Gluten Free Bakery

[Ennis-TX]

I have been selling gluten free goods at the local farmers market for over a year now. Bit hit and miss as I get limited on what to take by kitchen issues and contamination making me throw some out. So I started working on making a gluten free bakery in a old apparment building down town in Ennis. This is both for my own health and sanity, and to be able to provide others with healthy gluten free baked goods.

 

My line is a bit uniqe in the fact I use pretty much all organic ingredients and try to keep most my receipes very health oriented with low glycemic, or natural sugar free sweetners (stevia). Along with using healthy fats, avoiding animal products, and yeast.

 

My main issue is right now the lack of funding as I have bit underestimated how much had to be done to bring stuff up to code, and finish out with new appliacnes etc. I started a kickstarter to get funding, to no success so far. And am asking around seeing what all I should try to do to get better established.

 

Any suggestions, tips, perhaps pointing me at a supplier for raw organic, gluten-free flours (White rice, Oat, Almond, Hazelnut, Brown rice, Sweet sourgum, Teff, coconut) I have some good deals set up but willing to consider others.

I am also looking at a better testing method. Right now I order ingredients in large batches of the same lot no. then test a sample (EZ-test strips) before storing them. A less expensive or better testing method is being looked at.

[kareng]

If you get certified gluten-free ingredients, you shouldn't have to test every ingredient.

[kenlove]

My wife has been doing this for about 8 years at our farmers markets   on the Big Island in Hawaii.  She orders in bulk online and keeps material in professional kitchen storage containers from restaurant supply companies like BArgreen Elligson which is nationwide.  She packages in saran type wrap from costco. Each "fruit" bread has a custom label on it and in it's own container that its baked in with a few exceptions that are pie shapped. Those are just in the plastic wrap. We do not check  any of the certified  gluten-free ingredients and the kitchen is gluten-free except for her pasta which has separate pans etc etc.  She has developed a large following and had to increase the number of breads  each week.  We do have a commercial stove so the btu's are greater than home stoves although that doesnt affect the baking, it does make things more consistent. She has to include a lot of locally grown items in the breads and baked goods so trades with local growers for things we don't grow or have. Like Karen said you dotn need to test for gluten-free on items that are sold that way but if you make  speads or jams or butters etc. you would need to  test the pH. 

good luck

 

 

I have been selling gluten free goods at the local farmers market for over a year now. Bit hit and miss as I get limited on what to take by kitchen issues and contamination making me throw some out. So I started working on making a gluten free bakery in a old apparment building down town in Ennis. This is both for my own health and sanity, and to be able to provide others with healthy gluten free baked goods.

 

My line is a bit uniqe in the fact I use pretty much all organic ingredients and try to keep most my receipes very health oriented with low glycemic, or natural sugar free sweetners (stevia). Along with using healthy fats, avoiding animal products, and yeast.

 

My main issue is right now the lack of funding as I have bit underestimated how much had to be done to bring stuff up to code, and finish out with new appliacnes etc. I started a kickstarter to get funding, to no success so far. And am asking around seeing what all I should try to do to get better established.

 

Any suggestions, tips, perhaps pointing me at a supplier for raw organic, gluten-free flours (White rice, Oat, Almond, Hazelnut, Brown rice, Sweet sourgum, Teff, coconut) I have some good deals set up but willing to consider others.

I am also looking at a better testing method. Right now I order ingredients in large batches of the same lot no. then test a sample (EZ-test strips) before storing them. A less expensive or better testing method is being looked at.

[MycasMommy]

Ahhh this is great.  I often think about doing this.  Though grain free, not just gluten free.  I do not have any advice for cost savings but DO NOT GIVE UP. keep on keeping on, even if it seems bleak at points. The people who make it and are really successful tend to be the ones that are the CEOs (the owner of the business). Just keep plugging along.

 

 

The Big Island??  Darn, I just moved here from Oahu.  I lived there for 8 years and now I am in Seattle.  I am SO SO SO happy with the availability of so many more things here. You would think at least Oahu (the island with the majority of Hawaii's population is) would have a nice wide selection.  But no, not really.

 

 

I was thinking the other day about offering a home service where I come to the persons house, Gluten free (or separate correctly) their kitchen and sit down with the whole family for white board and power point education.  I was even thinking of providing the gluten-free kitchen basic supplies.   Maybe you two could add such a service on the side for some extra cash?  Might be a way to helop fund your bakery, Not steady income obviously but youve already got a customer base?

