Want To Start My Own Small Cupcake Business But Need Advice

lara26

Hi,

I hope i have wrote this in the right place!

I have recently discovered my passion for making cupcakes, i decided that i would like to set up a business (very small) to work alongside my part time job.

I have read online and i understand that i have to get my kitchen checked by an enviromental health officer. I am worried because i have a very small kitchen, & you walk straight into the kitchen as you enter our house, i have 1 sink and have a dishwasher. Do you think this will be a definate no no?
I have heard that they ask that you have 2 sinks, i could put a small basin in my kitchen but i cant have a full size sink.

If my business was to do well we would possibly move to a bigger house with a bigger kitchen but at the moment its just a small thing i have been doing for family, friends & friends of friends.

I have got myself a food hygiene certificate.

i just dont want the embarassment of them coming round and picking at loads of different things. My kitchen is clean im a clean freak lol.

any advice would be much appreciated.

Lara x

nickj_2

http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/publication/startingup0310a.pdf

there's plenty of info here , and plenty of hoops you have to jump though
if you get in touch with your local council they should be able to give you advice as to what you need

pitkin2020

As above, but I would seriously check out your competition as everyone and their dog is starting a "cupcake business" and for most its a one trick pony business which once the fad is over so will the business.

blossomhill_2

pitkin2020 wrote: »

As above, but I would seriously check out your competition as everyone and their dog is starting a "cupcake business"

Good luck with your venture but I'd second the advice above; I recently went to 2 craft fairs that should have been renamed "cupcake fairs" and no-one seemed to be selling any, altho they looked great at £1 a cake.

If I were looking at this market I'd be looking to supply cake making equipment for all the folk doing the baking, as there are so many of them

lara26

Nick j thanks for the link was really useful.

I have checked out the competition in my area and there isn't many cupcake businesses at all. I'm not stupid I wouldnt be thinking about doing it if I thought it wouldnt make me any money. But thanks anyway.

paulwf

Lara - this exact question has popped up dozens of times on here and somewhere on this forum there is a massive thread about it. Check the "up your income" board as it might be on there.

My take on cupcake businesses is that some are doing well...but only because they are of a very high standard. Sadly a lot of home bakers are setting up businesses with cakes that simply aren't up to scratch.

nickj_2

lara26 wrote: »

Nick j thanks for the link was really useful.

I have checked out the competition in my area and there isn't many cupcake businesses at all. I'm not stupid I wouldnt be thinking about doing it if I thought it wouldnt make me any money. But thanks anyway.

i would keep doing stuff for friends reli's etc etc and build up from there ,
nothing works better than weord of mouth , also networking is very good at providing potential customers , i got involved with my kids school and village groups and this now provides me with more than enough customers

lincroft1710

lara26 wrote: »

I'm not stupid

None of the posts has remotely suggested that you are, all that has been suggested is that this seems to be a very competitive and possibly oversubscribed business.

Where supply exceeds demand a price war could break out, the fittest could survive, the tastiest could survive, the cheapest could survive, or everyone survives but each has a very small share of the market.

raineshoe

I used to do cake decoration and found environmental health very helpful, especially if you approach them. Telephone them and ask them to come and see your premises. They will advise if you need to do anything. Better to get them on side in the first place. Our council was very helpful.

pineapple

I do hate this 'cupcake' americanism. It seems to have crept in these last few years. I'm guessing 'queen cake' and 'fairy cake' are no longer pc!

steve1980

You will also need product indemnity insurance and if any customers come to your house then public liability insurance aswell.