Cottage Industries and Red Tape!

TruffleChrissy

Über Member
Joined
19 Nov 2016
Local time
2:28 AM
Messages
27
Location
North East England
I'm wanting to start a little business making truffles but the red tape around how your kitchen should be is mind boggling. Does anyone else run a little foody business from their homes and can they give me any tips. My main stumbling blocks are:

1) There's only a little lobby between my toilet and the kitchen. I need another door dividing them
2) My ceiling in the kitchen is stippled. Guidance says it has to be smooth.
3) I need a different sink for washing food and doing dishes
4) People have said the laundry must be done in a separate room to where I cook

Has anyone had these problems and how do you get round them.

Cheers.
 
I think its a minefield. I don't think we have any members here (at least to my knowledge) with this kind of experience, with the exception of @Berties who is professional chef and well versed in H&S!
 
I don't run a food business but I can understand all the regulations. It is a matter of food safety.
Just wanted to say if you decide to do this, good luck in your endeavors. I have no doubt your truffles are great.

One very important factor is your time. Make sure to take that into account so you don't make like a half a penny an hour.


I have a few other questions.
Would you be doing special orders? If yes, I have a few other questions.
How many are you planning to make every day?
Or how often do you plan to make them?
Do you already have a potential customer base?
Most importantly, do you have the money to lose if they don't sell?
 
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I understand your problem but I do have a couple of warnings
1 - beware the professional complainer. Sadly for some people the idea of 'compensation' has become a career choice and they are not above making themselves ill just so that they can claim.
2 - be careful you do not turn a hobby and something you enjoy into a drudge. I had a friend who loved motorcycling and decided to become a dispatch rider - after a year he hated both the job and riding.
My father had a greengrocer shop and the regs even back then [30 years ago] were awe inspiring [and yes it included two sinks even then].
I wish you luck but -
Food is a minefield
 
All of the above. Looked into this a couple of years ago when in the process of buying a deli/cafe business with a tiny kitchen that needed support from the home kitchen. Local councils vary on their adherence to the rules but you can't escape them. The food standards inspectors we dealt with were pretty helpful and only out to catch the bad guys, not get in the way for the sake of it. Your products are low risk so you should get some leeway, and there are inexpensive ways out there to comply with the guidelines. Go for it :)
 
I'm wanting to start a little business making truffles but the red tape around how your kitchen should be is mind boggling. Does anyone else run a little foody business from their homes and can they give me any tips. My main stumbling blocks are:

1) There's only a little lobby between my toilet and the kitchen. I need another door dividing them
2) My ceiling in the kitchen is stippled. Guidance says it has to be smooth.
3) I need a different sink for washing food and doing dishes
4) People have said the laundry must be done in a separate room to where I cook

Has anyone had these problems and how do you get round them.

Cheers.
Registration of any food business is essential,a good communication with your local eho is essential,
Sink discipline is a done thing washing foods,hands and washing up,but a sound course in basic food hygiene will give a basic knoweledge,records and due diligence proof you are keeping to the rules is essential
There are lots of pit falls but don't let them put you off ,I deal with them for clients all the time,once set up its a matter of keeping them maintained
 
I have done my food hygiene course and learned a lot. Mainly record keeping (fridge temperatures and cleaning rosta). My daughter is moving into a brand new house in 2 weeks and her kitchen ticks all the boxes so hopefully I can use her address for doing the truffles until my kitchen has the alterations done. As for truffles not being high risk. I was of the opinion they were because I use cream......a dairy product. However I am looking at swapping to coconut milk which saves a lot of hassle.

I really appreciate your help and advice and will keep you all updated.
 
I don't run a food business but I can understand all the regulations. It is a matter of food safety.
Just wanted to say if you decide to do this, good luck in your endeavors. I have no doubt your truffles are great.

One very important factor is your time. Make sure to take that into account so you don't make like a half a penny an hour.


I have a few other questions.
Would you be doing special orders? If yes, I have a few other questions.
How many are you planning to make every day?
Or how often do you plan to make them?
Do you already have a potential customer base?
Most importantly, do you have the money to lose if they don't sell?

Special orders - only if I can master How to give them a decent shelf life
How many are you planning to make every day? About 150 a week
Or how often do you plan to make them? Two days a week
Do you already have a potential customer base? Yes craft and food fairs, friends, relatives and colleagues
Most importantly, do you have the money to lose if they don't sell? They aren't too costly to make and it's a risk I'm willing to take. Any alterations will be adding value to my home anyway.
 
I see you have thought this out very carefully.
I get the truffles aren't costly.
I see you mentioned food and craft fairs. Remember that is an expense too so add it to the cost of the truffles to set your price.
Example: 150 truffles cost roughly $15 to make. (I may be way off).
Craft booth costs $50 for a weekend rental.
Do they provide the tables or do you?
That would be another expense.
Decorations for your both. Another one time expense.
Oh and 12 boxes of truffles is not very many for a craft fair.
Do you have other stuff to sell besides the truffles?

Excuse all the questions but I got burned once on selling crafts. I mean to the point I almost couldn't use my hands for 5 years.
 
Ok......I would be using stuff I have at home to display. I will sell the truffles loose in a bag or boxed if required. So people can buy one or a handful. Pricing would take into account expenses to a degree but bigger expenses would be recouped over time. I will open a website and take advance orders. I'm so buzzing and full of ideas just being restrained with red tape.
 
Ok......I would be using stuff I have at home to display. I will sell the truffles loose in a bag or boxed if required. So people can buy one or a handful. Pricing would take into account expenses to a degree but bigger expenses would be recouped over time. I will open a website and take advance orders. I'm so buzzing and full of ideas just being restrained with red tape.
It's great that you have such a level of enthusiasm - that's half the battle won! Have you looked into joining the Guild of Fine Food? They offer marketing support for small specialist producers as well as practical training courses in things like presentation and packaging.
 
We too live in the North East - just a thought, don't forget the big steam fairs and some of the classic vehicle shows in this region. They always have large craft/food/specialist ale etc tents and would also be a good selling point [people are always hungry after a day looking round the show].
 
It's great that you have such a level of enthusiasm - that's half the battle won! Have you looked into joining the Guild of Fine Food? They offer marketing support for small specialist producers as well as practical training courses in things like presentation and packaging.
Ooooooooooo that's a great idea. Thank you.
 
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