Hi would like to suppliment my pension by selling food at our local market on a saturday does anyone have good ideas that sell a lot I have no heating available at the stall it would have to be made at home and take there thanks
petal1955,
Nov 20, 12:18am
You have to have a registration of a approved kitchen with the council. so consider that.
uli,
Nov 20, 2:24am
The food recipes are your smallest concern at this stage.
Go to your local Council and check what you have to do to LEGALLY sell food at the market. Then approach the market 'bosses" and check with them what they have to tell you - for example how high has the table to be off the ground. Do you need a cover? How often do you have to prove that you used a "commercial kitchen" to produce what you are selling etc.
In most cities you have to have a commercial kitchen to be able to sell food to the public. This means floors 10cm up on the walls, so no corners with dirt, hot and cold water sinks (2) etc. You cannot use your household kitchen. Many people use existing commercial kitchens on weekends (Halls, old peoples homes etc). However you have to check all this out before venturing further I guess.
I am sure once you have figured it all out - there will be heaps of people on here that can give advice on what to cook, preserve etc.
kay141,
Nov 20, 2:48am
And check the price for a stall. Ours varies from $75 to $800 depending on the space taken. The market runs from 8am to 2pm and stall holders are there at 6am to set up.
We already have two regular cake stalls so it may pay to check how many others are selling the same thing. I tend to buy things from the same stalls each week and I know others have their favourites too so you may be trying to get buyers to change their habits.
anne1955,
Nov 20, 7:29am
Hi you can at least with the DCC register your home kitchen costs to have it assessed are 180.00 there are often places that allow you to rent their licenced kitchen One of our race courses does, and local council owned hall does get a hold of your local council and check what places have licenced kitchens even you local community house might have a list then. work on costings. I do it so a charity and that has slightly different rules but even with getting repaid ingredients my time etc is never covered. But I so enjoy it as I love cooking an I have quite a following now. But sadly you won't make a fortune but makes me get out a couple of times a month. And that I enjoy. All the very best.
awoftam,
Nov 20, 7:50am
So awesome to see people supporting other people in need on here.
actiongirl1,
Nov 20, 8:46am
Find a buy, sell exchange group on Facebook in your area and sell from there. They are doing that all over NZ, then go from there. Good luck
daarhn,
Nov 20, 9:01am
do I detect a little tongue in beef cheek?
slimgym,
Nov 20, 5:43pm
at the riccarton market in chch, lots of the food stalls are not covered, there used to be a man selling salads, nothing covered, I rang the council, no rules or regulations in yet, maybe coming?
willyow,
Nov 20, 9:24pm
Cooked food is not good if you don't end up selling it all - a wet rainy day and you ,may have to eat cake all week! ( I wouldn't mind but my waistline and wife would). Councils are only interested in people who are selling cooked food and high risk stuff like fresh meat and fish. Some people do hot dogs, bacon sandwiches crepes etc on the spot in tents to get around having to have a commercially registered kitchen. You will need to do a Food Safety Course - and get a food safety certificate - one day and costs a few dollars. You will need to talk to your local council food inspectors. Most are helpful and will guide you on how to achieve your goal. I have been doing market stalls for years and found the best trick is to avoid selling food that needs to be cooked - fresh produce is great - so look around for suppliers - everything from lettuce packs, avocados citrus and nuts. As soon as you go near meat and fish etc - you run into major issues with the health inspectors. The most expensive markets stall rates in Auckland are $50 - (French Market and Britomart -so ignore the $75-$800 stuff above. Some. like Orewa Farmers Mkt are $25 Hope that helps
kay141,
Nov 20, 10:47pm
The prices you quote are good but O/P isn't in Auckland. The prices per stall at the Riverbank market in Lower Hutt, and they must be OK. The market has been going for many years and has on average 20,000 people there each Saturday. It is not a Farmer's market as such, more along the lines of a growers etc. market. I can buy all my food except dairy products there.
It is not run by the council but is tendered out to the highest bidder.
aglarana,
Nov 20, 10:47pm
But the OP isn't from Auckland?
buzzy110,
Nov 20, 11:44pm
No? You feel that, despite all the huge expenses that property owners must contend with in Auckland, that market space should be cheaper there than anywhere else in NZ?
aglarana,
Nov 20, 11:46pm
Ummm, are you sure you're replying to MY post?
willyow,
Nov 20, 11:58pm
The person who started this discussion is in Hamilton. There are a few Farmers Markets n that area - but if they stick to the rule that they only sell locally produced produce they could be a challenge to get in to. My experience is that the one's that stick to that rule tend to have a very limited range of produce - especially mid-winter. People go to markets to shop - but also for an outing and bit of entertainment. If the range isn't that good - often they don't come back.
willyow,
Nov 21, 12:01am
I just had a look - The Hamilton and Cambridge Markets are selling produce not produced locally (salmon + avocados from BOP)) - so if you have the right stuff - you should be able to get in.
buzzy110,
Nov 21, 12:16am
If you can overcome all the obstacles that seem to be in the way, I'd suggest you come up to Auckland and check out the French Market in Auckland. There are stalls there where people sell cereal and milk which people eat there. I kid you not and they are hugely popular. But it is not just cereal out of a packet. It is muesli type cereal with flavours such as nuts, dried fruit, coconut etc and it is all presented in Agee jars. Sometimes it is toasted oats and others just ordinary.
