[CH] Chiles and Entrepreneurship

The Old Bear (oldbear@arctos.com)
Thu, 29 Jan 1998 09:01:01 -0500 

In ChileHeads Digest, Vol.4 No.287, Matt Kraft wrote:

>Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 11:26:01 -0600
>From: "Matt Kraft" <kraftm@tim.hji.com>
>Subject: Fw: [CH] Gourmet Chili/Salsa Products/Program
>
>>how did he get his sales tax number, get his occupational license,
>>rent an approved kitchen facility (you cannot under federal and state law
>>manufacture and sell from your kitchen), get your agricultural license
>>( a need if you are canning), get your health dept inspection and okay,
>>and find yoursuppliers that fast?
>>Just thought I'd ask.
>
>>And please be kind when you flame me.
>
>No Flames here just questions... I am not so worried that any other 
>person has done these things but I would like to know... What do you
>have to do to sell a hot sauce or a salsa... I have always had a fantasy
>that I could sell my hot sauce in bottled form and make an meger honest
>living peddling chiles?  There are obviously a lot red tape monsters in
>the way!  Where does the "little guy" (note I am not that little) find 
>out what to do if he wants to take a shot??? Any web site info on this 
>kind of stuff?


Based on the response to the John Zemek post, I am a little cautious 
about even using the word 'commercial' on this list.  

(I did take offense at Zemek, however.  Not because of the commercial 
nature of the post, but the fact that he appeared more interested in 
the MLM aspect than in the product.  This is a chile lovers list and 
I welcome information on bona fide chile-related products, but not on 
an MLM scheme to which the chile product is incidental.)

A feature story in the Food Section of the Boston Globe from August 
10, 1994 described in detail the process by which Tom Pierpont of 
Duxbury, Massachusetts took an idea for "Admiral Pierpont's Royal 
Thai Peanut Sauce" and turned it into a viable small business.  (The 
article is a little long to post to this list, but I will be happy to 
send it via email to anyone who so requests.)

There are also a number of articles on the Firey Foods magazine's web 
site.  For example:

    How to Choose a Contract Packer: The first step from home 
    kitchen to commercial production. 
    URL: < http://www.fiery-foods.com/zine-industry/choose.html >

    A Crash Course in Marketing Hot and Spicy Products 
    URL: < http://www.fiery-foods.com/zine-industry/crash.html >

    How To Manufacture and Sell Your Own Products
    URL: < http://www.fiery-foods.com/zine-industry/schy.html >

    What Buyers Are Looking For: An Insider's Guide to Placing 
    Your Product In Shops, Catalogs and Grocery Stores
    URL: < http://www.fiery-foods.com/zine-industry/buyers.html >

and an article by our own Mary Going:

    Don't Get Tangled in The World Wide Web: Use It to Catch Customers 
    URL: < http://www.fiery-foods.com/zine-industry/tangled.html >


Cheers,
The Old Bear