Thinking of offering a service; what are your thoughts?

amother

Seafoam

Thu, Oct 04 2018, 12:51 pm

Thanks ladies for sharing your ideas :-) They're all helpful!

Now I think I need to set up a website where people can place their orders. But does this really require a website?
I am not keen on having a website. Maybe people can text their orders?

I'll also need a source from where to purchase the nuts at wholesale price.
I'm uber particular about freshness. I'd like to purchase organic and conventional.

I'm a stickler for glass jars/bottles. No plastic please.

I can deliver twice a week.

Who can help me with the details?

I'm feeling hopeful that with the proceeds of the sales I may be able to breathe easier about the difficult financial situation here.

amother

Chartreuse

Thu, Oct 04 2018, 1:31 pm

amother wrote:

Thanks ladies for sharing your ideas :-) They're all helpful!

Now I think I need to set up a website where people can place their orders. But does this really require a website?

I'll also need a source from which to purchase the nuts at wholesale price.
I'm uber particular about freshness. I'd like to purchase organic and conventional.

I'm a stickler for glass jars/bottles. No plastic please.

I can deliver twice a week.

Who can help me with the details?

I'm feeling hopeful that with the proceeds of the sales I may be able to breathe easier about the difficult financial situation here.

First you need to figure out how much to charge per bottle and determine if people will pay that price.

Costco almonds are 0.31 per oz.
16oz glass jar is a dollar.

What would you need to charge to make an acceptable profit for 16oz of almond milk?

amother

Seafoam

Thu, Oct 04 2018, 1:42 pm

amother wrote:

First you need to figure out how much to charge per bottle and determine if people will pay that price.

What would you need to charge to make an acceptable profit for 16oz of almond milk?

I'm thinking $10 for 16 oz. And I would think it can be paid with maaser Wink

because it's kind of tzedaka, in a way, iykwim embarrassed

MiracleMama

Thu, Oct 04 2018, 1:46 pm

amother wrote:

I'm thinking of ways to earn money, so that I can meet basic living expenses. I like to do things I'm good at. Don't laugh, but I'm good at making nut-milk. My children love it! I love it too! For small eaters, it's a great meal replacement on its own, and for regular eaters, it's a great boost when added to a protein shake.

I'm thinking to offer a service: I would go to people's homes and teach them how to make nut milk with their blender. Or, I'd make it in my home and deliver. Nut milk has a very short shelf life. It can be refrigerated for up to three days, no longer. In my home, a batch of nut milk never lasts that long. It's that tasty, it gets gobbled up in no time.

The nut milks that are currently sold in stores contain ingredients I'd rather not consume. The nut milk I make is made of nuts and water, nothing else. (Unless you want to add sweetener or flavors such as cinnamon, vanilla, etc.) We like ours plain.

What do you think of this idea?

(Location: Brooklyn)

I taught myself how to do this years ago from youtube videos. It's so simple I can't imagine anyone needing lessons. Maybe in a community where nobody has internet access.
I could see selling the milk more sensible. Although it's easy, there is still prep and cleanup and nothing is easier than having someone else do it for you. Of course there is (at least where I live) already a ton of nut milk options in the grocery stores at reasonable prices, so you'd really be appealing to those who want really clean/ healthy food (none of that other stuff that's usually added in commercial stuff, like carageenan and gellan gum etc.).

amother

Seafoam

Thu, Oct 04 2018, 1:52 pm

MiracleMama wrote:

Although it's easy, there is still prep and cleanup and nothing is easier than having someone else do it for you. Of course there is (at least where I live) already a ton of nut milk options in the grocery stores at reasonable prices, so you'd really be appealing to those who want really clean/ healthy food (none of that other stuff that's usually added in commercial stuff, like carageenan and gellan gum etc.).

Yes to all of your lines, particularly that I'd be appealing to those who want "clean" nut milk.
I feel encouraged reading your comment. Thanks!

InnerMe

Thu, Oct 04 2018, 1:54 pm

amother wrote:

I'm thinking $10 for 16 oz. And I would think it can be paid with maaser Wink

because it's kind of tzedaka, in a way, iykwim embarrassed

You should probably compare it to grocery store versions of this, plus health food stores if there's any similar item and base it off that. You don't want the price to be too high, that people won't buy it. People must value it enough to be willing to pay $10 for a 16 oz bottle. Perhaps there's some kind of survey you can take.. and feel it out how much people would be willing to spend on this.

rgr

Thu, Oct 04 2018, 2:03 pm

amother wrote:

I'm thinking $10 for 16 oz. And I would think it can be paid with maaser Wink

because it's kind of tzedaka, in a way, iykwim embarrassed

You are selling an item of value. YOU have value. Don't underestimate yourself!

