Hey Dis'ers, I'm starting a GF bakery!!! I need your opinions!

[DisDreaminMom]

Hi everyone! For those of you who don't know me from the Behavior Challenge Thread, I'm the mom of two kids, DD who is 9 and DS who is 7 and has Aspergers. We are not a dedicated GF family, but my son does not like most wheat containing products and I have been cooking GF for him and another relative who has a gluten allergy.

I always cook and say, "I wish I could get paid to do this!". I do work part time at The Disney Store but we are a farm family, so I have the opportunity to take a building I have and make it into a dedicated GF kitchen. My very dear friend has been diagnosed with Celiac AND Lupus and she has been trying to get me to take the plunge and finally go into business.

Here's what I'd like to do: make fresh products that taste like REAL food. No hockey pucks. No bread that is like a surf board. I will start out very small and do the Farmer's Market and local owned stores to begin with.

I think trial and error and customer feedback is the way to go on this one. Since many of you on here have personal experience with living the GF lifestyle, tell me your opinions and preferences. When I get to the point where we're operational (early March if all goes well), then I'll report and share recipes, etc.

My first question: Is important to you to make EVERYTHING GF AND CF (casein free-meaning no dairy) or would you like the option of eating products with dairy products? I know ASD dieters like GF/CF, but what about the celiacs?

Also, is it really important to you for things to be vegan (no animal products at all)?



Thanks In Advance!

 

[syko]

I hope you make a go of it. For me it would need to be vegan too.

 

[jmartinez1895]

We buy GF chocolate cip cokkies for our son because he loves cookies. I think it would be nice if you could come up with a recipe that taste more like cookie and less like cardboard.

 

[DisDreaminMom]

I think it would be nice if you could come up with a recipe that taste more like cookie and less like cardboard.

That's the hope, at least! LOL

 

[Momelie]

Hi there!

I'm thrilled that you are doing this, and I only wish I were closer so that I could be your biggest customer!

I'm pretty much just GF for medical reasons, but I usually have to settle for GF/CF because I can't find anything else. I always wonder if that's the reason for the hockey puck syndrome, LOL! (Yeah, blame it on the dairy!) I'm OK with it because one of my daughters is slightly allergic to milk protein, although she seems to be growing out of it.

Anyway, I would like to have options, as I'm not vegan at all, and love to have different flavor choices and combinations to choose from.

Wishing you all the fantastic good luck in the world!

 

[DisDreaminMom]

Things do taste better with dairy! I think I may offer options and just label things heavily. One of the things my allergist told me is that the fattier the dairy product, the less concentrated the milk proteins. He told me to avoid skim milk and that heavy cream and butter are better options as far as avoiding allergy issues.

I did find a soy based butter substitute that is not hydrogenated. It is just expeller pressed. Also was considering experimenting with coconut oil, since it's a solid at room temp. I found a wholesale source for egg replacer, but flax and xantham gum work well as substitutes. Haven't had a chance to play around with these products all together yet, though. (I do make a mean GF/dairy free/egg free meatloaf using flax- strange but true!)

Also, I was going to do my own eggs and then I would have absolute control over the quality of the feed and keep it high Omega 3/organic, which might be a selling point for the things that have eggs in them. We also are doing goats, so I wonder if offering a goat's milk option would attract any interest.

I think that some consumers would like a processed flour free version of upscale desserts, just because they are healthier anyway. I make a lovely bourbon chocolate torte that is a wonderful base for all kinds of fun concoctions. And I personally drive all the way across town for the one bakery in town that makes a from scratch cake with real buttercream icing and those cakes go for around $40 for the smallest size. Can I go one better and take out the processed flour?

Also, my favorite cooking chocolate is dairy free and it's the best rated chocolate in many circles (Callebaut from Belgium), so I can keep up the quality.

 

[livndisney]

We buy GF chocolate cip cokkies for our son because he loves cookies. I think it would be nice if you could come up with a recipe that taste more like cookie and less like cardboard.

AMEN!!!! And making a chocolate chip cookie that does not feel like sand in your mouth would be wonderful!

 

[natashag76]

You mentioned GF and CF how about a few Nut free options? Our nephew can only eat in his home, his grandparents and our home because we keep it tree-nut free. He also has Celiac disease as well as a few other allergies but he can't even be in room that has nuts in it. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Schmeck]

First off, check with your local board of health to see if you are zoned/allowed to start a bakery in your own home. Then get set for an inspection, find out all you can about the local ordinances, and get insurance. This is to cover your home and family in case a customer decides to sue you after they have purchased your product.

If the above seems overwhelming, then please reconsider selling your products - all it takes is one mistake, or one sue-happy customer to lose your farm.

 

[Tiggerish]

You probably should set up a new, separate corporation for the bakery. And keep it separate from the farm income and outgoing. That will give you some protection from potential lawsuits and other stuff. If you do go the corporate route, you have to remember to do everything, line of credit, vendor credit, etc in the corporate name and not sign for anything personally if you can avoid it. Remembering sometimes with a new business you cannot get credit unless you pledge both corporate and personally but try to avoid signing personally for anything.

