Description

Kathy Sing started her caramel corn business 7 years ago, thinking it would just be a fun hobby for about a year or so.

Well, here we are 7 years later, and Kathy's Kernels in Visalia, CA is definitely not a hobby. Kathy is busier than ever, and she did almost $50k of sales last year!

Kathy's treats would sell very well at farmers markets and local events, but unlike most cottage food entrepreneurs, she skipped over those and went straight into selling through retail stores.

After just one year, she was already selling in 15 stores!

How did she do it? What does it feel like to make $50k worth of treats from home? Kathy breaks it all down for us in this episode.

What You'll Learn

• How to get retail stores to sell your products
• Why Kathy's caramel corn gets rave reviews
• The difference between mushroom & butterfly popcorn
• The surprisingly simple equipment that Kathy uses
• How to make an amazing rice krispie treat
• The challenge of getting products approved in some counties in CA
• What's it's like to get a kitchen inspection
• How to manage pricing and restocking for wholesale accounts
• The downside of getting labels professionally printed
• How to use discounts and promotions to boost your sales
• Why Kathy had her best year ever in 2020 and sold almost $50k of product during the pandemic
• What brands Kathy recommends for ingredients
• The importance of putting yourself into your brand and business

Resources

Kathy's Kernels (Facebook | Instagram)

Presto Air Popper & Jolly Time Popcorn from Amazon

Labeling: OnlineLabels.com

Packaging: Nashville Wraps & Paper Mart

National Cottage Food Conference (April 6th – 9th, 2021)

California Cottage Food Law

Get full show notes and transcript here: https://forrager.com/podcast/29