Selling Your Stuff

[oakville smoker]

Hi all

How many of you have let people taste your stuff and then have that person say can you make some for me and I will pay you for it?
I have orders for 20 plus pounds of Canadian Bacon.  I don't mind doing it for some people. I know when I make sausage there will be another cry for "can you make some".  People are willing to pay a good buck for this stuff.

The thing I wonder about is the viability of boutique side business of bacon and sausage and salami.  It seems there is a pent up demand for this stuff and people like us, want stuff that is not laden with chemicals and made with a lot of TLC.  Except they have noonterest in making it or learning what to do.  The loins that are in my fridge right now get talked to twice per day, a little caress before turning and a little rub down in the bag if they are sore from being in the cold for 6 days.  I dont think that happens at the big processors and the meat still respects me in the morning !

Just curious what others think.

[Hopefull Romantic]

Oakville

I am seriously contemplating going a bit commercial early next year; family and friends. It is like you said, people who try it immediately notice the difference between our outcomes and that from a store. I have a friend of ours who offered me what is equivalent to $21 for one whole chicken (I would supply all the stuff) my cost is less than third of that.

It seems the you have the knack for it so it you have the time...go for it.

HR

[squirtthecat]

I've done a few smokes for a guy at work...   I get a case of beer for my trouble.  ;)

[pensrock]

I have been charging $2.50/pound to smoke cheese. They provide the cheese and I smoke it. For several years I did not charge but when you start doing 75-125 pounds a year that takes a lot of time. I still do not charge close friends and relatives, they normally bring some goodies for my troubles. Several people told me I was crazy for not packaging and selling cheese, bacon and sausages. But I would have to sell a lot to try to go into business, so I just do it for friends.

[Tenpoint5]

I have done a few Boston Butts for guys at work and charge them $30 for a complete pulled butt. I do some stuff for family and friends but I don't charge except for the little brother he's a doctor and thinks he is above everyone so he pays more than everyone!

[hogshead60]

No one has mentioned laws, regulations, standards or LIABILITY.
There's a small commercial processor five clicks from me
and he won't even smoke my stuff for me; he's not allowed to.

[BuyLowSellHigh]

It's okay until you get caught.  If you're processing for for sale, depending on what and how, you could get caught up in some intersting regulatory issues, like USDA compliance if processing meat or, at best, restaurant sanitation regs.  There are some exceptions but typically you can't prepare or process meat under regs in a home kitchen (but in may areas you can bake and sell bread for a home kitchen).  It gets weird.  Don't advertise and keep it among friends and you should stay under the radar.  Try to build as a viable biz and you better go legal.

[lumpy]

OS
Unless you intend to go commercial, forget trying to make any money on this. Get someone sick and kiss your ass goodbye. Health Canada will make your life a living hell. Even if they find out that it was not your food that made someone sick, you are still ruined. Ask someone who is is the business about the powers Health Canada has.
My wife and I owned a spa for 12 years and were inspected every 6 months. The inspector always spent at least 1 hour in our spa. Every year the rules and regulations changed. This is just skin work and not edibles!

I make sticks for friends and we exchange stuff or they buy the food and supply me with a case of liquids while I smoke.

Its all between friends and family.

Lumpy

[lumpy]

One more thing.

Read the chapter from Ryteks book about him trying to open his own shop.
See the crap he went through.

[NePaSmoKer]

I looked into this 3 years ago. Here is what a friend of mine told me. He is a USDA inspector.

1. Of course you need to be licensed with the state health board and local agencies. IE. Fire codes, building codes
2. A USDA Stamp on all packaging at the tune of $25,000
3. An office for the inspector and their own parking space.
4. Be in a commercial area zoned for a butcher or processing shop.
5. Parking for at least 20 cars.
6. Legal people and Insurance.

Beef, pork, chicken, lamb, goat and bison are regulated by the USDA. The only way to keep the feds off yer back is to say GAME processed meats. However states, counties differ with laws and regulations.


Added note: Just do it for close friends and family. Like others stated if someone gets sick or dies from bad meat, You better have a great attorney.

[smokeNcanuck]

Get someone sick and kiss your ass goodbye

I totally agree!  My BIL has a small country store and he was on me about selling my snack sticks.
Although the money would be nice if someone ever got sick or caught him for selling non inspected products,
I'm sure we would both be in a world of trouble!!  I am sometimes even a little leary about giving stuff
away to friends.  I always like to eat some first, and make sure I don't fall over dead.  NO SUCH LUCK YET ;)

[ArnieM]

Really an interesting read.  Friends have suggested I try it out.  After this, forget it.  Maybe I'll go back to knitting blankets.

[Quarlow]

There are guys selling homemade jerky and candied salmon at the fleamarkets here all the time. At least there used to be. I try to stay way from those crowded places. Ignorant people really get my hackles up.

[NePaSmoKer]

When we go to the 2 big Farmers markets in Lancaster they sell jerky, sticks and sausage but they are USDA stamped butchers and processors

[jiggerjams]

Hey Quarlow, Where you from? I am in the GTA.