I think there is a good market for what you want to do and I think (from reading your posts on this board) that you have the determination and planning skills to make it happen.

Good luck.

 

[DisDreaminMom]

As for the business part, this is not my first rodeo so to speak, just have never done a bakery. I used to be a commercial insurance agent and my father owned an insurance agency and was a leading attorney/consultant for the small business insurance market and published the legal column for a major industry magazine until he passed away. But thanks for worrying about me

As far as the nut allergy, here's a question: I'm doing a dedicated GF building so as to avoid contamination. I don't want to limit myself to be totally nut free because you can't be all things to all people. However, I do wonder what the "nut free" standard is that normal manufacturers employ. I guess it wouldn't be enough to break down and sanitize all equipment and do a dedicated "nut free" run of product. Technically, it would still be manufactured in a place that uses nuts, right?

How many of you have heard of coconut allergies? SO many good substitutes include coconut. (Thinking oil and coconut milk).

Thanks for all of your good thoughts and kind words.

 

[My2Cinderellas]

I would caution against trying to serve ALL allergy needs. Decide what 1 or 2 you want to cater to. If you make every product GF, dairy free, vegan and tree nut/peanut free you'll be left with tasteless hockey pucks.

Going GF is probably the biggie for most customers. Yes, some will have additional allergies or dietary requests but they will need to pick and choose from the products you offer and determine if the level of contamination is acceptable to them.

 

[KirstenB]

We're not a GF family, but for those who are, I know birthday cakes are a huge item!!

 

[Schmeck]

Glad to know you've definitely got the business experience! That's usually the biggest stumbling block for people. I know it did in the special bakery we had in town. It was a really nice bakery/coffee shop.

If you can do gluten free and peanut free, that should give you a big enough market. I'd check to see how common it is to have peanut and tree nut allergies together though.

 

[curemyreed]

Feedback: We only buy/make gluten, casein, soy-free. One child has autism and another has celiac disease. The other 3 members of the family are GF/CF/SF in solidarity/support of those needing special diet and to maintain "clean" kitchen and home. The one area I do and am willing to pay top dollar for is tasty baked goods because they are HARD to come by. So I know there is niche there for you. One thing about the coconut....all of us are able to detect a coconut taste when it is an ingredient in something I make, so you might explore whether you can use it without it overpowering the rest of the dessert. Just seemed like everything I was making with coconut oil tasted the same...like coconut.

Good luck with your endeavor!

 

[DisDreaminMom]

I think I'll need to play around with the coconut. I, too, wonder how much will take over the flavor. My son doesn't like the flavor of it and seems to be able to detect in in minuscule amounts. I have a good taste tester in him. I've gotten a few "THIS IS HORRIBLE!" from him and back to the drawingboard we go!

My good friend with Celiac is really excited about the birthday cake idea, as well. She has an uncle who owned a bakery for many years and she can decorate cakes, so we might try doing it as a special order thing at first. I agree about the need for that, as well.

I am not so into soy personally. I think it can do some really nasty things to a child's hormone system.

You guys are super helpful, thanks.

 

[No Wheat Pete]

Great to hear of the possibility of another bakery! I am keeping my fingers crossed that you might be within driving distance of my house!!
Since you asked for opinions, I'll tell you what would be important to our celiac family...
- dedicated gluten free (of course)
- we like dairy and have no problem with it. Especially butter.
- some nut flours are nutritious and good to cook with (ie almond flour)
- We prefer foods that have all natural and pronounceable ingredients
- I agree with you about soy and tend to avoid it.
- We are always looking for cupcakes that are both pretty and tasty. It makes up for always missing out on the cake at birthday parties.
- I am still searching for a really good bagel and soft pretzel.

Good luck with your endeavor! Keep us posted of your progress.
-Karen

 

[DisDreaminMom]

I discovered a few things the last few days:

1) No matter how good the GF cheese crackers taste, my Aspie would not eat them until I allowed him to poke a hole in the middle of the square so it looked exactly like a "Cheese It". Then he was a big fan.

2) Quinoa flour gives a fabulous texture but it completely dominates the flavor of anything you put it into. I made a pumpkin bread (when made with wheat it's really good) but the quinoa totally overrode it. It was a great moist texture, but almost impossible to perceive the pumpkin.

3) I made a fabulous chocolate cake. Like really fabulous. GF and dairy free, but had real eggs in it, with organic cane sugar and organic powdered sugar. So fabulous in fact that it has stayed moist on the inside and crispy on the outside edges even left straight on the counter for three days.

4) Tapioca seems like the best, most versatile medium but it has a really fine grain.

 

[My2Cinderellas]

I make GF pumpkin bars - and sub Pamela's pancake mix for the wheat flour in my original recipe. they are great! so it's possible - but I would have no idea where to start without the mix.

 

[C&G'sMama]

Hey I wanted to bump this up and find out how DDM is doing and since we just started GF.