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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that people will pay £2 for a cake pop?

222 replies

theotherloobyloo · 07/12/2011 13:34

I'm planning to start a baking/cake business at home, and am thinking of just doing cake pops. DH says that I am barking to think that anybody would pay £2 for a bit of cake on a stick - is he just being a miserable git (always a possibility) or is he on the money on this one? I'm done my sums and I think that to make a go of cake pops I'd have to get about two quid a pop (as it were). All views appreciated ... even if you think that cake pops are boakworthy yummy mummy dross

OP posts:
DitaVonCheese · 07/12/2011 16:17

I thought I had but it didn't look like those links - what I bought was like three small actual cakes on a stick in a plastic push up thingy. We did pay £2 each but resented it as they were dry and not v nice (or big!) - paid because we were at a festival so on holiday and I must try anything I see that I haven't previously eaten

I probably would pay £2 just to try one but I am not going to sustain your business I'm afraid. Assume you're aiming at the party/wedding market?

cwtch4967 · 07/12/2011 16:26

No way would I pay that price! How on earth have you reached that costing?

tanfastic · 07/12/2011 16:42

I work in the wedding industry and I can tell you that although cupcakes and cake pops etc are still very popular the Market is absolutely saturated with small cake businesses, stationers aren't that far behind (in case you were thinking of taking that up as well). Brides will pay £2.00 for a cake pop for wedding favours Smile. Oh and I'm not a baker.

TeWiharaMeriKirihimete · 07/12/2011 16:43

No I wouldn't.

I've seen a couple of blogs with fantastically well decorated ones, and maybe their is a market in those kind of high quality ones (as wedding favours etc) - but google tells me there are companies are doing that kind of stuff already.

YABU, unless you're deliberately setting up a failing business as a tax avoidance tactic.

ApocalypseCheeseToastie · 07/12/2011 16:44

No bloody way, they're 50p each at our very good cake shop.

An you really see someone with 4 kids paying £8 for a lump of cake on a stick ??!

pigletmania · 07/12/2011 16:45

Noway, too expensive. I can bake a cake for that amount

tanfastic · 07/12/2011 16:49

If you do decide to do it you need to be very good at what you do. No disrespect but I come across some really amateur looking cupcakes who have convinced themselves they are fantastic. Most good cooks can bake cupcakes and swirl a bit of buttercream on top but that doesn't make them fabulous professional cake makers. I don't mean to piss on your chips but because the Market is so saturated you need to be fantastic at what you do (which I'm sure you areWink)

PopcornMouse · 07/12/2011 16:54

I do buy cake, and have spent £2 on cupcakes before - but I wouldn't on cake pops. Why? They're so small, you're getting like 1/2 as much - and presumably you'd have a minimum order too. Kerching! :-/

SootySweepandSue · 07/12/2011 16:56

Anyone who wants to buy a few cake pops will be having a party, therefore it makes sense to do cakes and cupcakes and pops ??

I appreciate they are very difficult to make, also may not travel well as they are delicate.

I paid £1.25 for mini cupcakes each when I bought DD birthday cake. A rip off I know but I had no time to make them Angry.

Mrswhiskerson · 07/12/2011 16:57

First I would tell you to ignore the negativity on here there is nothing wrong with being enterprisng and good on you most peopletalk about it you are doing it.

I have seen cake pops sold for around two pounds and some are very impressive you could sell really good larger ones for two pounds and maybe more basic smaller ones for one pound to one pound fifty?
If they are delicious and well presented I think you have a good chance of making it the cake pop is a new trend in baking and the Market has not been saturated yet.

When you think about it how many people pay three fifty for once cup of fancy coffe or four
pounds for a pannini ? I bet most of the people who are snobs about this type of buisness have all been in starbucks and costa
and the like , there is nothing wrong with pretty tasty things .
The best thing to do is research the he'll out of it before you do it see what you can get wholesale or in bulk .
Good luck.

Groovee · 07/12/2011 16:58

I wouldn't pay £2 for a cupcake either. £1 each is more than enough especially as I can make them myself and place them more like a truffle for giving teachers etc.

SootySweepandSue · 07/12/2011 16:59

Oh and the amateur cake I bought at £65 was a disaster! Horrible wet cake it was. Next year I will either bake or M&S it. I put it down to PFB madness...

TeWiharaMeriKirihimete · 07/12/2011 17:01

Very few people actually buy £3.50 cups of coffee, or any extras with their drink on a regular basis. Most coffee's sold in coffee stores are for less than £2, they make money via sheer volume of clients + repeat trade.

DitaVonCheese · 07/12/2011 17:06

I would definitely buy any number of sausage pops btw, if that helps Grin

MincePieFlavouredVoidka · 07/12/2011 17:09

I baulk when I have to pay £2 for a whole cake!

ChippingInNeedsSleep · 07/12/2011 17:31

TeWhari - no idea where you live, but you can't get coffee for under £2 around here and the coffee shops do a roaring trade of £3+ coffees.

Original poster
theotherloobyloo · 07/12/2011 17:33

Yikes! I see that the general trend is againt me! It's a landslide! Even if I ignore those of you who hate overpriced/overdecorated bakery products on ideological/emotional/social grounds (which must make the UK an uncomfortable place to live - there are some parts of the Home Counties where you can't move for effing Cath Kidston muffin tins), there seems to be a groundswell of opinion that £2 is a bit heavy on the pricing for a cake pop. Fair cop - although it galls me that my DH may be right (luckily DH won't see this on Mnet- I suspect that his internet browsing habits involve rather different subjects, but that's a different story). There have been a lot of replies to me original question - big thanks, everybody - I am now going to sit down and have a look at them in a bit more detail. I see some people have asked questions (eg how did I get the idea of a £2 price). I'll put something on Mnet about that soon (tomorrw?), if anybody is still interested -but, in the light of what people have said, I'm going to do a bit more research into pricing first and see if that fine tunes my ideas. Thanks again for the feedback - and keep it coming if there are any more views out there -it's all a great help.

OP posts:
TheAvocadoOfWisdom · 07/12/2011 17:35

I think ick. I like the cuteness but hate the stuff used for the coating as it's v high in saturated and trans fats.

TeWiharaMeriKirihimete · 07/12/2011 17:42

I worked in coffee chains for a long time. That's why I know! Look up what nero et al charge for lattes, americano, expresso and tea... because that's what they sell most of!

TeWiharaMeriKirihimete · 07/12/2011 17:43

Cappuccino's are a bit more sometimes admittedly.

proudfoot · 07/12/2011 17:49

I would not pay that much and the idea of cake on a stick is a bit Hmm

member · 07/12/2011 17:51

I know they're labour-intensive if you make the the cake & frosting then covering in candy melts & some kind of fairly intricate decoration but £2 is over-inflated & not conducive to repeat business. As someone up-thread said, individually wrapped in cellophane finished with nice ribbon, you may get some custom for wedding favours but no way will people pay that amount if it is not for a special occasion & of course those tend to be one-off purchases.

belgo · 07/12/2011 17:53

Has anyone actually tasted one and enjoyed eating it? I have had one, provided with a buffet brunch, it wasn't very nice at all.

But maybe other people make nicer ones?

HintofBream · 07/12/2011 17:55

No way would I pay £2 for one, but having admired their delicious sickliness on Google I am definiitely going to have a go at making some for Christmas.

When I have finished trying to get the gingerbread house to stay upright.

Lisatheonewhoeatsdrytoast · 07/12/2011 17:56

I bake quite reguarly, cake pops i like to do too, for kiddies, i think at the most £1! £2 is steep,sorry!!