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do people really pay £3 for a bog standard brownie?


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Old 17-12-2016, 23:49
Rutakateki
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I often find this weird on these kind of shows. Alana said something like, "I sell these at three quid- each one costs me 19p to make" and you think, "I don't think I'll be buying one of them, I'll look a right mug!"
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Old 17-12-2016, 23:50
eluf38
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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.
That's the route I think she will end up going down. Or supplying small businesses and cafés who don't have a pastry chef.

Her rocky road did look too simple, but she made two other cakes too. Wonder why they chose to show her chopping biscuits rather than baking?
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Old 17-12-2016, 23:52
Dix
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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.
Which makes her products 2nd grade or lower! Had she used real chocolate the £3 cost for one wouldn't have been so bad, but using cheaper ingredients makes her product less appealing.
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Old 17-12-2016, 23:53
francie
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I often find this weird on these kind of shows. Alana said something like, "I sell these at three quid- each one costs me 19p to make" and you think, "I don't think I'll be buying one of them, I'll look a right mug!"
The mark-up on most things we buy doesn't bear thinking about.
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Old 17-12-2016, 23:56
Dix
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That's the route I think she will end up going down. Or supplying small businesses and cafés who don't have a pastry chef.

Her rocky road did look too simple, but she made two other cakes too. Wonder why they chose to show her chopping biscuits rather than baking?
But she'd have to lower her prices if she continues using inferior ingredients.
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Old 18-12-2016, 00:30
eluf38
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But she'd have to lower her prices if she continues using inferior ingredients.
Most probably she would have to.
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Old 18-12-2016, 00:45
Dix
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Most probably she would have to.
I don't think she will, as she would have done that when she first started. But if all she was interested in was buying a house, then she'll keep prices high, and make excuses for doing it. LS would have to sit on her to keep her down. I was in another forum discussing it at the time and someone tried to make out the difficultes of making cakes etc, which I said was rot, as anyone can make them, and even kids can make them, so anything Alana makes is nothing to write home about. I know someone who made very good decorated wedding cakes and she didn't rip off anyone! Alana disgusts me!
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Old 18-12-2016, 01:17
francie
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I don't think she will, as she would have done that when she first started. But if all she was interested in was buying a house, then she'll keep prices high, and make excuses for doing it. LS would have to sit on her to keep her down. I was in another forum discussing it at the time and someone tried to make out the difficultes of making cakes etc, which I said was rot, as anyone can make them, and even kids can make them, so anything Alana makes is nothing to write home about. I know someone who made very good decorated wedding cakes and she didn't rip off anyone! Alana disgusts me!
BIB: OTT imo. She's in business to make a profit and if people are willing to buy then she must be doing something right - just as I'm sure Courtney is making a decent return on his goods, LS too. Just as your wedding cake creator probably did.

I used to create wedding items - jewellery (tiaras, ear-rings, bracelets etc) and even taught myself how to make flower bouquets / posies etc. I made a handsome profit on all the items. I was much cheaper than the shops , didn't rip brides off yet it was extremely profitable. Business came from word of mouth.

Disgusting that people run a business and make a profit?
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Old 18-12-2016, 02:22
thenetworkbabe
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People will also pay £2.60 or whatever for coffee, which costs pennies to make at home
Indeed, tescos sells similar cakes at similar prices, and restaurants sell desserts at twice the price.

Her issue is if she can do a few multiples of what she does now , and if the retailers would eat her profits if she tried to get into a bigger market.

Courtney's issue is can he develop anything, or spot markets, or sell it , and is there evidence he could make any money. And does Sugar want to sell useless tat, and have another winner the same sex, from the same area, while explaining that Courtney's show performance justifies a win, with his fingers crossed.
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Old 18-12-2016, 04:56
Zarla
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Indeed, tescos sells similar cakes at similar prices, and restaurants sell desserts at twice the price.

Her issue is if she can do a few multiples of what she does now , and if the retailers would eat her profits if she tried to get into a bigger market.

Courtney's issue is can he develop anything, or spot markets, or sell it , and is there evidence he could make any money. And does Sugar want to sell useless tat, and have another winner the same sex, from the same area, while explaining that Courtney's show performance justifies a win, with his fingers crossed.
He's already gone for five guys from the same area one after the other, so he may not care about regional and gender averages. I was really surprised when Joseph won last year; he just wanted to expand his plumbing business and I couldn't see how AS would make much of a profit from that.

But, having said that, then there is the Alana follow.

Alana is actually going against the trades descriptions act by using cooking chocolate for 'Belgian Chocolate' Rocky Roads. Belgian Chocolate is a very different thing and much more expensive.

Her other five products aren't original either: Gooey Chocolate Brownie, Sticky Toffee Flapjack, Crème Brulee Brownie, Salted Caramel Slab and another I can't remember.
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Old 18-12-2016, 09:25
walterwhite
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I often find this weird on these kind of shows. Alana said something like, "I sell these at three quid- each one costs me 19p to make" and you think, "I don't think I'll be buying one of them, I'll look a right mug!"
You should probably give up going to restaurants then. The mark up there wont be to your liking either.
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Old 18-12-2016, 09:26
walterwhite
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He's already gone for five guys from the same area one after the other, so he may not care about regional and gender averages. I was really surprised when Joseph won last year; he just wanted to expand his plumbing business and I couldn't see how AS would make much of a profit from that.

But, having said that, then there is the Alana follow.

Alana is actually going against the trades descriptions act by using cooking chocolate for 'Belgian Chocolate' Rocky Roads. Belgian Chocolate is a very different thing and much more expensive.

