How to Steal Cakes and Buns (from friends and family, not the shop) 🤪
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How to Steal Cakes and Buns (from friends and family, not the shop) 🤪
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PPMA 2022
I took a flight over to the PPMA show this year (2022). It's one of ...
I took a flight over to the PPMA show this year (2022). It's one of the biggest packaging shows in the UK and this year was particularly robot heavy.
I was ...in the market for several bespoke parts and a robot potentially for 2023 so I was hoping to find a few good suppliers. With a couple of hundred suppliers I found everything I need, some superb new tech and several robotic solutions. I've already set up accounts with a couple of new suppliers and ear marked others as potential suppliers for next year.
I took a couple of videos of the most interesting robots there and put them together here. Interestingly the Epson robots were the most intriguing. The one on the left is telling the time by moving the metal pieces around the "clock face."
The big "spider" is ideal for conveyor systems and pick and pack, even for delicate products but if your budget was less than 100k GBP, you were at the wrong stand. (I was frequently at the wrong stand) 😀
Definitely worth a visit though, some very useful information and new suppliers to found. (There's also a Lindt shop in the shopping centre opposite the exhibition halls for when you have to apologise for getting up at 4am)[+] Show More
I was ...in the market for several bespoke parts and a robot potentially for 2023 so I was hoping to find a few good suppliers. With a couple of hundred suppliers I found everything I need, some superb new tech and several robotic solutions. I've already set up accounts with a couple of new suppliers and ear marked others as potential suppliers for next year.
I took a couple of videos of the most interesting robots there and put them together here. Interestingly the Epson robots were the most intriguing. The one on the left is telling the time by moving the metal pieces around the "clock face."
The big "spider" is ideal for conveyor systems and pick and pack, even for delicate products but if your budget was less than 100k GBP, you were at the wrong stand. (I was frequently at the wrong stand) 😀
Definitely worth a visit though, some very useful information and new suppliers to found. (There's also a Lindt shop in the shopping centre opposite the exhibition halls for when you have to apologise for getting up at 4am)[+] Show More
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How to Box Cookies for Shops on a Budget
Boxing your cookies for shops doesn't need to cost a fortune, but ...
Boxing your cookies for shops doesn't need to cost a fortune, but there's a balance to find between ordering boxes by the pallet and getting boxes for a few pence ...each.
I've tried dozens of boxes. Starting at market stalls, ecommerce and moving into retail, there are great options to keep your costs low as you start up. Don't listen to packaging designers or box makers who tell you the only way is a high quality printed box. They'll charge you a fortune and you'll be sitting with a ton of boxes, robbing you of your cashflow.
Look for ready made flat pack boxes that you can adapt your cookies to (or adapt the layout of the cookies inside). Build on them with high quality labels, rubber stamping and even home screen printing. Find the balance between taking up your time and working with the money you have at the start, but don't splash out on a ton of packaging at the beginning. Use "startup", "home entrepreneur" and "hand crafted" tag lines to make your lower cost packaging more acceptable to the consumer. When you have a shiny finished product and the capacity for thousands of cookies, then you're ready for volume, pre-printed packaging.[+] Show More
I've tried dozens of boxes. Starting at market stalls, ecommerce and moving into retail, there are great options to keep your costs low as you start up. Don't listen to packaging designers or box makers who tell you the only way is a high quality printed box. They'll charge you a fortune and you'll be sitting with a ton of boxes, robbing you of your cashflow.
Look for ready made flat pack boxes that you can adapt your cookies to (or adapt the layout of the cookies inside). Build on them with high quality labels, rubber stamping and even home screen printing. Find the balance between taking up your time and working with the money you have at the start, but don't splash out on a ton of packaging at the beginning. Use "startup", "home entrepreneur" and "hand crafted" tag lines to make your lower cost packaging more acceptable to the consumer. When you have a shiny finished product and the capacity for thousands of cookies, then you're ready for volume, pre-printed packaging.[+] Show More
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Mini Hand Bag Sealer Review
Hand sealer machines are cheap, easy to use and can provide a great, ...
Hand sealer machines are cheap, easy to use and can provide a great, air tight seal for your cookies and biscuits.
I started out with a little hand sealer before moving ...to a Jaw Sealer, but if you're just testing the market, or want to bag a few cookies for an event or a sale, then a mini hand sealer is just the job.