The juice bar at the French Market has people queuing all day long (need a couple of juicers and masses of fruit). Three people are kept busy the entire time at $6 a not-so-large paper cup. I haven't seen a juice bar at any other market.
Then there doggy treats. Very, very popular.
uli,
Nov 21, 2:17am
Unfortunately not true for every region. This is why I said OP needs to go to HER local council and check it out.
I was one of the original market stall holders in the first "growers" market in NZ. Believe me even then in the late '90's there were plenty of rules. Table height from the floor, cover or not. Salad straight from the garden was ok to sell. Selling washed salad leaves needed to be in a registered commercial kitchen, the same for bunches of basil versus pesto etc etc.
We have almost everything here in our market - you could only shop there and live very well. We have cheese, milk, yoghurt, salami, all sorts of pork and beef products, fish and shell fish, kina, eggs, local olive oil, bread and cakes, preserves and lots of fresh fruit and veges and some plants and cut flowers. You find things like sugar cane, cherimoya, fresh figs and casimiroa, locally grown mushrooms and bananas, locally grown taro, KangKong, real yams and bitter melons.
daarhn,
Nov 21, 3:12am
Jars and bottles of pickled produce, relish, chutneys, jams, sauces, preserves sell extremely well.
Jars, bottles can be sourced for free. Keep the recipes simple and cook well. stick to a few tried and tested flavours. Try them on your friends families neighbours first. adjust as you go along to get your product 'perfect'
Source fruit and veggies from local markets towards end of day where you can buy in bulk at a reduced price. Bulk buy other ingredients. Keep a book of each product description so when someone asks whats in it you can refer to it. Prep and bottle cleanly. Make time to be cooking undisturbed.
Check on line others who have been successful in making preserves, jams, relishes etc.
Go funky, retro or traditional and make your own labels and covers. Be creative. Check pintrest for ideas. Brown or white string, recycled cardboard boxes cut down to size, paper hole punch, black caligraphy pen. Don't forget to add an email or number to txt. Repeat customers are valuable. Don't worry about samplers. But do suggest the customer flick you an email or come see you next week for their feedback. Keep a date on all your batches to track down incase something spoils.
Be realistic in your pricing and stall set up should reflect a little something different and a bit of your personality. Keep it bright attractive. Marketing your product will work by word of mouth. Always apologize and offer the customer a refund if they are not happy no questions asked. But do ask for their feedback, never argue, and do suggest they might like to take home a complimentary jar of something else.
Folk love this sort of market fare. Goodluck and check in with everyone how you're proceeding. And never give up finding ways to be creative!
mindi1,
Nov 21, 3:44am
What a nice post.
dalkemade,
Nov 22, 8:11pm
Wot Wot! Are you sure its 20,000 turn up, I know its very popular but that figure would be the size of the Horowhenua population
motorbo,
Nov 22, 8:23pm
just a wee note. you will need alot of energy, it can be tiring out in the weather all morning. onwards. and food that doesnt sell. what do you do with it . there are now alot of groups on facebook and people sell to order often. so that might be a go. otherwise as buzzy said get out and check out what others are doing and the ideas of cereal or juice is good, our market even has an organic pizza seller you can buy a whole pizza or a large slice, two other stalls that sell heaps one does yummy slices, like oaty caramel, brownie etc and another does well with cheesy scones/lemon curd tarts etc. and tastings - good way to sell product. oh one last thing - often you have to be clever in what you sell, e.g the cereal thing a new idea so people love it, i see old fashioned food stalls selling cakes and biscuits - very slow trade, beef it up with modern ideas and the stall sells well. another one i see that sells well, spray free veges. those stalls always sell out
buzzy110,
Nov 23, 1:57am
willyow gave a good run down on what market stalls cost in Auckland, one of the most expensive places to live and do business in NZ. He was probably attempting to point out that market space anywhere else in NZ would be more expensive. I am upset that you have expressed displeasure at my questions. Do questions upset you?
samanya,
Nov 23, 4:47am
Um . have I missed something? I was sure that willyow was pointing out that the MOST expensive stall rates in Auckland are $50 & I would have thought that it was logical that in other centres, market stalls would be cheaper? Cost of living in Auckland is hardly relevant, is it? You have given good advice to the OP, but how is it helpful to turn this thread into the usual decline, by targeting posters?
kay141,
Nov 23, 4:52am
I don't think you are the only one who missed it. I'm not sure what was meant by those posts, apart from the fact that some seem to have a chip on their shoulder about Auckland and always need to say something, even if it doesn't make sense. Or was it to have a go at a newbie?Baptism by fire?
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