Selling your smoked stuff at Farmer's markets?

Smokeville · December 17, 2009, 06:19:05 AM

Has anyone here contemplated setting up a booth at a local farmer's market and selling whatever you love to smoke?

Rich

3rensho · December 17, 2009, 06:33:03 AM

Here I have considered it but have gotten no further. It is a common practice here. Given the litigious nature of folks in the US I wouldn't try it unless I was married to a lawyer knocking down at least 7 figures a year.

Added later - Just noticed you're in Canada. Might be different there.

Smokeville · December 17, 2009, 07:16:20 AM

Quote from: 3rensho on December 17, 2009, 06:33:03 AM
Here I have considered it but have gotten no further. It is a common practice here. Given the litigious nature of folks in the US I wouldn't try it unless I was married to a lawyer knocking down at least 7 figures a year.

Added later - Just noticed you're in Canada. Might be different there.

I'm just starting to investigate this. Our local Saturday farmer's market has all sorts of home-made non-vegetable products. I know that the Health act exempts Farmer's Markets in some ways, meaning mostly that (a) I would not have to have a kitchen that abides by the health code (i.e. three sinks, etc.), but (b) would have to keep records and transport the food in insulated containers.

sodak · December 17, 2009, 07:46:44 AM

Thought about it. Smoked spices, etc... But, then if I was going to get up that early in the spring, summer and fall to set up, why not just go fishing?

KevinG · December 17, 2009, 08:02:32 AM

I'm not sure how it is out by you, but here they make us pay rent for a space the size of a car parking spot. The cost is so much I'd have to charge a fortune, really don't think people would pay that much, especially since most would not know me or where the food came from.

3rensho · December 17, 2009, 08:40:22 AM

QuoteI know that the Health act exempts Farmer's Markets in some ways

Wasn't aware of that. It could be a go then if rental of a stall isn't prohibitive.

OU812 · December 17, 2009, 09:14:01 AM

I try to keep it close, to friends, family and coworkers then let it go by word of mouth. Working pretty good right now. Just dont label it. IE: Beef jerky, Pulled Pork, Deer sausage and so on, just call it jerky, BBQ sadwitches and summer sausage. NePas gave me this info, maybe he can elaborate on it.

There aint nothing wrong with charging to proses what someone brings you.

Smokeville · December 17, 2009, 09:58:48 AM

Quote from: 3rensho on December 17, 2009, 08:40:22 AM
QuoteI know that the Health act exempts Farmer's Markets in some ways

Wasn't aware of that. It could be a go then if rental of a stall isn't prohibitive.

I've been checking... here in Ontario in 2006, changes were made to the Food Act to exempt Farmer's Markets from the more stringent regulations in place for other food processing establishments and restaurants. What I read did say that food inspectors may inspect the place where the food is produced.

Gosh, my smokers a mess!

As for the stall price, our local market is run by the Business Improvement Association for our little part of town. So I expect the rates to be very low -- the Market is meant to draw money into the area, not make money.

But, as they say, time will tell and we shall see!

Smokeville · December 17, 2009, 10:02:03 AM

Quote from: OU812 on December 17, 2009, 09:14:01 AM
I try to keep it close, to friends, family and coworkers then let it go by word of mouth. Working pretty good right now. Just dont label it. IE: Beef jerky, Pulled Pork, Deer sausage and so on, just call it jerky, BBQ sadwitches and summer sausage. NePas gave me this info, maybe he can elaborate on it.

There aint nothing wrong with charging to proses what someone brings you.

What prices do you charge???

Close friends are asking for a smoked turkey for Christmas and I don't know what to charge. After all, they're friends! And the turkey cost me .88c/lb at Walmart....

My specialty seems to be smoked salmon -- even tho' I can't eat it -- and that sells around here for about $44/kg or $20/lb.

Tenpoint5 · December 17, 2009, 10:09:32 AM

6-8lb Pork Butt smoked and pulled I get $30

OU812 · December 17, 2009, 10:26:38 AM

For family and friends I ask for $0.80 per lb for my time and materials plus the cost of the turkey, for a 14 lb turkey @ $0.88 per lb it would work like this.

