I'm making cakes out of my licensed home kitchen.

I have been running to the grocery store every time I have to make a cake & purchasing all the ingredients there.

I know there must be a better, smarter way....

First, the pros are going to have to know where you are located. There's no sense in them telling you where they get their ingredients, if they are 1000 miles away from you, right?

Theresa

Well, I guess I was generically speaking. Like...a Sam's Club or any wholesaler who may be listed online...

Google Wholesale foods in your city and state.

I don't have a Sam's or BJ's locally so when I run out, I have to go to Wal-Mart (which I hate that store), but I get the 25lb bags of flour and sugar, larger container of eggs and it is cheeper then a local wholesale distributer near me.

You mentioned wholesalers who are online. That's why the inquiry as to where you are. Shipping on quantity ingredients can rack up more cost than the product you are ordering.

There are several members here who shop for their ingredients at the wholesale clubs. In my area, BJ's is a slight bit cheaper than Sam's, and carries a larger selection of ingredient items.

Theresa

Sam's is great, I just got a membership there just for home things. Just remember, it is all large, so make sure you have the space to store it. Their inventory (brand names) does change depending what they can get, but if that doesn't bother you, then go for it!

SueBee - is that a Super WalMart that you're talking about? I don't ever remember seeing that size at my WalMart.

PlayingWithSugar - well I'm in western Massachusetts...close to Albany, NY.

Yep, I shop at Sam's, too. Their powdered sugar, crisco and butter are cheaper than anywhere in town. My next task is to price their flour and sugar. I haven't done that yet.

sams club ...plus their price isn't constantly going up....plus no evil salesman.

Thanks everyone!

Not sure if there is a restaurant depot in your area. Their website:
http://www.restaurantdepot.com/Misc/storesrch.asp

They price out cheaper than costco, not sure about sam's. The shopping experience isn't all that desirable, but for the price, it's great.

wherever you go DO NOT go to a GFS or similar. They offer convienence and make you "feel" you are saving money since you are buying from a restaurant distributor-BUT their prices are heavily marked up-sometimes double of what you would pay at walmart.

It depends on what you're buying. GFS is my best price AND best quality chicken. Flour and sugar is best price at GFS. P.sugar best price is Sam's. Eggs better thru GFS ... tomatoes better at Sam's. Mini M&M's better at Walmart. I used to buy a lot via Sysco until GFS beat their price.

Monkess has a good point, though, and you have to watch some things. For example, an aluminum 1/2 pan (for hot foods) is $0.99 if I buy it off the shelf at GFS. If I buy a box of 100 on my truck order, they are $0.19 each. Also the convenience factor .... I pay like 10 cents more per pound to get choc chips from GFS, but having them delivered to my door is MUCH better than spending $4 in gas plus the time to run to Sam's to pick it up. So if you are at whatever store and it's slightly more ..... what is the cost if you ALSO had to run across town to the other place to save 20 cents?

I dont think there is ONE place....I noticed everytime I go to Walmart the prices have gone up again (cake mix is now 1.10 a box where last week it was 97 cents a box and a month before that it was 88 cents a box...good thing I don't buy it too often!) I buy my main stuff like sugar and flour from a distributor here in town, she has all the cake flours and domino sugar I like to use. She is 15 minute drive for me and they just throw it all in the car for me. I still order my hi ratio from CK, as I love bakemart and bakemart is not available around here (they won't deliver to home bakeries) I buy my butter, eggs and sour cream from Costco..their eggs are always extremly fresh and their brand of butter doesnt have too much water in it. If I need something right away, I run to BJs or Costco. The sams here in cary is very small and doesn't carry much, so I never joined it. Oh and I buy all my fondant from Caljava...free shipping!

loriesmom, Is Caljava's fondant price better than CK's? Is it Satin Ice?

Cake mix - Walmart (USA)
Crisco, flour and powdered sugar, sometimes cream cheese - sam's (In USA)
Pecans, almonds, eggs - local Costco (in Mexico)
Butter - Costco and Sam's (USA)
Wilton suplies - Local cake decorating store (USA)
Cake boards, boxes, (packing) - local bakery suplier (Mexico)

if you are a license kitchen try us food services, bakemark., dawn foods, they are almost everywhere and have very good prices.

I shop around a lot but, I can tell you that I get my butter at costco...it was $3.80 for 4lbs where at walmart it's the same price for a one pound block. I have a membershuip at costco and a shared membership at sams club. Bjs has a one day coupon and they charge like 10% to what you spend. The bjs here isn't that great either. It all depends on the person and like it was stated before prices are changing everywhere and you certainly should shop around. Good luck!

Hi guys, I think this depends on where youa re but I have jsut started using CKsouth.com

They sell CK stuff but they are a SE distrubitor. They ship frieght or UPS/FEDEX, or if you are in ATL you can go pick it up.

YOu must be a licensed bus...and the sign up is a bit of a pain, what with the form and wait, but it is worth the the trouble.

Like luster dust for less than 1.50, tylose for 1.93, luster spray 5.30, 4.5 oz americolor gel 1.50 etc...

HTH Julia