I've been thinking about signing up for a Farmers Markets in my area but not sure if it brings in enough profit to be worth it. I would bring cupcakes, cake pops and possibly some cookies. I was thinking of doing a dummy cake to show people my work, bring flyers, business cards, order forms etc. I would sell the cupcakes etc in dozens, 6s and individually.

Has anyone done this before, does it bring in more business?

The lady I spoke with said it costs $25 per day, and if I commit to 4 weeks (its every Sunday) I'll get 2 weeks free. So 6 weeks for $100. Just not sure if its worth it. Any advice here?

anyone?

Hi Michelle, many of these venues are worthwhile, but every farmers' market is different. You need to look at foot traffic, competing baked goods vendors, and the demographics. Displaying a dummy cake and handing out brochures is a good way to find customers if your target market shops there.

We are on our 3rd year of doing the local farmer's market. I used it initially as a good way to get my name out there and then built my business from there. We have a cake and dessert studio but no retail hours so the farmer's is a great way for people to try flavors without spending money on an entire dozen cupcakes. It has also proven to grant us many new customers. However, MimiFix is right, take a look at foot traffic, competition, your costs, etc and see if it will be good option for you.

i was thinking of going to walk around on Sunday, thats the next one, just to see what kind of stands are set up and what the competition would be like. But I got an email back for the operations manager saying they require all baked goods to be done in a coded kitchen (licensed). There are some markets that don't require it, and my city doesn't have a law about home based kitchen unless you regester your business. My grandmother has been doing farmers markets for longer than I can remember, selling dainties cookies pies and coffee cakes and such and has never been asked for a license, so I'm going to browse around for different markets in the city to find one that doesnt require the license.

I was thinking about Farmer's Market too (Santa Fe, NM), so the first thing I'm gonna do, when i'll moove there, is to check other stands and prices..
Often it happens people just go to walk and waste time, you should check if at the end of the day bakers sold all their items!
Also check if u can sell singolar cupcakes or slices of cakes, or they force u to sell ur items in package, like 6 cupcakes..

Thats a good point ItalianBaker. At the farmers markets here, the items that you sell have to be prepackacked and labeled with the ingredients. They don't care how you sell them, singles, 6s, dozens, etc. That parts completely up to the vendor.

So you could make some packages with 4 and 6 different flavors (it depends on how many flavors are u going to bake) and several boxes with a single cupcakes. I would bring some cookies instead of cake pops so u can offer different kind of items! a dummy cake could be a good idea, also to print some pics of ur cakes and make a little portfolio that people can see at ur stand!

That's another thing, I wouldn't know where to begin with how much product I should bring on my first time, I think most of the farmers markets around here go for 4-6 hours and the vendors have to stay from beginning to end. I was talking to one of my friends who is starting up an organic/gluten free/vegan cupcake business and she said the area that she chose to do the FMs at was a bad choice, she didnt make that much profit on any of them. And was always left with cupcakes at the end up the day. So I guess thats where you need to know who's walking around that area and who the competition is.

yeah right, but think about how many people chooce organic/gluten free/vegan cupcakes.. I dont think a lot (but it's just my thought). So it depends mostly on what u sell related to your costumer target!
Do you know how many visitors the market has? I would calculate about 60% of the total number would buy some goods.. but u need to know how many bakers there are too.
After all, at the first even if you dont sell everything, u can still give away some samples