Help! How do I post cupcakes??

[glaheftezu]

Hi,

I run a small cupcake business and things are progressing well but I'm getting enquiries from people further afield than I can reasonably deliver to by hand. I'm looking into postal services but am really struggling with suitable packaging. I've tried sending cakes to myself in my usual boxes and predictably they arrive in a mess. I've also tried ordering other companies cupcakes but theirs arrived in the same state, and tasted horrible I might add.

There are a couple of other companies who also deliver that I haven't tried yet as they charge so much for their cakes and delivery I'm trying to avoid it to keep my costs down.

Can anyone out there help me, give advice, know a solution?? I'd also like views on courier services if anyone has any?

Thanks

 

[S-Marketing]

Send me loads of cakes in loads of different boxes and ill tell you which one works the best

 

[chrissieb]

Quite an interesting dilemma you have there, and I'd guess no very quick solution.
The pack will obviously need to ensure that the topping on the cup cake doesn't contact the inside of the lid.
How about some kind of inverted cardboard U with a cup cake sized hole, slide the cup cake into the hole and then secured with a cocktail stick through the cupcake? Customer simply removes the cocktail stick to allow them to take out the cake.
The sides of the U shape would need to be high enough to stop the cake riding upwards in the box.
Regs

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

http://www.boxby.co.uk/sending-cupcakes-by-post.asp

This is entirely possible. The simple rule is pack your cakes so that they can withstand a drop from waist-height to the ground.

Be realisitic about postal/courier networks. They are AUTOMATED sorting hubs. No-one to read "fragile" or "this way up", and the next thing on the conveyor belt could be a boxed set of alloy wheels.

Think Heathrow Baggage Handling System.

And remember - the cheaper the service, the more drops per day - which means further to drive, more in the van, and more chances of the driver just running out of time and the delivery getting delayed to the next (working) day. Most parcel carriers are doing upwards of 80 drops per driver per day.

The key is in the packaging.

 

[glaheftezu]

Thanks Chris, I should maybe mention I need to be able to send 6 or 12 at a time.
The boxes I have now have indents in them to hold the cupcake securely in 4 directions, but unfortunately not up and down. I have tried using sticky pads to hold the cake in place but they weren't strong enough. I have had a suggestion of superglue but I'm concerned about safety of this so close to the cake and obviously dont want the paper case tearing as the customer takes the cake out.

 

[papverpoppies]

Hi,

I run a small cupcake business and things are progressing well but I'm getting enquiries from people further afield than I can reasonably deliver to by hand. I'm looking into postal services but am really struggling with suitable packaging. I've tried sending cakes to myself in my usual boxes and predictably they arrive in a mess. I've also tried ordering other companies cupcakes but theirs arrived in the same state, and tasted horrible I might add.

There are a couple of other companies who also deliver that I haven't tried yet as they charge so much for their cakes and delivery I'm trying to avoid it to keep my costs down.

Can anyone out there help me, give advice, know a solution?? I'd also like views on courier services if anyone has any?

Thanks

Read this.


Poppy xx

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

The cakes need to be virtually the same height at the box.
The box WILL get upturned during any postal/parcel service - the only way to avoid it is dedicated courier, and that's not a viable proposition for cupcakes.

 

[chrissieb]

Assume that you've used the normal methods of research, ie have a look at how the majors do it?
Hwo do the supermarkets get their cupcakes distributed and onto the shelves, I can't imagine that supermarket hauliers would be any more gentle with goods than postal service providers.
Regs

 

[papverpoppies]

Assume that you've used the normal methods of research, ie have a look at how the majors do it?
Hwo do the supermarkets get their cupcakes distributed and onto the shelves, I can't imagine that supermarket hauliers would be any more gentle with goods than postal service providers.
Regs

I googled it, hence the link I posted.

Some people have made their own design containers, cardboard collar was one, the height of the cake and then the cake is packed so it can not move or turn upside down.

But, google and see and read how others do it.
Supermarket hauliers load on and load off, they are not tossed about in transit.
If this was the case the supermarkets would ax them, plus are they not their own carriers.

Poppy xx

 

[Richie N]

Our cupcake suppliers deliver themselves. I would probably suggest the same, best to deliver local rather than national as they are very delicate, with the icing etc.

 

[sysops]

The cakes need to be virtually the same height at the box.
The box WILL get upturned during any postal/parcel service - the only way to avoid it is dedicated courier, and that's not a viable proposition for cupcakes.

After our last debate on this subject, I did some extensive experiments. I went out, bought a box of fresh cupcakes, and had a go at packaging them. I figured "Sandra must be right about this, I must be missing something, I'm going to make millions selling cupcakes online, mwahahaha".

I'm pretty good when it comes to packaging, or at least I like to think I am. I could not find a way to package iced cupcakes sufficiently well to withstand a Royal Mail Standard Kicking.

