Where and how to sell home-made biscuits?

Agga

Hello,
I run a home based business for over two years. I bake home-made biscuits (old fashioned and fancy shortbread, gingerbread and sugar cookies in different flavours eg orange cardamom, coffee walnut, almond, earl grey etc.). The problem is I sell my stuff to only one (small) independent shop (the one for the rich & posh:-). My nett profit is £15-£20 a week.( I get £2.50 for a 125g packet of biscuits, which is great).

Now..because in my area are not many independent shops, I was thinking about selling my biscuits to local cafes. I would like to make a single wrapped biscuits in different flavours plus some gluten/diary-free and sell them for £1 (for a 50-60g biscuit).
Now my questions:
- is the price £1each not to expensive? They will need to sell it for £1.50 to the customers or so
- how to sell my stuff to cafes? I am living in the UK for a few years only, and the thing is I have no idea how such things work:) Should I go to any cafe and ask if I can sell them there? Who shell I speak to? Do I need to make an appointment? Or maybe better should I first send an email or letter?
And one more thing... I would like to offer my biscuits on that basis that the owner/manager pay me only for the biscuits he sells e.g. I leave in a cafe some biscuits, come next week and get money only for those he has already sold. How do you call that "basis". Sorry, but I cannot find the answer in google:-)
Where else can I sell my biscuits? Please let me know if you have any idea:-)
Thank you for all your help!

fewgroats

I don't believe you need to make an appointment, just talk to them. Do you want the biscuits they fail to sell returned? Will they be sellable at that point?

Agga

Well, yes I would like them to know that I will take all the biscuits back if they don't sell them. No matter if they just don't want them anymore or if the sell by date is over.
Just to make the business owner sure that there is no risk at there site. All my biscuits are totally re-sellable ( with labels and bar codes) and my business is registered and insured.

angelpye

I think that's 'sale or return'? Could be wrong. I guess it's best to match your product with the cafes that would suit both in price range and menu. Also if they offer special dietary requirements etc. If I was a cafe owner I might want to try them so worth taking a load with you to offer them to try and obviously your business card. Go at a quiet time of day face to face and show how passionate you are about them and if it is/gets busy leave some samples, price list (wholesale price and RRP) and contact details. I am a total novice but to me thats the most sensible way - I imagine independent cafe owners like things straight forward and to the point?

Ilona

annajaden wrote: »

if you like to sell online. social media is one of the best options(Facebook).

Do people really buy biscuits online? It's going to be a box of crumbs by the time it gets to the customer. Easy to buy biscuits in a shop or cafe.
Ilona

asajj

I'd start 1-2 independent cafes where you live, just have a casual chat to see what they think. Then if they are interested in, agree for a short meeting where you can explain them how it would work. Maybe prepare a short summary (paper, powerpoint etc) to set conditions.
I'd think there would be health and safety requirements to meet?

Social media could be an option but you need to consider proper packaging + postage cost. If it is posh-type food, you can get some audience probably. People could buy it as a gift etc.