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do people really pay £3 for a bog standard brownie? |
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#1 |
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 666
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do people really pay £3 for a bog standard brownie?
That costs pennies to make?
I know people pay that for something that's special like raw / organic / gluten / sugar free (like http://www.nestandglow.com/healthy-r...-fudge-muffins and they have expensive ingredient. but for a bog standard tray bake it seems bonkers! |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Aug 2013
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My thoughts exactly, I'm considering spending that at Christmas on some Patisserie Valerie cakes but they are something special. Much as I like her I think Alana's cakes look very 'home made' and something anyone could knock up for themselves, you could make your own tray bake for £3.
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#3 |
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Join Date: Jan 2016
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Quote:
My thoughts exactly, I'm considering spending that at Christmas on some Patisserie Valerie cakes but they are something special. Much as I like her I think Alana's cakes look very 'home made' and something anyone could knock up for themselves, you could make your own tray bake for £3.
Many deli will just make their own as they want to keep all that juicy markup for themselves. It's a cupcake business really, that anyone can set up. I like her, but the idea just isn't very good. She doesn't have much vision. |
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#4 |
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Join Date: May 2012
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Judging by her profits then obviously lots of people will pay that much. The issue is whether she can find enough independent places to sell them to scale the business.
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#5 |
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Join Date: Mar 2009
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Quote:
Judging by her profits then obviously lots of people will pay that much. The issue is whether she can find enough independent places to sell them to scale the business.
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#6 |
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 381
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at "events" yes
at normal high street shops, even specialist ones probably not The idea that she can scale her business AND keep her profit margins is for the birds tim |
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#7 |
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Join Date: Oct 2007
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Quote:
My thoughts exactly, I'm considering spending that at Christmas on some Patisserie Valerie cakes but they are something special. Much as I like her I think Alana's cakes look very 'home made' and something anyone could knock up for themselves, you could make your own tray bake for £3.
Mixed up crumbled cocko-digestive bickies with melted cooking chocolate Any small independent retailer with half a brain could make his own, if he wanted to |
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#8 |
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: In my Opinion
Posts: 10,057
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Not just the price but seeing how she made them really put me off....
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#9 |
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 2,546
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Exactly! Someone on a another thread is comparing her to a brand of posh chocolates. Patisserie and chocolatier is a world apart from what Alana is trying to do.
Many deli will just make their own as they want to keep all that juicy markup for themselves. It's a cupcake business really, that anyone can set up. I like her, but the idea just isn't very good. She doesn't have much vision. Not much vision with " the F*ck Off Doormat " either. Because apart from anything else not one big group would stock such crap so sales will be, let's say, "limited. " |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 14,185
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She currently sells them at 'artisan foodie events' where you can get away with charging that much.
No chance of getting them at that price into shops. They're not even vegan, veggie, nut-free or gluton-free either. They're something literally anyone could make so god knows why even a small shop would buy them. Rocky road, another of her 'bakes' is just melted chocolate and butter mixed in with crushed biscuits and marshmallows. |
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#11 |
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Join Date: Oct 2010
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People will also pay £2.60 or whatever for coffee, which costs pennies to make at home
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#12 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
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People will also pay £2.60 or whatever for coffee, which costs pennies to make at home
Currently Alana's high margins are because she's making the cakes herself and then selling them directly to the public via her website and food stalls. Her new business however would be selling to the trade. Even if the shops she sold to were able to shift these brownies at £3 a pop, they wouldn't be paying her that figure to produce them. |
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#13 |
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Join Date: Jun 2010
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Big retailers usually take a 40% margin, plus you have to pass audits, comply with food standards etc all of which costs money.
Alana makes huge margins as she has bog all overheads, no premises costs etc |
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#14 |
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Yorkshire
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Quote:
She currently sells them at 'artisan foodie events' where you can get away with charging that much.
No chance of getting them at that price into shops. They're not even vegan, veggie, nut-free or gluton-free either. They're something literally anyone could make so god knows why even a small shop would buy them. Rocky road, another of her 'bakes' is just melted chocolate and butter mixed in with crushed biscuits and marshmallows. And if a top pastry chef had made it then it would cost a fortune and people would pay it - and say how wonderful it was
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#15 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
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[/b] And if a top pastry chef had made it then it would cost a fortune and people would pay it - and say how wonderful it was
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#16 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Quote:
But coffee shops don't pay another company £3 to make a cup of coffee for them to sell on.
Currently Alana's high margins are because she's making the cakes herself and then selling them directly to the public via her website and food stalls. Her new business however would be selling to the trade. Even if the shops she sold to were able to shift these brownies at £3 a pop, they wouldn't be paying her that figure to produce them. http://www.tropicskincare.com/ She sells online, house parties and at markets. But to the best of my knowledge, not to the trade. |
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#17 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Quote:
Big retailers usually take a 40% margin, plus you have to pass audits, comply with food standards etc all of which costs money.
Alana makes huge margins as she has bog all overheads, no premises costs etc |
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#18 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
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Quote:
Sugar is a partner in Susan Ma's business
http://www.tropicskincare.com/ She sells online, house parties and at markets. But to the best of my knowledge, not to the trade. Alana's business plan is to sell to the trade.I can't imagine how pyramid selling of brownies would ever work, even if it was Alana's plan. |
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#19 |
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Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Yorkshire
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Well that's how she gets away with at these hipster food markets.
She sells good products at an excellent margin - they call it business. |
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#20 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Quote:
So?
Alana's business plan is to sell to the trade.I can't imagine how pyramid selling of brownies would ever work, even if it was Alana's plan. |
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#21 |
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Join Date: Jun 2016
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I don't think she should sell to the trade. Instead, she should employ a few more weekend staff members so her cake stall can be a presence at different festivals and outdoor events, particularly in the summer.
Amusing to see that her Belgian Chocolate Rocky Roads had cooking chocolate in. |
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#22 |
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Join Date: Jun 2010
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I don't think she should sell to the trade. Instead, she should employ a few more weekend staff members so her cake stall can be a presence at different festivals and outdoor events, particularly in the summer.
Amusing to see that her Belgian Chocolate Rocky Roads had cooking chocolate in. You are supplying food products so making a few brownies in a converted outhouse is one thing, but selling to retailers is a whole different ball game. Like Luisa who had one cupcake shop - she has no idea of the investment and due diligence required to supply other traders. |
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#23 |
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: LFLF Research Div
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Quote:
Judging by her profits then obviously lots of people will pay that much. The issue is whether she can find enough independent places to sell them to scale the business.
I don't think her products are that special, as I've seen much better quality products than hers. But to me, she wants to make that fast buck at any price! So shopper beware!
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#24 |
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 666
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Quote:
did you see the way she made them?
Mixed up crumbled cocko-digestive bickies with melted cooking chocolate Any small independent retailer with half a brain could make his own, if he wanted to If she's really making a net profit of 40k, she's reached the limit IMO. Was at Christmas markets in bristol today and her cakes would be about 1.50 here. |
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#25 |
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Join Date: Dec 2002
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Quote:
[/b] And if a top pastry chef had made it then it would cost a fortune and people would pay it - and say how wonderful it was
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Alana's business plan is to sell to the trade.
I don't think her products are that special, as I've seen much better quality products than hers. But to me, she wants to make that fast buck at any price! So shopper beware!