Hi all. I am in the very early stages of trying to start a business. It is based on pickles. There's a little bit more to my USP but that's not important for this discussion.
I have lots of questions but my most burning questions have to do with the main ingredient of my product: cucumbers.
1) How do I go about finding a good source for this product? Being small starting out I don't want to buy several pallets worth of cucumbers (although I'd like to get to that point). Can I get wholesale prices at a smaller level until I can grow big enough to buy in larger bulk? I'd really like to go organic if possible, making this even harder. It is currently winter time here in north Texas and Farmer's markets aren't really happening yet so I haven't gone that route yet. I can try to talk to distributors but would really like to sound like I know what I'm doing before I call them.
2) How do I deal with the seasonality of it? Cucumbers are typically harvested in late summer/early fall. Does that mean I have to wait until July to buy my cukes and then try to guess how much I'll sell until the following July? Once they're pickled they should keep for quite a while but how do I deal with this problem?
I am trying to create my business plan but sourcing ingredients is one of my biggest problems right now and something I have no experience with at all. Any advice, help you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
--Kevin
I have lots of questions but my most burning questions have to do with the main ingredient of my product: cucumbers.
1) How do I go about finding a good source for this product? Being small starting out I don't want to buy several pallets worth of cucumbers (although I'd like to get to that point). Can I get wholesale prices at a smaller level until I can grow big enough to buy in larger bulk? I'd really like to go organic if possible, making this even harder. It is currently winter time here in north Texas and Farmer's markets aren't really happening yet so I haven't gone that route yet. I can try to talk to distributors but would really like to sound like I know what I'm doing before I call them.
2) How do I deal with the seasonality of it? Cucumbers are typically harvested in late summer/early fall. Does that mean I have to wait until July to buy my cukes and then try to guess how much I'll sell until the following July? Once they're pickled they should keep for quite a while but how do I deal with this problem?
I am trying to create my business plan but sourcing ingredients is one of my biggest problems right now and something I have no experience with at all. Any advice, help you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
--Kevin
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
