How to get my idea running

[Sarnie]

Hello everyone,
I have managed to save a small amount of money and I have decided to
start up a sandwich/deli business,I have a good knowledge of the catering
business although I left the industry 4 years ago.
As well as delivering to offices/factorys I am also wanting to outside cater for events and weddings etc.
I also want to try and get my sandwiches/merchandise sold elsewhere such as shops,I have a good quality product that is profesionally packaged.I have actually approached to builders merchants who have
aggreed that if I provide a chilled cabinet and keep the frides stocked they will allow me to sell my products in there stores but I am not sure if there are any laws preventing me from doing this and they didnt know either,So that is what I am trying to find out,Can anyone help me please ?

 

[tony84]

I wouldnt imagine there are any laws so long as the fridges are kept maintained and certified safe should be fine.

The problem you have is who deals with theft?

Also feel free to submit your site to www.catering4functions.co.uk its totally free

 

[obscure]

Call your local council. They will be able to advise you on any regulations in regard to food retailing in your area.

 

[newbeats4u]

I would just be mindful of out of date stock, you could be landed with a heavy fine

 

[vvaannmmaann]

Try the search function on this site.Butties have been talked about quite a lot.It may help you.
Sandwiches in a builder's merchant.Really?
I'm sure most of them are honest,but why give yourself more headaches?
Good luck.

 

[Emcar Vending]

You could minimise theft by selling from vending machines.

 

[Jon236]

As I mentioned in the other thread:

I would maybe consider flipping this idea on it's head slightly. Rather than asking builder's suppliers etc to sell your products for you, with the emphasis being on you to do all the donkey work, how about supplying established food retail outlets such as corner shops, newsagents, garages, convenience stores etc to buy your product from you as stock and then they are responsible for stock rotation, point of sale health and safety regulations etc as they are the stockist. You could supply branded refrigeration units to places that require them, but you may be able to place your product within an existing refrigerated unit in these shops.

I love independently made sandwiches in shops, as ginsters etc are usually dry and uninteresting, whereas freshly made independent sandwiches are often of a higher quality.

 

[Sarnie]

As I mentioned in the other thread:

I would maybe consider flipping this idea on it's head slightly. Rather than asking builder's suppliers etc to sell your products for you, with the emphasis being on you to do all the donkey work, how about supplying established food retail outlets such as corner shops, newsagents, garages, convenience stores

I am also thinking of doing this,Im not 100% sure how it will work,do i sell the sandwiches to them or do i work on a sale or return basis and bill them at the end of the month for whats sold,this would mean it is at no risk to them but i wanted to avoid being owed money all the time

 

[Jon236]

As I mentioned in the other thread:

I would maybe consider flipping this idea on it's head slightly. Rather than asking builder's suppliers etc to sell your products for you, with the emphasis being on you to do all the donkey work, how about supplying established food retail outlets such as corner shops, newsagents, garages, convenience stores

I am also thinking of doing this,Im not 100% sure how it will work,do i sell the sandwiches to them or do i work on a sale or return basis and bill them at the end of the month for whats sold,this would mean it is at no risk to them but i wanted to avoid being owed money all the time

Personally I'd sell them to them per unit depending on the quantities they thought they could sell, the same way in which they would order in tins of fizzy pop, choc bars etc. Sale or return on fresh food products is risky as you will be basically left with loads of redundant stock which is costing you money to throw away.

If you sold them 20 sandwiches a day for £1 each wholesale, and they then sold 18 of them at their own mark up, then it would be them concerning the 2 sandwiches they didn't sell and the associated loss.

But if you made 20 sandwiches for them at 50p each on a sale or return policy of £1 per sandwich sold, then you could easily loose money if they only sold half the stock or less.