AIBU to ask if you’d buy this considering the situation?

[chocolatetreats21]

I have a new business idea, I want to make chocolate covered treats from home and sell them. I just don’t know if people would buy it considering the whole COVID situation? What do you think?

I wouldn’t unless you showed it was being made in a reputable, inspected food preparation facility before I bought anything.

Don’t you need a commercial grade kitchen for that? Could be expensive. What exactly is a “chocolate covered treat” anyway?

I wouldn't personally. Sorry. :/

I'm sure plenty of people would... the boards are full on here of people saying it's nothing and the risks are tiny etc.

Don't know that I'd want to be in your shoes if an outbreak was traced to you though... no idea how likely that is.

No sorry, that sort of thing has been done to death around here.

Personally, I wouldn’t buy even in non Covid times as the prices you need to charge to cover costs & make a profit end up being a lot of money for chocolate.

Obviously the council would do a kitchen inspection before I start.

It's chocolate covered strawberries, cakesicles etc.

Have you priced it all up? As PP says, I suspect the profit margins are invisible.

Are you looking for a business idea because you’ve lost a job?

@CoffeeRunner what do you mean "that sort of thing has been done to death around here" ? You mean others have created threads about this topic?

There's several places near me on Justeat, FoodHub that sell cakes, waffles, sweets, choc covered strawberries, US/AU treats, tango ice blasts, milkshakes. They all come from registered food hygiene rated premises. Tbh you'd probably end up having to undercut yourself as they all do deals/offers, and delivery up until 1am. Plus choc strawberries are so much cheaper to do at home when they're in season. Punnet £2, big bar galaxy £1.

People do buy from small businesses but they need to present as professional and trustworthy with all of the rejevant paperwork. You would have to be a proper registered business with appropriate hygiene certification, inspected by the council, following correct food handling procedures and Covid safety rules etc. That’s not cheap or easy.

Facebook is filled with people offering this sort of thing and I'd never ever buy any of it.

As in fresh strawberries? That would be a waste of money for you as you couldn't keep it for very long.

You could make chocolate coated dried fruit etc, and sell them at stalls at markets etc. That would probably be the best way to start it. But you would need a decent selection and you wouldn't make much money starting out.

I mean like these, haven't seen anyone on just eat or Facebook selling them? Maybe it's just me? 🤷‍♀️

But I appreciate what you're all saying.

It is HARD being self employed. Really hard, even with market demand and a good potential profit. I think we are all trying to be helpful rather than just wanting to rain on your parade.

If you want to do it as a hobby job and you have a trust fund or a high earning partner, that’s one thing. If you need to make an income to live on, this idea sounds really dubious.

Did you have any other business ideas?

No, not unless you were making them in a commercial kitchen.

It's not just a punnet of strawberries and some melted galaxy chocolate 😂 there's a lot more that goes in to it. It's the glitter, edible decorations, fondant etc.

Here's some Oreos

Nope. But then i wouldn't buy it in non covid times either.

What's a cakesickle? Is it like a cake pop?

@GroundAlmonds no honestly, I appreciate everyone's replies. I was just curious as to whether people would buy homemade things during the pandemic, that's all. I'll probably just test it out, do as a hobby and see how it goes. See if I even can make it as good as on the pictures

@chocolatetreats21 no, no, not on Mumsnet.

I meant there are many similar small businesses around the area I live in.

Who would be your target market? How would you advertise? How much of a selection would you offer? Can you also do special occasion cakes/cupcakes up to a very high standard? Pic 2 the ones with the drizzle on top look exactly like the ones I've bought before from one of the suppliers I mentioned previously at £4 for 6. Very nice, but a bit over priced. And their turn over from the shop will be pretty high as its more an add on item to go with a waffle/cake slice. I feel it may end up more like a few friends of mine who've made their own wax melts/bath bombs so forth to sell. All very nicely made/presented, but it only makes them a few quid as a sideline gig.

I bought similar in June for my granny's birthday, not sure if I'd buy in the winter months though.

FB is full of them here too, along with boxes of overpriced junk, soaps, candles and bath bombs. All the huns selling to each other but I'm not sure there's much profit in it.

In truth, I'd be more reluctant to buy edibles made in the home at the moment.

The pictures look amazing though. I'm a competent home baker and I've found it hard to coat cake pops to anything like the standard in those pictures. You have a real talent!

I wouldn't, to be honest, because I'd rather not risk the quality of chocolate and other ingredients, especially the strawberries.

@Catsup honestly I haven't even thought that far. This was just an idea from a video I saw on tiktok, this woman was making all these chocolate covered treats for Halloween and birthdays/anniversaries it looked really nice. She lives in USA, and I live in London and never seen anyone do them here. Yes chocolate covered strawberries, but not the things she was making. Maybe I'm just the one living under a rock since some of you have seen people selling it on Facebook 😂