The closest I came was using a thin ring of card positioned around the top of the cupcake, resting on the icing, holding the cupcake away from the roof of the box. That produced the best results, but not really good enough.

 

[glaheftezu]

Thanks guys, I do deliver myself at the moment and yes the cakes are delicate hence my problem. Thanks for the links supplied, all very helpful.

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

The best way i've seen is a box that is bespoke, for a bakery that does post hundreds a day. Hence the investment, and the volume needed to make the investment profitable.

The internal box was approx 1/8 thick solid cardboard, then lined with paper on inside, and foil on the outside. It had a magnetic flap over strip sealer and a ribbon, that made it look nice and pretty, whilst ensuring that it couldn't open in transit.

The cakes were produced to a consistent height, approx 1 or 2 mm less than the height of the box. And between the box and the cakes was a thin sheet of clear plastic and a piece of tissue paper. Each cake was a standard size, and dividers were inserted between each cake.

The overall impact is that the cakes could move a maximum of only 1 or 2 mm whilst packaged.

That box was then put inside a double skinned postal box, which was only marginally bigger than the cake presentation box, and air pockets were used to pad between the presentation and the postal box. The postal box therefore took the brunt of any fall, and the presentation box couldn't move within the postal box.

If they can't move - then the chances of breakage are reduced to an absolute minimum.

The cost of this is around £3-5 per box of cakes (packaging) and £5-7 postage/courier. So, you either need outstandingly good cakes that can command that price. Or you need a lot of volume. But it is still (as far as I am aware) the cheapest price that will let you get a nationwide business model.

But, it can work. And the secret is packaging.

 

[filtuh.com]

I would suggest rigid plastic containers, made from degradable plastic, with breathing holes and low gap tolerance.

Or can you use existing distribution networks such as boxed veg schemes like riverford?

 

[SFD]

Why not buy a selection of cupcakes online and see how they get delivered.

I may even do this, just to help like.

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

And to anyone that says you can't post cupcakes - well I used to send things like this by Parcelforce!! Anything is possible with the right packaging. Question is only is it cost efficient?

 

[glaheftezu]

So, you either need outstandingly good cakes that can command that price.

Well mine are delicious!!!

 

[glaheftezu]

Why not buy a selection of cupcakes online and see how they get delivered.

I may even do this, just to help like.

Please do, I have done this and so far haven't found anyone successful, I'm trying to avoid ordering from the one place who seem to be able to do it well due to the cost of their cakes...but its looking like I may just have to swallow the cost...scuse the pun!

 

[MrsPWN]

I rec'd 12 cupcakes from this company http://www.magicalcupcakes.co.uk/index.html

They came from London to N Wales in pristine conditions, why not order some and see what you get?

 

[papverpoppies]

I rec'd 12 cupcakes from this company http://www.magicalcupcakes.co.uk/index.html

They came from London to N Wales in pristine conditions, why not order some and see what you get?

There are some very talented people around, those cakes are decorated beautifully. I love the little pixie type house.

Poppy xx

 

[MrsPWN]

She is verytalented isn't she and kindly let me use her fairy on my tshirts

 

[papverpoppies]

She is verytalented isn't she and kindly let me use her fairy on my tshirts

Beautiful.......the little girls must love that design, I would if it came it larger sizes.

I have some real fairies in my woodland, and they make crab apple jelly, and then leave it in a bucket under a tree.

My little neighbour has seen them legging it across my field with their arms full of jam jars to put the jelly in.

Lovely aint it?

Sweet or what?

Apparently he told his teacher that I have some 'fairies in my woodland', and they come out to play at night

Poppy xx

Poppy xx

 

[Jeff FV]

You'd also want to use some of our cupcake decorative tape for your packaging

 

[Ernest Andy]

A bit of lateral thinking here. As well as perfecting the pakaging, is there any way you can change the ingredients or manufacture process to make your cup cakes stronger for transit without too much negative impact on their taste and texture?

 

[vvaannmmaann]

Have you seen these people?
http://www.littlecupcakeboxes.co.uk/mailing_boxes.htm

Googling "Cupcakes by post" gave me 168,000 results.How do you plan on standing out from the crowd?

 

[vvaannmmaann]

She is verytalented isn't she and kindly let me use her fairy on my tshirts

You need to change your printer.His spelling is dreadful.

 

[MrsPWN]

LMAO

He keeps insisting he's right but I am not so sure :redface:

 

[chief07]

Have you tried London Bio Packaging?

 

[LetsMakeCupcakes]

I realise this is a very old post so may not still be an issue.

I've started a business teaching cupcake classes but not selling cakes - if I were, and had to send them, I would do the following:

1) Only send flat-topped cupcakes, whether poured fondant, sugarpaste or buttercream.

2) Used a flat box with recesses, and put each cake into a cupcake pod (e.g. the ones on the Card Cuts websites).

3) Speak to local courier companies and see if they're able to help you out - you never know.

Good luck