A Crazy Plan....That May Work?
I'm under contract with my current job until July, which keeps me four hours away from the city I have always wanted to start some kind of baking business in.
To start, I'd like to try to get into one of our farmer's markets and see what works and what doesn't. Unfortunately, this is really hard to do from 4 hours away!
Today it was suggested to me to try the almost-impossible: Bake in a commercial kitchen in my current city on a Thursday or Friday...then haul it 4 hours down the road ...stay the night...and get crankin' in the morning at the market...then, head back.
Sounds...crazy. And...exhausting. BUT, if I don't try SOMETHING...I completely miss the market season if I can't relocate down there until August!
So my questions are:
1. What are the glaring problems with this? (Besides it being expensive and tiring)
2. I'm going to have to really trim the product line. Soft pretzels and cinnamon rolls are my favorites...but the amount of time between baking and eating will be extensive. Have you had any success with a very stable product at a market? Something that won't turn to gush overnight (re: doughnut)? This will really be critical...it has to get from here to there and sustain any hot or rainy Southern summer weather.
3. Anything else you've learned out on the markets?