I ordered one on Amazon last week to test and these are the results.
I'm pretty happy with it, and for the cost, it's brilliant for sealing a few bags of cookies or keeping food fresh.
If you're serious about cookie production though, you'll want to start with a Jaw Sealer for around £30. After that it's an L-Sealer for hundreds of pounds.
This mini sealer was from Longzon and cost £7, so for the money it's great for a few bags of cookies.
If you have a mini sealer, let me know in the comments what you love or hate about it.
Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3KU6WKR[+] Show More
I started out with a little hand sealer before moving ...to a Jaw Sealer, but if you're just testing the market, or want to bag a few cookies for an event or a sale, then a mini hand sealer is just the job.
I ordered one on Amazon last week to test and these are the results.
I'm pretty happy with it, and for the cost, it's brilliant for sealing a few bags of cookies or keeping food fresh.
If you're serious about cookie production though, you'll want to start with a Jaw Sealer for around £30. After that it's an L-Sealer for hundreds of pounds.
This mini sealer was from Longzon and cost £7, so for the money it's great for a few bags of cookies.
If you have a mini sealer, let me know in the comments what you love or hate about it.
Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3KU6WKR[+] Show More
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Crap Packaging. 2 of my "favourite" packaging fails from big brands.
Crap packaging is everywhere, but when it's from big brands, you have ...
Crap packaging is everywhere, but when it's from big brands, you have to wonder what went wrong, and how did they get away with it?
I'm new to the packaging industry, ...starting a biscuit business just 5 years ago, but already I've been through multiple packaging suppliers, been lied to, ignored and forgotten about by suppliers who are working to serve their bigger customers. Despite the pitfalls I've taken my biscuits from my home kitchen to retailers and online around the world.
So it's kind of a relief to see that even the big producers struggle sometimes. These two "favourites" are from Cathedral Cheese and Lindt Confection. They're delicious products, but somewhere along the line, these two packaging boo boos just made me laugh. At least I know it's not just me who gets it wrong sometimes.[+] Show More
I'm new to the packaging industry, ...starting a biscuit business just 5 years ago, but already I've been through multiple packaging suppliers, been lied to, ignored and forgotten about by suppliers who are working to serve their bigger customers. Despite the pitfalls I've taken my biscuits from my home kitchen to retailers and online around the world.
So it's kind of a relief to see that even the big producers struggle sometimes. These two "favourites" are from Cathedral Cheese and Lindt Confection. They're delicious products, but somewhere along the line, these two packaging boo boos just made me laugh. At least I know it's not just me who gets it wrong sometimes.[+] Show More
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How to Increase Your Cookie Production
Scale up your cookie or biscuit business from home with my handy ...
Scale up your cookie or biscuit business from home with my handy spreadsheet. This is the table I used to take my cookie business from my kitchen at home, to ...a small factory and on to retail distribution.
To see the spreadsheet, copy and paste the link below into your browser: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yn4n5C8AnFLl6n4JPrFjIjHUnfhpuIuBFqPmYzMGV7s/edit?usp=sharing
I started my cookie production at home, with a rolling pin, a Kenwood mixer and the small oven that came with the house when I moved in.
As I increased sales, each step in the process became a stumbling block to larger production.
By listing my methods and their delays, I was able to target the key steps needed to scale my business for the lowest cost. You can too, and it only takes a few minutes to recognise what step you need to take next, to build your cookie business.
Try the spreadsheet for yourself and if you have any questions please ask in the comments, I'm happy to help.
Mike[+] Show More
To see the spreadsheet, copy and paste the link below into your browser: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yn4n5C8AnFLl6n4JPrFjIjHUnfhpuIuBFqPmYzMGV7s/edit?usp=sharing
I started my cookie production at home, with a rolling pin, a Kenwood mixer and the small oven that came with the house when I moved in.
As I increased sales, each step in the process became a stumbling block to larger production.
By listing my methods and their delays, I was able to target the key steps needed to scale my business for the lowest cost. You can too, and it only takes a few minutes to recognise what step you need to take next, to build your cookie business.
Try the spreadsheet for yourself and if you have any questions please ask in the comments, I'm happy to help.
Mike[+] Show More
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How to Wrap Cookies to Keep them Fresh for Selling Online and in Shops.
