help me make and sell smoothies locally

[Naer]

I repeat my question. Waste of time considering this if you don't have money.

Some money. I hope to make profit off the initial startup. Is a bank loan realistic to start me out?

 

[BeeBoop]

Banks will not loan you anything. If you're serious about this and have no money, buy a push cart and roll yourself on over to where all your customers are.

 

[Naer]

Banks will not loan you anything. If you're serious about this and have no money, buy a push cart and roll yourself on over to where all your customers are.

How much can this cost really? I have all the equipment. Legal issues shouldn't cost much. A ingrediant supplier shouldn't cost me much. And marketing cost shouldn't cost me that much. If I play my cards right how can I lose out?

 

[BeeBoop]

I don't know, how much is your lease and why would anyone go to you instead of Smoothie Sing? You don't have competition near by?

 

[Naer]

I don't know, how much is your lease and why would anyone go to you instead of Smoothie Sing? You don't have competition near by?

I'll make the best smoothies around at a competitive price with strong marketing in the form of a menu. This is not brain surgery

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

What experience (if any) have you got with dealing with customers, running a food company, and the concept of running a business ?

 

[BeeBoop]

Are you the same guy that wanted to open up a video game store? Something like that? lol

 

[Crono]

I'll make the best smoothies around at a competitive price with strong marketing in the form of a menu. This is not brain surgery

Are you actually in New York?

Good luck with that. Even if you wanted to just get a food truck, it can take years and tens of thousands of dollars.

 

[Naer]

Are you actually in New York?

Good luck with that. Even if you wanted to just get a food truck, it can take years and tens of thousands of dollars.

Why would it cost that much when I'm doing it in my kitchen, just me?

 

[Crono]

Why would it cost that much when I'm doing it in my kitchen, just me?

If by "locally" you mean "just in my building" maybe you could do it affordably, but you would still need permission from the owner of the building to do it at the very least even if it's person-to-person sales, maybe more from a legal perspective. If you want to go beyond that, you need a license or vendor permit to operate and sell food from any kind of cart or vehicle. I don't know what kind of volume you are expecting even if you are just selling it in your building, and it may not be profitable considering you have to keep a certain amount of fresh/frozen fruit on hand.

 

[Naer]

What experience (if any) have you got with dealing with customers, running a food company, and the concept of running a business ?

This isn't sorcery. They call me to place an order, I make it and bring it to them, they give me money. Am I missing something?

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

This isn't sorcery. They call me to place an order, I make it and bring it to them, they give me money. Am I missing something?

What about licenses, permissions, food hygiene regulations, taxes, etc etc.

Imagine you went to a city to visit, and felt a bit thirsty or hungry.
Would you walk into the nearest high street McDonald's/Subway/Wendy's, and buy something for $2.99 (or whatever the price) ?

Or would you go up to floor nine in a set of apartments, find room 397, ring the door bell, and enter a private individuals kitchen, to buy a drink from them, because it is $1.89 rather than $1.99, and because they say it tastes better ?

EDIT:
Sorry, I partly misunderstood, your reply.
There are usually many rules and regulations, preventing/limiting you from operating a food business, from where you live.
I think you would be much better off, getting a (possibly similar) job, somewhere.

 

[Red Squirrel]

There's probably health regulations like there's no tomorrow when it comes to something having to do with food. Unless you go all out and be a full blown ice cream/candy/restaurant etc doing strictly just smoothies is probably not worth all the red tape.

 

[Naer]

What about licenses, permissions, food hygiene regulations, taxes, etc etc.

Imagine you went to a city to visit, and felt a bit thirsty or hungry.
Would you walk into the nearest high street McDonald's/Subway/Wendy's, and buy something for $2.99 (or whatever the price) ?

Or would you go up to floor nine in a set of apartments, find room 397, ring the door bell, and enter a private individuals kitchen, to buy a drink from them, because it is $1.89 rather than $1.99, and because they say it tastes better ?

No one is coming to my kitchen. I plan on bringing it to them by enticing with a menu. The design is gonna cost me. Its just gonna be me at first until I accumilate enough capital to hire someone

 

[bbhaag]

I would start by getting a business license for your state. Followed by a State and Federal tax ID number. Those might be included when you file and then receive your business license.
Depending on how you intend to sell said smoothies(cart, actual store, banana stand)you will need to go to your local county court house and apply for the proper permits.

Get these things done and then come back here asking for more advice. FYI selling smoothies out of your apartment will not be approved by your state or county governments and will most likely get you in trouble with your landlord.

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

No one is coming to my kitchen. I plan on bringing it to them by enticing with a menu. The design is gonna cost me. Its just gonna be me at first until I accumilate enough capital to hire someone

I think a lot of the problems, stem from if you make the food yourself (Food preparation/hygiene regulations, etc).

What you might be able to do, is buy a pre-packaged food item(s).
E.g. Think of Soda-cans and Potato Snack bags/Popcorn etc.

