The Homegrown Vendor Blog

The real cost-per-jar math for homemade jam: ingredients, the surprisingly big jar cost, labor, and overhead, plus why makers underprice and how to price jam right.

The full cost-per-bar math for handmade soap: ingredients, packaging, labor, and overhead, plus why makers underprice and how to price soap as the premium product it is.

How to budget for seasonal ingredient cost swings without repricing every week: price on average costs, build a margin cushion, buy ahead, and adjust seasonally.

Break-even for baked goods vs produce: what break-even means, why their cost structures differ (labor vs spoilage), how to calculate yours, and how to use it.

Batch economics for food makers: why bigger batches lower your cost per unit, where the savings come from, the limits (waste!), and how to find your right batch size.

When does a DBA actually matter for a food side hustle? What a DBA is (and isn't), when you need one, when you probably don't, and how to handle it simply.

What to put in a wholesale agreement as a food vendor: a section-by-section breakdown of parties, pricing and payment, delivery, quality, and termination terms.

LLC vs sole proprietorship for food vendors: a side-by-side comparison of liability, cost, paperwork, and taxes, plus when each makes sense and how to decide.

What to put in an independent contractor agreement for kitchen help: the critical employee-vs-contractor classification question, key agreement terms, and setup.