Posted by Tom Recinella on July 30, 1998 at 09:39:43:
In Reply to: vegetarian deli seeks pricing advice posted by Pam on July 24, 1998 at 13:00:52:
: I own a vegetarian deli and smoothie/juice bar in a food court. We are doing very well,
: 2 1/2 years old, our gross income has increased 20% from last year. I want to continue
: in this vein but feel I need some more info about food costs, labor costs especially
: in the vegetarian food business because our products are all homemade we have huge
: labor costs. I would like to get more info on what products might be too costly, what
: limits should be, stuff like that. Since our food costs are generally higher
: than non-veggie food businesses (we try to use organics and natural whole foods)
: I feel that some of the traditional pricing advice and standard 30% food cost
: doesn't always apply. Anyone have any advice? TIA
I have done a fair amount of vegan cooking in the
past 4 years. What I learned at the outset was
the three types of produce available,
in most whole food markets. Conventional, Transitional
and the ever exspensive organic. Transitional
produce is that which is being grown in an
organic manner. It does not become organic until
it has been grown this way for three years.
Most of customers prefered organic but accepted transitional.
Their bggest concern is that we tryed to use as much
organic as poossible. I have found that most seriouse
vegetarians are more concerned with processed foods
then they are with all the vegetables they eat being organic.
I recieved most of my experience and feed back from doing a large national
groups National convention for 350 people. They were most concerned with
refined sugars and flours etc..
Good Luck and best regards
Tom