My FOTM Journey to date · 🌾 From Oven to Market

My FOTM Journey to date

I think most everyone here is from Crust & Crumb Academy, so you have probably read about the coursework I have completed so far and may have wondered where I went over the last couple weeks.

For those that haven't followed along, I have completed the first 3 modules and started the 4th, which is a deep dive into starting our website. This is exactly what we needed when we needed it, as Virginia passed a law effective July 1 that now allows cottage bakers to sell and market online. Wonderful news for us!!! So we are busy trying to get some pictures taken and planning what we want on the site.

In the meantime, Heather and I have been hard at work trying to streamline our menu and production schedule. While we have not sold any bread yet, I'm hoping to start selling Focaccia soon, and Henry has the Pro version in the Pantry now, making it easier for me to get started on that. Thanks Henry!!!

For this Saturday, July 4, here's our menu plan:

Enriched dough braids: raspberry & lemon

Fudge: PB, Chocolate Nut, Firecracker

(Firecracker is red white & blue white chocolate layers with sprinkles and pop rocks)

Macarons: raspberry, chai, and s'mores

Jar cakes & push pops: Banana Pudding, Strawberry, Chocolate PB, Vanilla

Cookie dippers: red white & blue mini sugar cookies with 2 dips: italian buttercream and caramel

Focaccia - if plans work out well; if not this week, then definitely next week.

Soup in a jar: Chicken noodle & tomato basil white bean

One thing we learned this year: Keep the offerings to 5-6 items. Yes, we have 7 listed for this week, but the fudge and the cakes are proven sellers, and we've made them enough to develop a simple production process. Our ultimate goal is to have 3-5 products available in 2-4 varieties or flavors each, with 1-2 specials every week. We're rotating flavors every week as well, so returning customers see new things each week. Since we're using mason jars for the jar cakes, we're letting people know if they return the jar to us, we'll give them $1 off their next order for each jar returned. The soup in a jar probably won't be a big seller until fall and winter, but it can still be a quick weekday meal, and chicken noodle & tomato are great meals when you're sick. And very fast prep, so I'll throw together 3-4 jars of each and see how they go. They are also long-lasting, so the jars leftover this week are good to sell for another couple weeks.

For special occasions like July 4th, people tend to want to purchase more unique items, which is why we chose to make the Firecracker Fudge and the cookie dippers. We've tried selling cookies and cookie cups, but they have not sold well at all, but we have wanted to try the cookie dippers. We came up with cute packaging and want to see what feedback we get on it.

If you're still with me, thanks for your patience. As the week progresses, I plan to take pics of our products as they are ready and will share them here. If there's anyone else here already selling, I'd love to see what you're making and how it goes. Let's journey together!

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My FOTM Journey to date