.80*14 + .88*14 = $23.52

Now tell me where can you by a fully cooked whole turkey for that price?

oakville smoker · December 17, 2009, 10:50:52 AM

Smokeville

I have contemplated this a few times. I am finding that simple word of mouth around the office and places I hang out drives a demand. Bacon is a huge seller for me. I buy pork loins from Costco and make peameal and smoked Canadian bacon for 7 bucks a pound. I seem to be developing a demand for side bacon as well.

The downfall for me seems to be that I really enjoy making it for myself and since I don't have commercial processing facilities, it can be a little bit of a challenge trying to get quantities of smoked product out. I remember spending about 2 hours of a Sunday night a while ago prepping 30 pounds loins for curing and smoking. It took a little of the fun out of it for me.

That being said, I now have requests for jerky, side bacon and smoked bacon and some pastrami. I am on vacation the next couple of weeks so you can guess what I will be doing.

I have noticed that there seems to be some serious money to be made on the restaurant side of this. A place in the Junction called the Smokehouse is getting 9 bucks for a pulled pork Sammie. They are selling ribs for huge amounts of money. They are getting huge money for bacon sanmmis as well. A place just opened in Oakville and they are getting about the same money. These guys open 3 or 4 days a week, sell until they run out and people line up in the cold to buy the stuff.

I am getting closer to 50 years old every day and contemplating what I will do when corporate Canada no longer has a use for me. Opening a place selling good smoked products could make some serious money. By the time I get there the market could be saturated but in the meantime I will be watching it closely. If you were set up with the right equipment in the right facility, I bet it could be a lucrative business.

Smokeville · December 18, 2009, 04:50:35 AM

Thanks TenPoint5 and OU812, that gives me a good feel. Not knowing where to start, especially with friends, was an issue for me.

Smokeville · December 18, 2009, 05:07:59 AM

Hi OS;

Where is that new place in Oakville???? I've been to SweetSmoke many times, and would love to try another. There is also a new place in Burlington, I'm told.

You wrote: I am getting closer to 50 years old every day and contemplating what I will do when corporate Canada no longer has a use for me. Well, I'm getting close to 60!! (in August 2010) and I was cut back in hours by my church this year from full time to 1/3 time. Times are tough and even in Oakville most churches feel the pinch as the wealthy folks are not so well off any more.

At the Kerr Street tree lighting, my wife and I handed out pulled pork on a baby pita. We went through 250 of them with 25lb of pork. And people asked where our restaurant was. I've been handing out smoked salmon to friends and for parties and most people say it's the best they've ever tasted.

It seems my specialties are smoked salmon, trout and chicken. Perhaps turkey. I did a fairly unrealistic daydream scenario that if I got salmon at $5lb, and sold it at at $20lb (which is a reasonable price in almost any Oakville store), and sold 50lb a week that would give an income before expenses of $750/week. Of course, who knows how hard it might be to sell 50lb per week?? The good thing about the Kerr Village Farmer's Market is that Kerr Villiage is now a destination and the BIA takes out full page ads in the Toronto Star throughout the year.

If you've ever been to the Milford Bay Trout Farm, or visited their booths at the Markets in Bracebridge or Huntsville, you know what the line-ups are like for their trout and gravlax. It would take a while and a lot of free samples to get there but I think Oakville would be a great place to do this.

Regards, Rich

Roadking · December 18, 2009, 07:36:10 AM

Stay away from flea markets and farmers market. Reason is health inspecters will wind up at your place where you prosess the product. The biggest problem will be where you grind your product and keep it at the proper temperature (storeage and grinders must be housed inside a walk-in chill box or room). Floors must be concrete sloped to a clean drain.
Best thing is to sell by word of mouth and only process wild game products. Stay away from anything that is or has been inspected by the health departments.
When I had may smokehouses for smoking shad the local health department visited my place everyother day to check on things. Mostly for cleanliness since I was operating from a docked river barge.