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Dog Bakery SuppliesFind sources for dog bakery supplies before you open your bakery. Doing your homework up-front to find the best deals and the most reliable sources will save you time, money and aggravation later. Prices and quality for dog treat ingredients, bakery packaging, shipping boxes and bakery labels vary widely—both in quality and in price. So, make sure you compare before you buy! Here are some ideas to help you get started.
Dog Treat IngredientsMany of the more common dog treat ingredients, like unbleached flour, whole wheat flour, rye flour, oatmeal and raw sugar or honey—can be found at your local grocery store.The advantage to buying at the grocery store is that you can purchase ingredients in small quantities. This is fine when you are just experimenting and developing your recipes and product line.
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Turn Your Passion for Pets into PROFIT!To be successful in business you need experts to guide you straight through the process......with no "theories" just facts!You now have the opportunity to learn 2 insiders in the pet industry: Chris Trombley (PetSmart) and Doug Bertram (Farnam Pet Products). They have put together an excellent package to help you get started. Don't waste time and money making mistakes, learning how to start a bakery on your own. Learn from Chris and Doug—and you'll be making money months earlier! However, eventually you will want to purchase dog treat ingredients and other dog bakery supplies in larger quantities. If you have never purchased 50 or 100 lb sacks of flour, you'll need to make some phone calls to bakery supply distributors and restaurant supply distributors and warehouse stores like Sam's or Costco. And perhaps, it would help to look online to learn more about the suppliers who are located near you. Many food suppliers will deliver to businesses across state lines—often quite a few state lines. Some will sell smaller amounts, others require a large minimum purchase (in dollars). Some companies charge for delivery, others include delivery in the price. Some suppliers will let you come to their warehouse and pick up an order—this is an advantage if you are in a hurry and can't wait until the next scheduled delivery day for your area. The prices for bakery supplies vary widely. For example, Happy Bakery Supplies may have a great price for flours but charge a very high price for oatmeal. Another supplier may do just the opposite. Decide on one or two suppliers. This will keep your life simpler, and easier. Each supplier will ask you to prove that you are a business—you will need to have a federal tax ID number to do this. You will have to get your tax ID through the IRS. And you will have to do the same at the state level. Check to see if you need to get an ID number or license at the county or city level for your area. You'll also have to learn how to apply for credit with a wholesale supplier as a new business.
Bakery PackagingBefore you open the doors to your bakery (literally or figuratively), you'll need to have packaging. When you choose your bakery packaging, make sure that the containers are food safe and government approved for food packaging. Just buying cute containers at the dollar store is not going to work! Your business is subject to regulations, and you don't want to invite trouble!Bakery Packaging is another area where prices vary considerably. Do some online searches and compare prices. The company that I like best online is Nashville Wraps. They have a great selection of gourmet and regular bakery packaging, and they will sell smaller quantities. Here are some possible kinds of packaging that you might consider using. Each will give your dog treats a different look:
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One thing you need to check on—when you speak with suppliers--is the minimum purchase (in dollars) required, or if a company will sell to you in smaller quantities. It is true that you can pay less per piece if you buy large quantities, but you may end up with more packaging than you'll need—in a lifetime! And you'll find that buying bakery packaging supplies in large quantities will really stretch your budget!
The bags that I used were only 2-3 cents each and the 2”x4” labels were 5-10 cents each. My packaging was very simple, but--I never had a complaint! And the low cost of packaging helped keep my profits high!
Shipping Boxes
If you will be shipping your dog treats to your customers, consider what service you will use for shipping (USP, US postal service) and then choose the kinds of boxes that you will need.
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