few years ago but that really didn't go anywhere...I would love to have a cheesecake/coffee cafe...but don't really have any money...any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated...I too get raves over my cheesecake and everyone says "sell" them...thank you for your response

Well, I do not know if any of this will help.

First you need to make the cheesecakes many many times and have people try them and see what they say. Try this on your friends, relatives, church members, any and everyone you know. Ask them to be very honest with you regarding the flavor, texture, crust, smell and last but the first most importantly item the look of your cheese cake. Once you have this and you have made the necessary changes to your cheese cake to make it marketable for people and not just yourself. Then you are ready for the next step which is setting the price for it. you need to break down that costs for each item so you can then decide if you want to do a mail order business or a cafe style business and sell by the whole cake or piece.

once this is completed then you need to figure out two items. how will it be packaged or presented to your customers. after all of this is done you now have to do your market survey or who do you want to sell it to. If it is an internet website that is easy (well kind of) not a lot of marketing is needed initially (until you have alot of people ordering and the necessary money to spend on marketing). If you want to do a local cafe then you need to do a demographics survery. us census bureau website is a good one for that. You can also use mapquest.com to get started by entering in your location you will have your cafe at. then find out the number of people in your community, average age, disposable income, etc. that is enough for now.

if you have more questions you can contact me at cardiee@silverstar.com : Arnold Jones

have fun and most of all enjoy what you are doing and things will work out in the long run. dont get too big too fast. do only what you can one day at a time.

Arnold Jones

Hello! The cheesecake idea'ers!! Any one from San Francisco, CA? I'm ready to open a tea shop and thought a cheesecake/teashop business may worth a discussion. So write me if you are from the San Francisco area. thanks!!

wendy

I would say that is a great business to be in. I know of a guy who started a business like that. I think it is all in your marketing of the Idea and distibution from what I can see. I will say it again MARKETING/SALES and DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS. Make sure you establish ways to promote your products. Also, do you might want to stay "high end" and offer several products...

Miller

That's just my opinion (from the bow of his yacht)

Your first decision would be whether you want an online or local business.

If local, I would simply do catering with a website like Christine does at cakesbychristine.com in the post above. Use word of mouth, local phone directory, post ads on bulletin boards, ask to post a card in wedding supply stores, florist shops, rental supplies or anywhere people putting on an event would go. You might even provide a free cheesecake to an event planner in your area in hopes they would like it enough to recommend you.

If you want to do business online only, you might think about selling the recipe like they do at:
http://GetYoursFree.com/barbeque

Just remember, experience is the very best teacher so do something to get some experience.

Let me add...put that free cheesecake in the hands (mouth) of EVERY event planner in your area. If you want to sell to restaurants...get involved with the chef's association. I got involved in the Wedding Association also the chef's association. Next I joined a women's networking group last month. I have already picked up 3 jobs from that. I advertise in bridal magazines, but the best is still plain old-fashion networking.
christine@cakesbychristine.com