I recently relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, from North Carolina and while unpacking ran across a photograph of a wonderful product I sampled while attending a workshop hosted by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Carla Faw Squires, owner of Bamboo Ladies Bamboo Pickles was passing out these colorful photos doctored by a Photoshop program with her contact information. She later explained she did not have the money to have the photos taken professionally and decided to do it herself.

It really is amazing what you can do when you are short on cash and big on creativity. Honestly some of our best ideas come out of “lack.”

I have discussed this several times in my class and will repeat it here. Another great way to advertise your gourmet food product is to create a Tee Shirt, Golf Shirt or Sweatshirt and put your logo or information about your company on the front and/or back. You can even use a “call-to-action.” Ask me about my hot sauce company?

Congrats to Bamboo Ladies bamboo pickles featured in the Winter 2010 issue of  Gravy published by The University of Mississippi Southern Foodways Alliance Center for the Study of Southern Culture. Check it out in Gravy!

If House Bill 2771 is passed it will only allow 1,000 Okla-homans to sell up to $20,000 worth of baked goods a year from their homes, according to Rep. Eric Proctor, the bill’s author. The 1,000 limit will assure that the Health Department, which would license bakers and inspect homes, would be able to handle the workload.

This may not appear to be a lot of money to some, but for families struggling to keep their heads above water while the economy turns around this can mean the difference between paying the electric bill and purchasing gas for the family truck.

It is hoped the bill will go to the House for a full vote next week.  We’ll be watching!

What happens when you cannot bake or cook from home for profit and you have to use a licensed commercial kitchen? It can be a nightmare if you do not do your homework and make sure the owners of the commercial/incubator kitchen are there to help you and guide you through the food processing journey. Below are a few key points to remember when working with commercial kitchen rentals. Every commercial kitchen facility for rent may not be licensed to process the foods you are preparing, so make sure before completing an application that the facility meets all your needs.

1. Don’t be afraid to ask questions (You want to make sure the facility is licensed and insured)
2. Inspect the facility thoroughly first, to make sure it has all the equipment and supplies you will need to prepare your product.
3. Ask the administrators/owners of the facility if they offer other services that will benefit you and assist you in developing your small food processing business. Will these services cost you more? or are they included in the kitchen rental fees?
4. Does the facility require an application to be completed? This will assist them in meeting your needs as a food processor? (Ask how your personal information will be used and who will have access to it.)
5. Does the facility require you to fill out and return a User Contract that includes rental and use of equipment policies? (It is imperative that you know up front what you are responsible for before you start processing your product.
6. Does the facility provide an area where you can store your products? (Cold storage)
7. Does the facility provide an area where you can store your supplies, bottling, packaging, labels etc? Will your supplies be secure?
8. Does the facility require you attend any type of Food Safety and Sanitation workshop or provide proof of similar type training or does the facility provide that training to you?
9. Are there time limits on when you can use the kitchen? (Offering flexibility allows processors to use the facility when they have product to produce, saving time and money)
10. Does the facility require the processor to prepay for scheduled use of the kitchen and/or pay a security deposit to secure use of the rented kitchen?
11. Ask the administrative staff/owner to walk you through a typical day in the facility and always ask to speak to someone who has used the facility before; or better yet make a return visit when another processor is present.

If you are interested in starting your own commercial kitchen for rent check out starting a shared used kitchen to learn how.