As for a website, I recommend starting with Instagram. If you are already on Instagram, consider following @Abbeywollin who shares business advice

amother

Chocolate

Thu, Oct 04 2018, 2:15 pm

OP, I got so excited reading your post because my daughter has crohns and we are preparing ourselves for the possibility of her one day maybe (I hope not!)needing to go on the specific carbohydrate diet, which has a high success rate of keeping crohns and colitis symptoms away. So many crohns and colitis ppl are on the SCD diet-just search this site.

There is no milk, soy milk or rice milk allowed on the SCD diet. Only PURE nut milk with no additives whatsoever, so many people make nut milk. But for many, myself included, the idea of constantly making it (along with everything else that needs to be home made) is exhausting and I could see people on the SCD diet being willing to buy it ready made.
However....I recently noticed a new product on my local grocery shelves- milked almonds, hazelnuts etc all types, by a company named Elmhurst and its 100% pure nut milk, but it only costs $4.39 for 32 oz. So for that reason alone, I would buy theirs.....something to think about.

Either way, much hatzlacha in whatever you decide, and if you do go for it, definitely look into the SCD market for it. Soooo many Jewish people have crohns and are on it. You can talk to local health food stores, maybe look into wellbees, which is a kosher online store with monsey based warehouses that sells SCD products.

amother

Seafoam

Thu, Oct 04 2018, 2:17 pm

rgr wrote:

I'm not on Instagram. Will look into it.
Thanks for the info!

groovy1224

Thu, Oct 04 2018, 2:23 pm

amother wrote:

I'm not on Instagram. Will look into it.
Thanks for the info!

In today's day, I wouldn't start a business without it. It is a great way to stay in contact with customers, get orders, and publicize your business without giving out your phone number. I think if you have instagram a website isn't necessary.

(You can also do giveaways to help get the business going)

I second (third?) the idea of following abbey wolin for her small biz advice.

amother

Seafoam

Thu, Oct 04 2018, 2:24 pm

amother wrote:

recently noticed a new product on my local grocery shelves- milked almonds, hazelnuts etc all types, by a company named Elmhurst and its 100% pure nut milk, but it only costs $4.39 for 32 oz. So for that reason alone, I would buy theirs.....something to think about.

I would imagine if the product is on a shelf it would have to have stabilizers. I'll check it out. Yeah, that is a great price. It seems to me I'm offering a higher end nut milk. Maybe I can offer you a sample to taste? I'm biased to my own nut milk, but the truth of the matter is I have sensitive taste buds and maybe because I eat clean I can taste the difference between home-made (fresh, organic nuts, with filtered water) and store-bought.

flmommy

Thu, Oct 04 2018, 2:34 pm

A whats app group where when people respond to you and only you can see it may work instead of having a website. Maybe a discount it people return their glass containers for re-use? You wouod need to steralize the jars then I assume. Good luck. Don’t invest too much $ as it sounds like you are strapped but start slow. All the best!
If you do decide to teach classes Air B and B has listings for local experiences and “nut milk making class” would be right up the alley from what I have seen. I think you would gain customers from classes... naturally minded people who want to make nut milk may likely decide they don’t have the time 😆.

amother

Chocolate

Thu, Oct 04 2018, 2:37 pm

amother wrote:

Thats the thing-it doesnt have any stabilizers, it was the first thing I checked. The only ingredient listed is the nut.
BH im not at that point where id be buying it for the SCD diet because we are hoping a new mcedication will work for my daughter, but theres a big market for pure nut milk on the SCD diet. I dont know about other people, but for myself I would really be looking for low price, especially since health food in general is so expensive. But it could be others would pay more! You never know... if you market it as a more high-end product...

ETA as im thinking about it, we know people who tried to launch a product, lets say flavored chocolate (want to protect their identity) and at first their friendly looking, reasoynably priced amazinglly delicious product wasnt bringing in enough business. Then after a few years of strugglhing with it they relaunched it under a much fancier name, fancier label, called it "artisian" or gourmet or whatever and its now a hot item flyitng off the shelves of manyJewish groceries. And its MUCH more expensive than it was.
Please dont trust me for business advice cuz I rly dont know anything about it, but maybe appealing to high end customers would help?

InnerMe

Thu, Oct 04 2018, 2:54 pm

amother wrote:

I think there are ways that food companies can get away with listing minuscule ingredients.. but I'm not exactly sure the details.