Selling homemade cakes etc at boot fairs

thecornflake

I've been thinking about boosting my boot fair items with some homemade cakes, for example shortbread, flapjacks, etc, possibly even finding some nice boxes for them.

I was wondering whether this is possible, or if it's not allowed because of hygiene etc and you would need some sort of certificate?

I presume WI sales and fetes don't have this, although I do know they have to make an ingredients list available, but maybe they're already covered by their public liability insurance or something.

badmumof1

you can try but from what i have seen through people we have met through doing bootsales ourselves its not worth it.
yes you do have to have a hygiene certificate and you also need your kitchens/ prep area checked.
hygiene certificates can be done online through courses from as little as 12 pounds for basic.
kitchen checks done by local council.
public liability insurance can be bought online and costs us just 50 pounds a year for our sweetstall

Pink_butterfly_3

I was at a car boot sale yesterday and loads of stalls had homemade cakes and the like for sale. I can't imagine for one second that any of them had any type of certificates or insurance, lol!

Still, they did seem to be selling well though - especially the little pretty fairy cake types.

missjennipenni

I knwo an old couple who sell cakes at the local car boot every week - they dont have a cert or checks! and their cakes sell out very fast!

thecornflake

So it sounds like officially you need the certificate(s) and a check on your work place but most people who just sell a few cakes at boot fairs don't bother.

I'll look into the official line because it would be handy if I started getting more requests, then I'd know i was fully covered.

ormus

sounds like a lot of work to make a few quid. a days baking? plus half a day selling.
how many would you have to sell to cover the costs even?
if you could get orders for ie wedding cakes etc, then it makes more sense.

justpaper

thecornflake - just go for it, you will easily make your money back, (if your a good baker )

But if you want to go the hygiene certificate way,... you can do it online, and even take the test online, it will set you back 20quid ish,.

tbear06

Similar sort of thing -- at DD's school there are no homemade cakes etc allowed for parties or to be taken for the class for birthdays etc. Seems crazy but that's the way things are going,lol!!!

snowmaid

tbear06 wrote: »

Similar sort of thing -- at DD's school there are no homemade cakes etc allowed for parties or to be taken for the class for birthdays etc. Seems crazy but that's the way things are going,lol!!!

This is so sad. Everyone is so scared of being sued. What happened to the lovely cake sales for raising funds etc. We always had them at school and my mom would be baking. Once again the insurance companies are covering their butts at the expense of fun. Would certainly be a lot healthier than the store bought trans fats loaded gunk.

jarrod1

you can buy a pretty big slab of caramels squares in tesco, cut it up into 16 and sell for good profit without having spend the time to make it.

thecornflake

I think shortbread for example would turn a good profit, considering there are only 4 ingredients, all very cheap.

It's mainly just a bit extra to put on my stall, but it sounds like I do need to sort out the certificate, so I would probably have to do a bit more as well to make it worth it.

Whilst Googling I did find out that harvest festivals aren't officially allowed anymore, even fruit and tinned food, and also people aren't allowed to take cakes etc into care homes.