Has anyone ever started their own

[Soggy Bottom Ranch]

I know this might be a stretch, but I'm looking for information from people who have maybe started their own food related small business. Started out with one really good product, marketed it, and then turned it into bigger and better. Is it possible, and would you be able to offer starting tips, places to research, really any type of helpful information you may be willing to share.

 

[Brandi*]

This is a very interesting question!!! My husband and I have started researching this too! Haven't learned to much yet but I will be watching to see what others know

 

[MBennettp]

I did it! I started a bakery in 1990 and ran it until 1999 when I closed both it and the restaurant that I had bought. It involves a lot of paperwork that has to be kept current as well as random visits from the health department. I don't know what the rules are where you live but if it is food related, you have to have a license issued by the health department and in most states, you have to use NSF rated equipment for anything remotely related to the food.

I am out of town on a job right now but will be home Friday and can answer any more questions that you need answers to. I also have some equipment if you decide you want to do this.

I'll be glad to help any way I can.

Mary

 

[sfmini]

Not me, but we have a great guy in the Columbus area. He is a certified executive chef and he sends a daily email of about 10 items, 5 of them salads, the others are a rotating menu of really good food. I just email my order and he delivers to my building at noon for only $5.00! Large portions of food, for example a 1/2 roasted chicken, a vegtable, and roll. One great item I love is a Hillbilly steak sandwich which is a thick piece of fried trail bologna on a roll with cheese and onion. You get two of those plus chips. Today I am getting a chicken breast stuffed with spinach, fresh veggies and cheese.

He serves two buildings here plus a few in downtown Columbus.

Below is today's menu:

Tuesday January 8, 2007

Featuring Chef Benny’s creations of

1. Mixed Greens Salad with Herb Grilled Chicken

2. Tropical Fruit Salad Platter

3. Benny’s Original Cobb Salad (Mixed Greens, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Bell Peppers, Red Onions, Black Olives, Chopped Bacon, Crumbled Bleu Cheese, Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Chopped Hard Boiled Egg, Diced Herb Grilled Chicken, and Chopped Cucumber with Choice of Dressing)

4. Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken, Fresh Croutons, Crisp Romaine Lettuce, Parmesan Cheese, and Caesar Dressing

5. Waldorf Salad with Grilled Chicken (Walnuts, Raisins, Sliced Apple), Tossed in a Honey Sour Cream Dressing served over Mixed Greens

6. Southwest Whole Wheat Tortilla Wrap Stuffed with Marinated Chicken, Vegetables , and Southwest Ranch Dressing

7. Deluxe Turkey, Ham, and Bacon Club on a Croissant with a Fruit Cup and a Bag of Potato Chips (Mayonnaise on the side)

8. Caribbean Red Snapper served with Black Beans, Rice, and a Dinner Roll

9. Marinated ½ Rotisserie Chicken served with Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Potatoes, Green Beans and a Dinner Roll

10. Baked Stuffed Chicken Breast Stuffed with Spinach, Fresh Vegetables, and Cheese

 

[Brandi*]

Say you aren't looking to open a restaurant but you would like to start your own line of a certain type of food or a recipe and market it in the grocery stores. Does anyone have experience with that?

 

[Soggy Bottom Ranch]

That's exactly it Brandi! We have a product that we have been making for about 4 years now. We started out giving it as gifts to the family at christmas (when we had time, hubby loved to can, make jams, and some other things, to give as little extra gift baskets), and it has escalated to friends and neighbors, and now people telling us we need to market this item. They beg us for the recipe, but we won't ever give it out. We've had people ask us to make some so they can buy it from us. We've given out samples to people we know, and the feedback is always very positive. I used this item for my christmas dinner, and the family just couldn't say enough good things about it...........even my picky step-dad!

People have been telling us for years to get going with this product, and I would love to get my husband into doing this. He has a restaurant background, and I'm not sure he'd like to go into the restaurant business again, but I do know he would love to start with this item, and see where it could lead us. That's why I'm looking for information on where to start. We would probably have to consider looking into renting a commercial kitchen I know, but I want to first look into investment costs to get started, rules, regulations, and everything involved so we could be prepared. So if anyone has information on the best sources to start with, I'd greatly appreciate it!

sfmini, that's kind of a neat business that man has going! Isn't that how Paula Deen started?