Entrepreneur Offers Gourmet Food Products Tips for Cooking Up Profits From Your Kitchen
Specialty and gourmet food products are a $40 billion industry
Source: Shannon Cherry
Nov 20, 2006
(PRLog.Org) – Specialty and gourmet food products are a $40 billion industry annually, and one that remains attractive to entrepreneurs both large and small. But according to one food entrepreneur, there’s more needed than a great recipe to create a great business.
“Knowing how to cook and knowing how to start a business are two different things,” says Geetha Jayaraman, president and founder of GrabEm Snacks . “There are certain key ingredients that every person wanting to launch a specialty food product as a business needs to know.”
The idea of turning recipes into a source of income appeals to many people Jayaraman, like many food entrepreneurs, started her company out of her home’s kitchen. “If you make something unusual, original, or not available in your area, you already have a head start – no competition,” Jayaraman says.
She offers the following tips for budding kitchen entrepreneurs:
1. Test your product. “Make samples and start with your family, friends, and neighbors,” advises Jayaraman. “If they give you the go-ahead, take your samples to restaurant and shop owners. You may just rack up some orders.”
2. Know the government regulations for food producing. “It may seem simple to whip up a batch of your best secret recipe and make a profit, but when it comes to selling food, you will need a health license or even health inspections,” she says. Your local county government can tell you which permits and licenses you need to be legal.
3. Consider what supplies you need to make in bulk. “Your home kitchen may do just fine cooking for your family and the occasional get-together, but you may need professional equipment to sustain a business,” Jayaraman explains.
About Grab Em Snacks
GrabEm Snacks began simply enough: a woman who yearned for a snack from her childhood days. Geetha Jayaraman grew up in India and Malaysia where plantain chips were as considered the potato chips of the US. Her chips became not just a favorite at home but at her friends' homes as well. And as the demand increased, Geetha decided to make her chips available to everyone.
In 2006, Jayaraman began commercial production. Today, she still lovingly makes her plantain chips in small batches to ensure the best quality. Available in specialty shops and stores across the US as well as online , the gourmet snack food comes in a variety of flavors: Sea Salt, Red Chili, Black Pepper Spice, Chili Garlic, Jalapeno and Cajun Seasoning.
|
