For anyone who watches Dragon's Den or Shark Tank you know how obsessed Kevin O'Leary is with SKU's, Stock Keeping Unit numbers. If you have only one SKU to sell you are less likely to have your product placed in a big store chain.
Today out of interest I thought I would count how many SKU's I purchase to fit out my farmers' market menu.
Keep in mind that these numbers DO NOT include such items as my printer and ink cartridges, housecleaning, travel to purchase ingredients and arrive at the market, my cooking utensils and baking sheets, my bread oven and commercial mixer, the tubs to hold bread dough or all my measuring utensils and spatulas. This does not include any display items and tablecloths, paper and signage. No handwipes. No miscellaneous baking ingredients. This is my basic 'go to' that I need week in and week out.
And by the way, our market this season is a total of 16 weeks.
Here it is.
Packaging - 21
This includes all final packaging, labelling, securing, coverings and support for the food.
Flavours - 18
Here I have to list them. I am so thrilled to have such diversity and most are natural, organic and local. Saffron, rose petals, almond, vanilla, saskatoon, peach, BC and sour cherry, white chocolate, cinnamon, rhubarb, strawberry, honey, herbs & spices, garlic, tomato, raspberry and passion fruit.
Flours and baking -31
This includes my 10 varieties of flours, mostly organic and local. It includes additions to my breads such as local organic lentils, cracked grains and Canadian sea salt.
If my adding is correct that amounts to 70 SKU's or ordering and purchasing 70 unique products for my one little market table. Maintaining my stock and not over purchasing is integral. Failure in both reduces my profit.
So perhaps now you understand better why, although I do appreciate and consider all suggestions, there are very few I can act upon. Changes to my menu, such as adding gluten-free selections, creates a proportionate number of new products that I must keep in stock. Maintaining stock impacts my bottom line.
It is remarkable how many items go into everything! My sons complain as if it's the end of the world that "There is nothing to eat!" after I get a shipment of food, and refuse to recognize that it takes work to get something to eat. Heck, it takes 5 ingredients or SKUs just to make a loaf of Italian bread! The number of items you have to purchase in order to sell at your artisans' market is sobering.
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