Her other five products aren't original either: Gooey Chocolate Brownie, Sticky Toffee Flapjack, Crème Brulee Brownie, Salted Caramel Slab and another I can't remember.
I didn't notice what chocolate she was using, but you can buy Belgian cooking chocolate.
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Old 18-12-2016, 10:01
Gusto Brunt
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Co-Op have 3 for £1. Yummy.
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Old 18-12-2016, 10:01
Steve9214
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If she sets up business in an expensive area, then she might do well, but can't see that happening in average areas, as people could buy them in supermarkets as less than her prices, or bake them themselves 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!
The main cake businesses in the UK are based in "not expensive areas" to take advantage of cheaper labour and property costs.

Hull, Bradford, Blackburn, Cardiff, Oldham, Hamilton (Scotland).

If Alana did that it would mean she has cheaper overheads but higher transport costs.
Or goes for cheaper transport but massively high overheads in an "expensive area"

I also think she is making a cardinal sin in her costings - nobody drilled down the figures like they do on Dragon's Den.
I believe the "19p" is raw material costs only.
That brownie would weigh 80-100g raw deposit weight
Even cooking chocolate is going to be several pounds per kilo
Bake stable chunks even more so
http://www.makro.co.uk/barry-calleba...unks-25kg.html
This is the Makro cash and carry price - she will not be buying huge amounts

At 20% chocolate - about right for an indulgent product - the chocolate alone costs 10.8p.

Therefore EVERYTHING else costs 8.2p.
If she using butter - then butter would be about 20% of the recipe - butter is about £3.60 a kilo - supermarkets are actually cheapest place to buy as they discount it (90p a 250g pack)
Butter cost for the brownie would be therefore 5.8p per unit.
So we are at 16p and she has not added any flour or sugar yet.
Or even used any electricity to mix and bake - no packaging either.

I also wonder if she is paying business rates on the converted outhouse on her Parents property, I would bet they may not have told the Council !!
I owned a bakery business many years ago and found that the costings by the previous owners did not include Labour.
The answer was: "I made them myself and I was here anyway"
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Old 18-12-2016, 10:08
Eittol96
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http://shop.konditorandcook.com/coll...x#.WFZeWevfWrU

Konditor and Cook sell similarly priced products and have many successful shops in London
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Old 18-12-2016, 10:31
thehordeoftrav
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Would her customers still want to buy after they've seen the cost of the product on the programme? Dragon Dens - One pitcher refused to state the production cost as it was lot lower the selling price.

I wouldn't. Saying that I wouldn't pay £3 for a brownie in the first-place. They're not even freshly made.
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Old 18-12-2016, 10:38
Steve9214
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Would her customers still want to buy after they've seen the cost of the product on the programme? Dragon Dens - One pitcher refused to state the production cost as it was lot lower the selling price.

I wouldn't. Saying that I wouldn't pay £3 for a brownie in the first-place. They're not even freshly made.
Alana needs a Dragon not a Tech and Property investor.

Deborah Meaden already part owns a wholesale Luxury large cake business in Huddersfield.
She would get Alana into their premises - use their distribution - freeze the cakes (instantly solving short shelf life issues), cheaper raw materials etc etc

Flogging at Festivals is a great premium way to sell stuff for the maximum price, so a Dragon would expand this side of things to do more festivals all over the Country.
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Old 18-12-2016, 10:48
martin44
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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.
Agree totally.....

No need to sell wholesale just grow what she's already doing .......
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Old 18-12-2016, 10:55
bel110
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I always find the price of the cakes / biscuits in certain coffee chains atrocious.... and refuse to pay on principle. Usually there is somewhere two shops where you can buy the same thing for less. At a fair, festival the mentality is slightly different and 'as a treat' I might pay more, but not on a regular basis.
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Old 18-12-2016, 11:26
Cats_Eyes
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That's the route I think she will end up going down. Or supplying small businesses and cafés who don't have a pastry chef.

Her rocky road did look too simple, but she made two other cakes too. Wonder why they chose to show her chopping biscuits rather than baking?


Time I should have thought and for ease - she is not going to cart all her products to the house is she ?
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Old 18-12-2016, 12:57
dee-rec
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What put me off completely was when she was making the cakes without even a bobble holding her hair back, the thought of that hair getting mixed in gave me the boak!
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Old 18-12-2016, 13:00
Steve9214
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What put me off completely was when she was making the cakes without even a bobble holding her hair back, the thought of that hair getting mixed in gave me the boak!
I can imagine she has no idea of the amount it will cost to train staff in basic food hygiene and safety.

She ought to know better and be refused to be filmed without a hairnet - assuming she does have food safety qualifications herself !!
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Old 18-12-2016, 13:47
jcafcw
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I have to hold my hands up and admit I buy the brownies in Costa and I think they cost a couple of quid and change.

I think they see me coming.
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Old 18-12-2016, 15:48
Rutakateki
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But, having said that, then there is the Alana follow.
That's a spoiler. I didn't know that was who he followed- I've stayed away from anything that might reveal the information.

You should probably give up going to restaurants then. The mark up there wont be to your liking either.
I tend not to go to restaurants, but it's a place I don't mind the mark-up so much, as you are paying for a whole experience... A cake I'm less inclined to think of as an experience, and more as a cake...
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Old 18-12-2016, 16:29
Cats_Eyes
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BIB: OTT imo. She's in business to make a profit and if people are willing to buy then she must be doing something right - just as I'm sure Courtney is making a decent return on his goods, LS too. Just as your wedding cake creator probably did.

I used to create wedding items - jewellery (tiaras, ear-rings, bracelets etc) and even taught myself how to make flower bouquets / posies etc. I made a handsome profit on all the items. I was much cheaper than the shops , didn't rip brides off yet it was extremely profitable. Business came from word of mouth.

Disgusting that people run a business and make a profit?


No - It's just that some people just don't like Alana and think she should give her goods free
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