[Ennis-TX]

The testing is done on non certified goods. The companies have said they do not use anything containing gluten but say they can not so for their suppliers. I just do it as a precaution, and this is why I was asking on suggestions for new suppliers. Bit of paranoia on my part.

 

And is there any kind of organization or group that might sponsor/donate some stuff like cookware? And how would I go about applying. Honestly I am starting completly from scratch here in this new place. Right now so low on funds thinking about just eating bars for a month and use food money to finish this.

[kareng]

.Most businesses get loans or have the money first. If I remember right from my classes, you should have enough money for a year of operating expenses...not including start up costs. Then, if you are lucky, you will at least break even in a year

Maybe look in your area for new business excellorators or entrepreneur/ business mentors? Maybe take some new business start up classes before you get too far in? It seems that many people try to start a business and have no real idea about how much it will cost just on a day to day basis. Remodeling and buying equipment are just the start of your expenses.

And of course you will need a year or more worth of your personal expenses - rent, food, car, etc as you probably won't be making a salary for the first year or two.

[Jason-1]

I have a gluten and grain free bakery. Work with local suppliers, I know Texas has a huge supplier for that stuff. You can also reach out to companies and ask for wholesale pricing and they're pretty easy going and willing to with with companies. People at Farmers Markets will generally also let you buy wholesale as well... And if you don't want to test every batch you can by already gluten free certified ingredients.

I would check out Bob's Red Mill Wholesale, Nuts.com might be a resource as well and maybe IFSBulk.com (not sure if they do organic, but I used them when I was starting out and they are in Texas.) You can also reach out to Sysco, but compare all of their prices because they are cheap on some things and super expensive on others.

I have been selling gluten free goods at the local farmers market for over a year now. Bit hit and miss as I get limited on what to take by kitchen issues and contamination making me throw some out. So I started working on making a gluten free bakery in a old apparment building down town in Ennis. This is both for my own health and sanity, and to be able to provide others with healthy gluten free baked goods.

 

My line is a bit uniqe in the fact I use pretty much all organic ingredients and try to keep most my receipes very health oriented with low glycemic, or natural sugar free sweetners (stevia). Along with using healthy fats, avoiding animal products, and yeast.

 

My main issue is right now the lack of funding as I have bit underestimated how much had to be done to bring stuff up to code, and finish out with new appliacnes etc. I started a kickstarter to get funding, to no success so far. And am asking around seeing what all I should try to do to get better established.

 

Any suggestions, tips, perhaps pointing me at a supplier for raw organic, gluten-free flours (White rice, Oat, Almond, Hazelnut, Brown rice, Sweet sourgum, Teff, coconut) I have some good deals set up but willing to consider others.

I am also looking at a better testing method. Right now I order ingredients in large batches of the same lot no. then test a sample (EZ-test strips) before storing them. A less expensive or better testing method is being looked at.

[Ennis-TX]

Yeah, my issues with bobs was soy contamination. I have had some recent success with spices, I am dealing with 3 other companies, for everything else. I have a one that is great for nut meals, and cocoa (organic, and gluten free) I have one for oat for making my own oat flour and they use strict standards with guaranteed below 3ppm and no hotspots. And I think I have a line up on the others but they a smaller group. I will cross reference the others you suggested and work them into the spread sheet to see how they balance out. Thanks for the info, I learn a bit from everything, and consider the options.

[kenlove]

talk to your local university extension  office. They should be able to help you develop a grant  to apply for  through  SARE-- USDA  Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education -- They  have  farmer-rancher  grants which  help  small farmers and producers.  If your  adding local  ingredients to your  baked goods there may be a way to apply for funding for  the cookware you mentioned -- it ha to benefit a group so if you buy  from local faremrs you stand a good chance...

 

Yeah, my issues with bobs was soy contamination. I have had some recent success with spices, I am dealing with 3 other companies, for everything else. I have a one that is great for nut meals, and cocoa (organic, and gluten free) I have one for oat for making my own oat flour and they use strict standards with guaranteed below 3ppm and no hotspots. And I think I have a line up on the others but they a smaller group. I will cross reference the others you suggested and work them into the spread sheet to see how they balance out. Thanks for the info, I learn a bit from everything, and consider the options.