A quick look at the films available for wrapping your cookies, ...
A quick look at the films available for wrapping your cookies, including polypropylene, polyethylene, cellophane and plastic wrap.
If you would like more information (and 99% of it is less boring ...than this information) then check out my other videos and my website, cookiewrap.com where I have lots more free information on selling more cookies.[+] Show More
If you would like more information (and 99% of it is less boring ...than this information) then check out my other videos and my website, cookiewrap.com where I have lots more free information on selling more cookies.[+] Show More
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How to Pack Your Cookies for Safe E-commerce Shipping
Getting your inner protective packaging right is crucial for low ...
Getting your inner protective packaging right is crucial for low returns and happy customers. There are loads of products on the market but some are not as advertised and some ...are a down right pain.
Here's a quick overview of the types of packaging and their pros and cons.
Let me know what you use to ship your products in the comments and don't forget, shipping for retail is different from e-commerce, some packaging is banned by retailers!
For more cookie wrapping information, subscribe for updates and check out my website, cookiewrap.com where you can join my mailing list and get free articles on making your cookies even more awesome.[+] Show More
Here's a quick overview of the types of packaging and their pros and cons.
Let me know what you use to ship your products in the comments and don't forget, shipping for retail is different from e-commerce, some packaging is banned by retailers!
For more cookie wrapping information, subscribe for updates and check out my website, cookiewrap.com where you can join my mailing list and get free articles on making your cookies even more awesome.[+] Show More
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My Impulse (Jaw) Sealer for Wrapping Cookies at Home
A quick look at my Jaw Sealer for bagging cookies and confectionery in ...
A quick look at my Jaw Sealer for bagging cookies and confectionery in goody bags and even individually wrapped cookies. More details are available in my video in the Beginners ...Playlist.[+] Show More
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Wrap your cookies quickly and easily for under $50 / £40
I started out with a Jaw Sealer, also known as Impulse Sealer or Hand ...
I started out with a Jaw Sealer, also known as Impulse Sealer or Hand Sealer for wrapping dozens and even hundreds of cookies.
They're cheap and easy to use, making them ...a great way to scale your future cookie business. In this video I'm using my FS-400 for PP/PE bags.
PP simply means polypropylene, a food safe polymer (type of plastic) and PE means Polyethylene, sometimes called Polythene. The important part of choosing any bag, tubing or wrap is to make sure it's labelled Food Safe or Food Grade.
My FS-400 has a 400mm (16") jaw or arm. The bottom plate is covered in teflon tape which can be replaced as it eventually wears through. You can buy rolls of teflon tape on Amazon for under £10 but the sealer comes with spares anyway.
Simply pop your cookies in a bag or tubing and lay it flat across the teflon. Press the arm down and the heating wire under the teflon tape will heat up, melting your bag together, forming an airtight seal.
The length of heating time is set by the dial on the front. It's trial and error to get the right seal for your type of bag. Too short and the bag won't seal, too long and it will melt too much, giving you strings of plastic hanging off the seal or smelly smoke from the melting plastic - if you get smelly smoke, ventilate the room and avoid breathing it in, it's melted plastic fumes.
The slowest part of using the Jaw Sealer is putting the cookies into bags one at a time, but the sealing time is great and the fail rate is very low once you get the temperature right.
When you're ready to move up to a bigger machine, the L-Sealer is next. Check out my video on L-Sealers in the Intermediate Playlist for more details.
You can also get more free info on my website, cookiewrap.com. Sign up for updates and inspiration as well as free articles on selling more cookies.[+] Show More
They're cheap and easy to use, making them ...a great way to scale your future cookie business. In this video I'm using my FS-400 for PP/PE bags.
PP simply means polypropylene, a food safe polymer (type of plastic) and PE means Polyethylene, sometimes called Polythene. The important part of choosing any bag, tubing or wrap is to make sure it's labelled Food Safe or Food Grade.
My FS-400 has a 400mm (16") jaw or arm. The bottom plate is covered in teflon tape which can be replaced as it eventually wears through. You can buy rolls of teflon tape on Amazon for under £10 but the sealer comes with spares anyway.
Simply pop your cookies in a bag or tubing and lay it flat across the teflon. Press the arm down and the heating wire under the teflon tape will heat up, melting your bag together, forming an airtight seal.
