How to Sell Bread
- 1). Apply for licenses to operate a bakery in your area. Make arrangements with your local public health department to inspect your facilities before you begin making bread to sell. Consult the website of your local and state governments to apply for other licenses needed to operate your business legally, which vary by region.
- 2). Set up your bakery. You can prepare a home bakery for business by purchasing bread mixers, baking sheets, work tables and ingredients. If you're new in the business and cannot set up a bakery in your home, you can enter into a commercial kitchen sharing agreement with a culinary incubator site. Such agreements allow you to use the commercial kitchen facilities of incubator sponsors in exchange for goods or services.
- 3). Apply for a table or booth at a farmer's market. Farmers' markets generally require applicants to submit documents showing health department approval to lease vendor space. The farmers' market application process could be competitive, depending on market size and location. Once approved, get market shoppers interested in your breads by offering samples.
- 4). Sell bread directly to grocery retailers, restaurants and caterers. To sell your bread wholesale, make an appointment with the grocery store, caterer or restaurant food buyer. Once you enter an agreement to be a bread supplier for such companies, you must be able to fill bread orders as required to remain in good standing with the buyer.
- 5). Rent a food truck. A food truck allows you to change locations throughout the day, thus giving you the flexibility to set up where you're most likely to get business. You could sell bread exclusively, or sell items made out of your breads such as cold sandwiches and Paninis. The website Eatfrysmith.com says that renting a food truck could cost as much as $2,000 a month. Other food truck operating expenses include gas, parking and insurance.
