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Yes, you heard correctly. Christmas is cancelled. At least where Dolce Butter is concerned.
We’ve been up and running for almost a year now, and it’s been a rollercoaster of a journey.
Starting a product based business in the middle of a pandemic with Brexit looming definitely wasn’t one of my best ideas.
With a growing list of things I want to improve, I’m closing up shop ahead of Christmas for a little while to focus on getting my ducks in a row. Things I want to work on:
Branding
We often get complemented on our branding, but honestly, I created it in haste. I didn’t really follow a plan, or think about the overall brand experience. I also created our logo by watching a video. This one to be specific:
Due to the branding not being properly considered, I feel like everything is a bit disjointed. Ultimately, I’d like to create a more cohesive brand experience. The aim is to relinquish control and work with a designer to do this.
Packaging
Much like our overall branding, people seem to like our packaging. I, on the other hand find it clunky. It speaks to my scrappy nature, but it can be better.
I’ve been intentional about being as sustainable as possible, and I’d like to keep it that way, so I’ve been exploring other options. First thoughts were greaseproof paper, but I’ve been thinking recently, what kind of packaging would be least expected from a butter business? That’s not to say we’re going to do the most outlandish thing, but I certainly want to consider how I can inspire delight in potential customers by offering our products in packaging they wouldn’t expect.
What kind of packaging would be least expected from a butter business?
Website
Our website is currently hosted on Shopify, and whilst I really love our website, I find Shopify harder to work with, as well as quite expensive once you add all the different apps you might use. I’m moving my website to my first love, WordPress. I’m more at home on WordPress, I know my way around it a lot more, and it’s far more easier to navigate.
Moving from Direct-to-Consumer to Retailers
We’ve always been a made to order direct-to-consumer brand, be it delivering products through the post, or making them available to collect. However, being made to order has made the financials make less sense as the months have gone by. Factoring the cost increases in ingredients, packaging, delivery, etc.
I’m shifting my focus to supplying products to retailers (mainly independent retailers, delis, etc). This is a process I know nothing about, but I’m eager to roll my sleeves up and get our products out to as many people as possible.
The Real Kicker
The difficult thing with all this is coming to the realisation that I have to down tools in order to deeply work on the above. I’m not new to burning the candle at both ends, but it almost feels counterintuitive to close up shop during our most busiest time. I’ve got to remember to be kind to myself – as a one woman band, it’s easy for things to get dropped. I’m working on bringing the processes I’ve applied to other people’s businesses to my own.
So in 2022, we will be a bit more intentional, a bit more strategic, and a bit more consistent.
If you’re thinking of starting a food business – join The Food Hub group on Facebook, you won’t regret it.