The length of heating time is set by the dial on the front. It's trial and error to get the right seal for your type of bag. Too short and the bag won't seal, too long and it will melt too much, giving you strings of plastic hanging off the seal or smelly smoke from the melting plastic - if you get smelly smoke, ventilate the room and avoid breathing it in, it's melted plastic fumes.
The slowest part of using the Jaw Sealer is putting the cookies into bags one at a time, but the sealing time is great and the fail rate is very low once you get the temperature right.
When you're ready to move up to a bigger machine, the L-Sealer is next. Check out my video on L-Sealers in the Intermediate Playlist for more details.
You can also get more free info on my website, cookiewrap.com. Sign up for updates and inspiration as well as free articles on selling more cookies.[+] Show More
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How to wrap cookies and sell them from your home kitchen into retail outlets.
To sell cookies into retail, you need to overcome three challenges; ...
To sell cookies into retail, you need to overcome three challenges; Technical: baking a great cookie, Compliance: wrapping and labelling your cookies correctly and Sales: you have to get out ...there and sell.
I started making shortbread biscuits (cookies) in my home kitchen in 2017 part time. In 2020 I opened a micro factory to produce thousands of cookies and in 2021 I sold the factory and outsourced production to sell tens of thousands of cookies.
What was the hardest part? Undoubtedly packaging. Wrapping and boxing cookies is one of the hardest elements of food production. I've used every type of bagging machine in my search for a cost effective, and scaleable solution to wrapping and selling cookies.
I'm here to fast track your cookie selling success and avoid the torture that is the world of food packaging.
If you're a beginner to making cookies, dive into the Beginners Playlist. It's got all the equipment you need and explainer videos for the bagging options available to you.
If you're ready to scale up, jump over to the Intermediate Playlist for bigger production and bigger machines, including L-Sealers and Flow Wrappers.
For more free cookie wrapping know how, visit my free website, cookiewrap.com, sign up to the newsletter for packaging news updates and inspiration and subscribe to my YouTube channel.[+] Show More
I started making shortbread biscuits (cookies) in my home kitchen in 2017 part time. In 2020 I opened a micro factory to produce thousands of cookies and in 2021 I sold the factory and outsourced production to sell tens of thousands of cookies.
What was the hardest part? Undoubtedly packaging. Wrapping and boxing cookies is one of the hardest elements of food production. I've used every type of bagging machine in my search for a cost effective, and scaleable solution to wrapping and selling cookies.
I'm here to fast track your cookie selling success and avoid the torture that is the world of food packaging.
If you're a beginner to making cookies, dive into the Beginners Playlist. It's got all the equipment you need and explainer videos for the bagging options available to you.
If you're ready to scale up, jump over to the Intermediate Playlist for bigger production and bigger machines, including L-Sealers and Flow Wrappers.
For more free cookie wrapping know how, visit my free website, cookiewrap.com, sign up to the newsletter for packaging news updates and inspiration and subscribe to my YouTube channel.[+] Show More
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What is an L-Sealer?
L-Sealers are one of the first larger scale bakery machines you'll ...
L-Sealers are one of the first larger scale bakery machines you'll need when you start to sell more cookies.
You load the wrapping material by opening it up as you peel ...it off the roll. The material is also called Bakery Film or Centrefold Wrap, as it's folded over on the roll.
You open the fold, place your cookies inside and pull down the handle to melt (seal) the wrapping and cut through it. This seals the side and front of your cookies. You can individually wrap a cookie in this way or wrap whole bags or trays of cookies.
For more free cookie wrapping know how, visit my free website, cookiewrap.com, sign up to the newsletter for packaging news updates and inspiration and subscribe to my YouTube channel.[+] Show More
You load the wrapping material by opening it up as you peel ...it off the roll. The material is also called Bakery Film or Centrefold Wrap, as it's folded over on the roll.
You open the fold, place your cookies inside and pull down the handle to melt (seal) the wrapping and cut through it. This seals the side and front of your cookies. You can individually wrap a cookie in this way or wrap whole bags or trays of cookies.
For more free cookie wrapping know how, visit my free website, cookiewrap.com, sign up to the newsletter for packaging news updates and inspiration and subscribe to my YouTube channel.[+] Show More
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