Budgeting isn’t the fun part of running a food business, but it’s as necessary as a great recipe, especially in shaky economic times. With inflation and the threat of recession dominating headlines, join us for a discussion of tactics you can use right right now to boost the financial health of your company.

We’ll cover the top 5 budget mistakes food entrepreneurs make just as their business starts to grow, and how you can fix them or avoid them in the first place.

UCEDC‘s Kevin Chu (Loan Officer) and Ellen McHenry (Senior Director of Financial Programs) lead the conversation and Jewell Domino of BelleJohns’ Soul Food will share strategies she used to scale her business and open a place of her own.

Take this one-hour workshop if you:

• own a small food business and have been operating for two years or more
• understand the concept of cashflow but your bookkeeping could be better
• need to boost resilience against inflation, fluctuating prices, and recession
• want to understand how business lending works and what the opportunities are
• have an idea of your breakeven point
• want to fully understand how pricing, recipes and operating costs impact profit
• want real-world answers from industry experts who can help your business succeed
• want to see your numbers in a powerful new way

Hope to see you there!

The post New – Financial – Workshop Alert! appeared first on Garden State Kitchen.

The post appeared first on Garden State Kitchen.

Did you miss our January workshop? Every winter, we host a lively panel discussion where the pros explain what it takes to sell artisanal food at farmers markets, pop-ups, and events. This year – our fifth – Dawn Estrada of Cake Jars and Rashida Sawyer of Shi’s Cakes & Things shared their experience vending at Smorgasburg, the Columbus Circle Holiday Market, and different types of NJ farmers markets. On the organizer side, Lisa Szulewksi of South Orange Downtown and Chris Cirkus of the West Windsor Community Farmers Market gave a peek behind the management scenes. Here are some of the topics we covered:

• The application process – what it’s like, and what food entrepreneurs need to know
• How managers decide who sells at their events
• What it’s really like behind the table, and tips for success
• How to deal with customers, harsh weather, and other surprises
• Insider info on equipment, prep, inventory, and how to make the most of it

We run workshops like this all the time – online classes built to help small food businesses succeed. Check our listings to see what’s coming up next in The Formula at Garden State Kitchen.

The post ICYMI: Workshop on How to Sell at Pop-ups & Farmers Markets appeared first on Garden State Kitchen.

Join us on April 13 for Demystifying NJ’s Home Baking & Cottage Food Business Rules. During this virtual workshop, professional baker and NJ Home Bakers Association co-founder Martha Rabello covers the latest on the new legislation and what it means for small food businesses. We’ll detail what is and isn’t allowed, what might come next, and how bakers can start and use a home-based business to scale up. Topics include:

• What you can and can’t sell from home
• How to appeal if your food item is not on NJ’s approved list
• How to start your business at home and scale into a larger commercial kitchen
• What’s next with NJ’s cottage food operator rule
• Q & A – bring your questions!

The post Do You Have Questions About NJ’s New Cottage Food Rule? appeared first on Garden State Kitchen.

The Formula is back and better than ever! We’re partnering with Rising Tide Capital for a new three-week virtual workshop series made just for small food businesses. Join us:

7/6 – Week 1: How to Launch a Food Business in NJ – Want to start a food business, but not sure where to begin? You need more than an online checklist. This workshop details not only what you have to do, but why each step is important, and how it will help you grow your business into the future. Registration, licensing, insurance, naming, branding, and the elements of a food business plan will all be covered.

7/13 – Week 2: How to Work Profitably in Commercial Kitchens – Learn what it’s really like to move from home to a professional kitchen and discover some tricks of the trade to save time – and money – while you are cooking. We’ll also discuss pricing and profitability. Templates for recipe costing and tracking operational expenses will be provided.

7/20 – Week 3: How, When & Where to Start Selling Your Food – Ready to move beyond catering or baking for friends and fundraisers? Tired of giving it away for free? Learn what it really takes to start selling your food online, at farmers markets, specialty shops and special events. Applications, networking, packaging, and logistics will be discussed.

Need more info?

The post New Workshops! The Formula @ Garden State Kitchen is Back appeared first on Garden State Kitchen.