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Business Concepts - Cross Post
I am cross posting this to my secondary blog as well. Life and Times of an Irish Mother, my family and brain stuff. Why? because this is important. Living with a restrictive diet is CHALLENGING. Living it FOR LIFE can be challenging on HOPE.
Running a business that caters to this is even harder.
Wheat Free Businesses are going under left right and center.
WHY?
When the percentage of individuals in our North American society who can't eat Grains is up 29%? When public awareness is growing and the understanding of the difference Wheat Free Lifestyles has on medical challenges such as Autism, fibromyalsia, ADHD and depression is finally getting recognition?
Because it is expensive. A loaf of Wheat Free bread sells for $6 - 9 per loaf, a half dozen buns $9 - 12 and a box of "oreo-esk" cookies about $6 - 8 per box. With household budgets cutting back any area they can pinch, this leaves it hard for businesses to be selling large quantities in Happy Meal fashion! This is an " exotic food" catagory, regretably.
Because it is hard to find. While awareness that this food must be out there is growing, actually finding the retailers is a challenge and, pardon my laziness, a run around! One store carries 4 or five items, another store carries a different 3 or 4 items and so on. Such companies as Kinnikinnick , Gluteno, Celimix have been a godsend for supplying basic mixes and items into pantries again BUT stores are selective as to what to bring in and in what quantity. Again, profit base drives the supply.
Risky and Expensive Taste Testing! When you are about to spend $9 on a farmer's market sized loaf of bread, you want to know it's going to taste GOOD and not like a piece of bristle board! Tie in the budget issues, and it makes for a long moment of hesitation when your hand reaches for that new Cheese Bread on the shelf.
Solutions?
Here is what I am working on in my brain so far.
Advertising - We need to get it out there. Homebased business don't have time to 'network' and make their product. One of the key reasons business close in their first year of opperation.
Information - The Community as a whole doesn't know what is available and is often COMPLETELY overwhelmed at the magnitude of this Food-style they are now being pushed to adopt for their " own good". Battling medical communities, friends and families and still having the energy to find replacement foods for all their " old favorites" is a challenge that often ends in a big piece of chocolate cake!
Teamwork - How does one foster teamwork between companies in a competitive environment?
A Calgary News Letter - Not your leaflet but a fun and informative resource. Found in those racks outside groceries stores and libraries beside the Homes and Real Estate books.... (Maybe it's time I got off my arse and finnished those Wheat Free Comics I have started)
Now time to get started.
Running a business that caters to this is even harder.
Wheat Free Businesses are going under left right and center.
WHY?
When the percentage of individuals in our North American society who can't eat Grains is up 29%? When public awareness is growing and the understanding of the difference Wheat Free Lifestyles has on medical challenges such as Autism, fibromyalsia, ADHD and depression is finally getting recognition?
Because it is expensive. A loaf of Wheat Free bread sells for $6 - 9 per loaf, a half dozen buns $9 - 12 and a box of "oreo-esk" cookies about $6 - 8 per box. With household budgets cutting back any area they can pinch, this leaves it hard for businesses to be selling large quantities in Happy Meal fashion! This is an " exotic food" catagory, regretably.
Because it is hard to find. While awareness that this food must be out there is growing, actually finding the retailers is a challenge and, pardon my laziness, a run around! One store carries 4 or five items, another store carries a different 3 or 4 items and so on. Such companies as Kinnikinnick , Gluteno, Celimix have been a godsend for supplying basic mixes and items into pantries again BUT stores are selective as to what to bring in and in what quantity. Again, profit base drives the supply.
Risky and Expensive Taste Testing! When you are about to spend $9 on a farmer's market sized loaf of bread, you want to know it's going to taste GOOD and not like a piece of bristle board! Tie in the budget issues, and it makes for a long moment of hesitation when your hand reaches for that new Cheese Bread on the shelf.
Solutions?
Here is what I am working on in my brain so far.
Advertising - We need to get it out there. Homebased business don't have time to 'network' and make their product. One of the key reasons business close in their first year of opperation.
Information - The Community as a whole doesn't know what is available and is often COMPLETELY overwhelmed at the magnitude of this Food-style they are now being pushed to adopt for their " own good". Battling medical communities, friends and families and still having the energy to find replacement foods for all their " old favorites" is a challenge that often ends in a big piece of chocolate cake!
Teamwork - How does one foster teamwork between companies in a competitive environment?
A Calgary News Letter - Not your leaflet but a fun and informative resource. Found in those racks outside groceries stores and libraries beside the Homes and Real Estate books.... (Maybe it's time I got off my arse and finnished those Wheat Free Comics I have started)
Now time to get started.
