🎂 Cake in a Jar Business Plan – Step by Step
1. Research & Concept
- Study local market (India: Instagram, Zomato/Swiggy, gifting) and Dubai/GCC (premium desserts, Arabic flavours like pistachio, dates, kunafa).
- Choose USP: Premium packaging, fusion flavours (Gulab Jamun Jar, Kunafa Jar), gifting focus.
- Check demand by trial batches → send to friends, corporates, cafés.
2. Legal & Compliance
- India: Get FSSAI registration (mandatory for packaged foods).
- Labels: Must include product name, net weight, ingredients, FSSAI number, Mfg/Exp date, storage condition.
- Dubai/GCC: Products must have Arabic + English labels with expiry date. Work with an export agent or distributor for customs clearance.
3. Setup & Production
- Start with a cloud kitchen / rented commercial kitchen to save money.
- Equipment needed: oven, mixer, fridge, blast chiller (helps shelf life), weighing scale, sealing/labelling machine.
- Team: 2 bakers + 1 helper for packaging & dispatch.
- SOPs: Standard recipe weights, cooling, jar filling, sealing, refrigeration log.
4. Packaging & Shelf Life
- Use food-grade glass jars with airtight lids & tamper-evident seal.
- Secondary packaging: Insulated boxes with ice packs for delivery/export.
- Shelf life:
- Fresh jars → 3–5 days refrigerated.
- Shelf-stable (with stabilizers/pasteurisation) → up to 15–30 days.
- Do lab testing for microbial safety & shelf life validation.
5. Costing & Profit Margins (per jar example)
- Ingredients = ₹60
- Jar + Lid = ₹25
- Packaging/Label = ₹10
- Labour + Overhead = ₹25
➡️ Total Cost = ₹120
👉 India selling price = ₹180–200
- Profit = ₹60–80 per jar
- Margin = 33%–40%
👉 Dubai export price = ₹300+ (after logistics/customs)
- Landed cost ≈ ₹220
- Profit ≈ ₹80+
- Margin = 27%–35%
6. Sales Channels
India (start here):
- Instagram/WhatsApp → D2C orders.
- Zomato/Swiggy → wider reach.
- Corporate gifting (bulk orders, festivals).
Dubai/GCC:
- Partner with a local distributor or retailer.
- Sell via Amazon UAE, Talabat, Noon (requires local fulfilment partner).
- Target cafés, hotels, gifting/event planners.
- Start with pilot export shipment to test shelf life & demand.
7. Marketing
- Focus on visual appeal → layered jars look great on Instagram.
- Collaborate with food influencers for reviews.
- Create gift boxes for Diwali, Eid, Christmas, weddings.
- Offer limited edition flavours (e.g., saffron-pistachio for Ramadan).
8. Export Process (India → Dubai)
- Register exporter (IEC code).
- Prepare documents: Invoice, packing list, Health Certificate, Certificate of Origin.
- Use airfreight with cold chain (fastest & safest).
- Work with freight forwarder experienced in food exports.
- Ensure Arabic labels before shipment.
9. 90-Day Roadmap
- 0–30 days: Finalize recipes, apply FSSAI license, order jars/labels, test small batch sales locally.
- 30–60 days: Start online sales (Instagram, Zomato/Swiggy), partner with corporates for gifting, collect feedback.
- 60–90 days: Create Arabic labels, contact UAE distributors, send pilot shipment.
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