Kevin Martino started his cottage food business, Chef Kev's Specialty Foods, when California created its cottage food law in 2013. He wholesales flavored peanuts to a number of breweries and hardware stores in Concord, CA, and also sells online.
Kevin was actually one of the first cottage food business owners that I ever met, and it's cool to see how far he has come with his business over the years.
Kevin talks about what he's learned through producing and wholesaling spicy peanuts, how he's grown his business so far, and what he's planning for in the future. I also share my insight on why an LLC might not be the right fit for him at this point.
What You'll Learn
- Why Kevin, a trained chef, mainly focuses on selling flavored peanuts to breweries
- Why Thai spicy peanut is Kevin's most popular flavor
- How the coronavirus has impacted Kevin's business
- The different sizes and prices of nut containers that Kevin sells
- How wholesale accounts can lead to more direct consumer orders
- How to add more wholesale accounts to your business
- The pros and cons of having a generic business name
- Why an LLC doesn't always protect your personal assets
- How to know if an LLC is right for your business
- How to grow your business without paid advertising
- The high cost of running a Class B cottage food operation in Contra Costa County, CA
Resources
Chef Kev's Specialty Foods
Chef Kev's YouTube Channel
California Cottage Food Law
Get full show notes and transcript here: https://forrager.com/podcast/9
