There is something very satisfying about enjoying a piece of toast with home made jam. Unfortunately, many of us do not have the time or the desire to make jams or jellies. If you do happen to make jam or jelly, why not make a little (or a lot) extra the next time you make a batch, and try your hand at selling them. That’s right, your hobby of making homemade jams and jellies can become a full time or part time home – based business.
In many parts of the country, jams and jellies are hot sellers at farmers’ markets. Since it is not market season right now, you could begin testing recipes and developing a business plan. If you find that you are ready to sell your jam and jelly before market season, you can also explore other avenues for selling your products. I have seen homemade jam and jelly for sale at local food stores, as well as online, through Etsy.
As with any other home – based business, it is important to do your research before you dive right in and start making your product. The very first step to take is researching whether you need any inspections or licenses to produce jams and jellies in your home kitchen and offer them for sale. Every state has slightly different rules, so read them carefully and do not be afraid to call your local governing agency with any questions that you may have.
After you check to see whether it is possible for you to operate a home – based jam and jelly business where you live, go through the business planning process to work out the details of how your business will be run. Product development is part of the business planning process, so have fun with it. Perhaps you want to offer traditional flavors that will appeal to many people. Maybe you want to go with something a little different, like beer jellies, pepper jellies, or jellies that feature bacon or other unique ingredients. Whatever you choose, make sure that you have recipes that produce a consistent product. Attractive packaging will also help to drive sales, as will using good quality ingredients.
Photo by maena on morguefile.com.