Selling (pre-packed items), may be a more viable way of starting out, as regards the regulations (I DON'T KNOW specifically, so you would have to check with someone who does).

Also if someone gets ill (e.g. food poisoning), they will hold you (or your business) liable, and insurance companies would probably demand decent quality business premises and practices.

What if when you arrive at the customer, they start shouting at you, and demand all your money ?

 

[Crono]

No one is coming to my kitchen. I plan on bringing it to them by enticing with a menu. The design is gonna cost me. Its just gonna be me at first until I accumilate enough capital to hire someone

If you do somehow get this business off the ground, let me know. I can design a menu for you (not for free, though).

You are much better of creating an actual business with premises or getting a vendor permit and operate a cart, but that's not going to be immediate and it's going to take some capital. Save up from your day job until you get to that point.

 

[BeeBoop]

I can help with social media. Send me a PM for my going rate.

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/laws-starting-homemade-food-business-new-york-12922.html

Laws About Starting a Homemade Food Business in New York
by Ronald Kimmons, Demand Media
A homemade food business can be a lucrative enterprise. However, business owners must strictly follow the regulations implemented by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the laws imposed by various state governments. New York has stringent policies for homemade food businesses.

State Licensing Regulations
The state's Department of Agriculture & Markets declares in Section 251-z-3 of Circular 951, Article 20-C ("Licensing of Food Processing Establishments") that "no person shall maintain or operate a food processing establishment unless licensed biennially by the commissioner." Any applicant for a license to manage a food-processing establishment must present proof of competence, experience and good character. The aspirant also must convince the licensing agency that his home has sufficient equipment and facilities. Cleanliness is also a major factor that determines approval of the license. Applicants must pay a license fee of $400 upon approval of the application to operate the food-processing firm.

Process
The commissioner of the Department of Agriculture & Markets may decide to refuse to confer a new license or renew a permit. The commissioner may also opt to suspend or revoke a license that has been approved after proper notice and opportunity for an inquiry. The reasons for such a decision may include providing false or deceptive information, failure to obtain facilities that ensure sanitation, failure to maintain cleanliness, contaminated products, refusal to present records or documents required by the commissioner, and conviction of felony in any court of the United States.

Related Reading: How to Start My Own At-Home Bakery in New York State

Provision on Home Processors
According to Section 276.3 of the regulations of the New York Department of Agriculture & Markets, "home-processed food shall mean any food processed in a private home or residence using only the ordinary kitchen facilities of that home but shall exclude potentially hazardous food." Some entrepreneurs who sell home-processed foods may get an exemption from the licensing requirements listed in Article 20-C, but only if the "containers of finished products are clean, sanitary and properly labeled," the commodities are not in any way infected and glass containers for jams or similar items are fastened with strong metal caps. The exemption applies only to bakery commodities, fruit jams, spices or herbs, snack items and candy, excluding chocolate.

Importance of Food Labeling
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration makes sure that all kinds of food sold in the United States, including homemade foods, are safe, non-toxic, nutritious and correctly labeled. The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) requires that owners of homemade food businesses include a nutrition label on all foods they process for sale, and that such labels must bear nutrient content claims and certain health messages to comply with specific requirements.

References (3)
About the Author
Ronald Kimmons has been a professional writer and translator since 2006, with writings appearing in publications such as "Chinese Literature Today." He studied at Brigham Young University as an undergraduate, getting a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

Have you gone to your local planning department to find out what kind of permit you'll need? You'll need at least a business license, and some sort of home occupation permit to be allowed to run a business out of your home at minimum. If you're going to be leasing a spot for say a cart, you'll most likely need some sort of land use permit, probably ministerial, but you'll also need a food handling permit from either Public Health or Environmental Health (in my location, those types of permits are handled through Env. Health). The food permit will be your biggest challenge.

 

[OverVolt]

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

The following video may give you some insight into mobile food selling. Which I think is more practicable than your "make at home" idea.
But on the other hand, may give you a better understanding of the enormous undertaking this would be, and why it is NOT so easy/cheap to start doing it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny9fh4aLBbE

 

[BeeBoop]

Well, he wouldn't need a food truck though and they are expensive at around 40grand anyway. He'd need an ice cream push cart and a truck to move it around. Making smoothies in his kitchen and delivering it really isn't all that practical.

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

 

[BeeBoop]

That's actually a nice quality picture. Did you take that picture?

Edit
Push carts might seem demeaning because it's not a nice looking fancy retail location but they can actually bring in decent amount of money in the right location.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/05/n...a-two-dollar-hot-dog.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Call it the half-million-dollar hot dog cart. Mohammad Mastafa of Astoria, Queens, has to sell almost that much in drinks and snacks annually to break even on the pushcart he owns at Fifth Avenue and East 62nd Street near the Central Park Zoo. He pays the city’s parks department $289,500 a year just for the right to operate his single cart there.