If you are a baker and you’re good at what you do, chances are, you have been complimented on the taste and quality of your baked goods, with some people even suggesting that you open your own bakery. Having your own place where you can serve your baked goods and perhaps some beverages is often just a dream to most bakers – very few actually take the plunge and open their own business for various reasons, and it is because they either lack the time or the resources.
Thankfully, opening your own place isn’t the only way you can share your mouthwatering baked goodies to your community. You can be a supplier or consigner, as there is always an abundance of coffee shops and other dining establishments in places like Sterling Heights, New York or even Los Angeles that require a separate supplier for pastries and desserts. These places often specialize either in their main dishes or their beverages, and to maintain the quality of their menu, opt to purchase their cakes, muffins, and other baked goods from bakers.
Here are some tips if you want to start supplying your baked goods to cafes and restaurants:
- Your products should be at a wholesale quality.
Your product is something that you should be willing to pay for at a coffee shop or bakery. Make sure that they have a good shelf life and that they appeal to a variety of people.
- Find businesses that are a good match for the products you sell.
If you specialize in say, vegan cupcakes, it is good to find restaurants that have an organic, farm-to-table concept. If you are a pro at making cupcakes, cakes, and muffins, then a coffee shop is the right choice. It is always easier to close a deal with a business that sells products following a concept that is similar to yours.
Another factor you have to consider is your proximity to these businesses – it needs to be within reasonable driving distance so that you are able to deliver your baked goods fresh and at their best condition every time.
- Always provide samples.
Cold calling and emailing proposals with beautiful images attached are one thing, but if you really want to close that deal, it is essential that you provide samples of your baked goods. Bringing with you a well-curated sample package containing some of your best selling items to meetings with potential partners is effective in convincing them that you are the best supplier for the item/s they are looking for. Make sure to call or email ahead of time to establish interest, as it is always more appropriate than if you show up unannounced.
Bringing samples is always a smart way to create awareness of your products within the community, even if you are not able to establish a business relationship.
- Study your market.
One way to ensure that you close a deal with a cafe or restaurant is to give them what their clients want, so a little market study is necessary – for instance, pastries that sell well in a coffee shop in Sterling Heights might not do as well in a cafe in a neighboring town, or a particular area might be promoting a specific flavor or product so you might want to concentrate on that when you pitch to business owners.
