How to Turn Your Favorite Recipe into Successful Business - Online Forum for Women Who Want to Grow Retail-packaged Food Business

Scottsdale, AZ (PRWeb) December 19, 2006 -- The specialty/gourmet food industry is perfect for entry-level food distribution in the US: It allows for testing new products, it doesn't require large start-up investment, and it's a fast-growing industry with annual sales approaching $40 billion.

First, food entrepreneur wannabes can learn about entering by consulting Stephen F. Hall's latest 4th edition of From Kitchen To Market - Selling Your Gourmet Food Specialty: It outlines and analyzes all kinds of food marketing opportunities for small cottage industries new to the business, discussing everything from building a product's concept using trade shows, brokers, and more. A 'must' for any newcomer cook who wants to market a product.

What they are saying about the book: "Stephen F. Hall's "From Kitchen to Market" is an exceptional title that tells exactly how aspiring cooks can turn an original product into a money-maker." - James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, The Midwest Book Review. From Kitchen to Market "is a thorough guide on food marketing that is sure to help food entrepreneurs at all levels. Extensive appendices...are an added plus to an already strong and well-written guide. Strongly recommended." - The Library Journal

A great next step is to go to specialtyfooodresource.com for its free discussion forum.

You can lend your "two-cents worth" to the following on-line discussion categories (with sample questions):

- Funding Your Enterprise
     Can micro-finance help?
- Producing Your Product
     What about co-packers?
- Packaging Your Product
     Where to find cost-effective packaging materials and equipment?
- Labeling Your Product
     What are the rules?
- Warehousing Your Product
     Can I keep my stuff in my garage?
- Pricing Your Product
     How does this work?
- Using Brokers
     Where are the good brokers?
- Distributing Your Product
     How does my product get on the store shelf?
- Shipping Your Product
     What works best?
- Promoting Your Product
     Is advertising for you?
- Trade Shows -- Getting the Most
     Can I use them to gather intelligence?
- Managing Your Enterprise
     Which accounting software is best?

Stephen Hall is President, Food Marketing International, a company involved in market-driven strategic planning and specialty food marketing. He is also the Editor, Food Entrepreneur eZine the author of The Market for Specialty Foods, The U.S. Dairy Market, and The Market for Upscale Kitchen Electrics, all published by Frost & Sullivan, Inc., New York, NY.

In addition, he has been Plenary Speaker, New Food Entrepreneur Conference, Seattle (WA), Workshop Facilitator, Association of Small Business Development Centers annual conference, Nashville (TN), and Miami (FL), Moderator, Tortilla Industry Association Technology Conference, Los Angeles, Guest Lecturer, Specialty Food Business Development Workshops, Idaho Department of Agriculture; University of Vermont, University of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Specialty Foods Association, Vermont Specialty Foods Association, West Virginia Office of Economic Development, and Virginia Specialty Food Association, Principal Guest, CNBC "Money Talk," Nationwide Television Broadcast.

Please contact:
Stephen F. Hall
President
Food Marketing International
10001 North 77th Place
Scottsdale, Arizona 85258
480/778-0640

BACKGROUND:

Testimony to the book: "From Kitchen to Market:"

"I am THOROUGHLY enjoying this book. It is helping me establish where I want to fit in the market, what need I want to satisfy, what image I want to project. This is all extremely comforting as I feel like I am more focused on what I want to "throw at the wall to see what sticks".- Abbye Freiman Williams

"WOW!! all this information in one place. I can't put it down. Thank you for your book. Reading this book will come before the barcode. - Deanna Ansell, Ana-de Country Kitchen

-Bookviews.com
"Hall tells readers how to break into the specialty food industry. It's all between the covers of this excellent guide."

I am realizing my dream of marketing my BBQ sauces. "From Kitchen to Market ..." has been an invaluable reference for me. - Michael Pepin

Midwest Review of Books: A 'must' for any newcomer cook who would market a product.

Fabulous - worth every penny! Great info and resource guides! - Debbie Moore

"The best book about the U.S. specialty food field, and there is a great need you have so very well covered!' - Ted Koryn, U.S. specialty food industry pioneer.

"I was struck by so many positives: the clarity of your writing; the wisdom of your advice; and the practical tools you offer. You know how many times I am involved in a conversation that starts something like this: "My wife is a great cook, and we'd like to market her specialties!" Now, I'll have your book at my fingertips to more comprehensively be a guide. - Mary Lou Bessette, Director, Business Owner on Campus, Arizona State University College of Business

Absolute must for aspiring food wholesalers! You will absolutely need this book and will find it saves you serious bucks and a lot of questions posed to distributors, health officials and your suppliers" - Charles W. Anderson

"Tutor in Print for the Aspiring Gourmet Food Marketer." "This is well done, by one who has spent the time and provided his knowledge to prospective entrees into this market. This is fine overview of the biz from a pro who has been down the paths and knows what it takes, then communicates it in an understandable, digestible and attractive manner." -Dearborn, MI

"Practical and Strategic'- Hall's book is excellent and it is practical. He gets to the nitty-gritty of how to develop and launch a product." - Shermain D. Hardesty, PhD, University of California, Davis

"Excellent Guide For Specialty Food Startups" "After reading dozens of obtuse marketing studies on the specialty food business, I came across this book. What a delight! The author generously shares practical, authoritative advice and guidance through very clear writing and diagrams. It's to-the-point and easy-to-read. Too good to be true? So far, it's been very helpful to me! Highly Recommended." - Ben, Maplewood, NY

"Steve - mostly I want to say how helpful your book is. I know it well and recommend it to all in the communities where I work." Cameron Wold, Boise State University, Idaho SBDC

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