Do you want to start a biscuit-making business? If yes, you are in the right place. Here is a comprehensive guide, recommended by experts, on how to kickstart your biscuit business from home.
Biscuits and cookies are delicious snack items. A large number of people prefer freshly baked biscuits. If you have some space, you can start a home-based biscuit business.
Making and selling biscuits is a very profitable business. More so if started from home. This is primarily because running a home-based business eliminates the cost of securing a place, thereby keeping the startup cost low.
Any individual passionate about baking can start a biscuit business on a full-time or part-time basis. This business is perfect for women, housewives, and moms. Also, if a student wants to earn some extra cash, he or she can start this business at home.
7 Steps to Start a Home-Based Biscuit Business
1. Market Research
Before diving into any business, it’s crucial to conduct thorough market research. Identify your target market (e.g., children, adults, health-conscious individuals). Analyze competitors like local bakeries, online stores, and supermarkets. This will help you understand the current trends, competition, and customer preferences in the biscuit market.
2. Create a Business Plan
Before starting a biscuit-making business, it is advised to conduct market research in your immediate locality. Identify what type of products are most popular in your area. Because you must produce the biscuits and cookies according to the taste and preference of the local people.
Additionally, determine what type of biscuit you will produce. Accordingly, craft a business plan for your business. You must include the equipment cost, raw material and ingredient cost, marketing cost, etc.
Chalk out a marketing plan also. How you will going to promote your product. What demographics is your target audience? How will you be going to pack and deliver the product? Determine all these things carefully and craft a precise business plan.
3. Make Your Biscuit Making Business Legal
If you are serious and planning to run a hassle-free business, it is advised to legalize your company. When you are starting a business from home, a proprietorship organization is the best choice for you. Additionally, check the tax liabilities of this business in your zonal area.
There will also be a need for some licenses and permits to start and run a biscuit factory from home. Check with the local concerned authorities and procure them.
4. Name Your Business
It is essential to find a catchy and attractive name for your biscuit company. The name must be able to relate to prospective customers on what type of biscuit items you are selling. Check our detailed guide on the steps to follow to name a business.
5. Cost and Investment
You can start a home-based biscuit-making business with a very small startup capital investment. Initially, you can use your existing kitchen and equipment.
The major part of your initial investment will be in buying a biscuit-making machine and other related equipment. Additionally, there are investments in procuring raw materials and packaging consumables. Additionally, you will need to promote your product and it does cost.
On average, the approximate cost of starting a small-scale biscuit-making business is around $10,000.
6. Procure Equipment & Raw Materials
Check what types of equipment you will need to buy immediately. Generally, the biscuit-making process demands a dough mixer, molder, cutter, baking oven, oil sprayer, etc. Additionally, procure the raw materials. Do not stock the ingredients in large quantities initially.
Here is a list of the essential equipment needed to make biscuits from home:
- Baking oven
- Mixing bowls and mixers
- Baking trays and cookie cutters
- Storage containers for ingredients
- Packaging materials (boxes, labels, etc.)
7. Learn Biscuit Making Process
The biscuit and cookies making process are very simple. First of all, mix the wheat flour along with other ingredients with water and prepare the dough.
Then keep it at normal room temperature for about a couple of hours to allow proper fermentation. Then place it in an oven/ or biscuit making machine for baking. After requisite baking, cool the biscuit and pack them.
The process flowchart is as under:
Making the dough by mixing the ingredients → Process of fermentation → Giving the shape → Baking the raw biscuit → Testing → Packaging.
8. Develop Unique Recipes
To stand out in the market, your biscuits need to be unique and delicious. Experiment with different flavors and ingredients to develop your signature recipes.
Popular Biscuit Varieties:
- Chocolate Chip Biscuits
- Oatmeal Raisin Biscuits
- Shortbread
- Gingerbread
- Gluten-Free Biscuits
9. Pricing Your Biscuits
Pricing can make or break your business. Set a price that covers your costs and provides a profit margin while remaining competitive.
Pricing Strategy:
- Calculate the cost of ingredients, packaging, and overheads.
- Research competitor pricing.
- Consider the value addition (e.g., organic ingredients, handmade).
10. Promote Your Biscuit Items
Regardless of the size of your business, you must promote your product. And basically, you can promote a home-based business with small capital.
First of all, promote your business both offline and online. Word of mouth is the best option. Tell everyone you know (relatives, friends, neighbors) about your new venture.
Make your business available at the local online classifieds. Promote new items on social media. Create a website of your own. Even you can establish a small online store. Additionally, there is a lot of option for taking online payments from your clients.
Establish business tie-ups with the party planners or wedding planners. You can have recommendations from them.
A biscuit and cookies-making business are easy to start. However, you must have true passion and dedication to get long-term success in the biscuit-making business.
Editorial Team at 99BusinessIdeas is a team of experts led by Rupak Chakrabarty with over 25 years of experience in starting and running small businesses. Started in 2010, 99BusinessIdeas is now one of the largest free small business resources in the industry.