I want to set up a market stall selling cakes and chocolates

[sarah]

Hi all

Can anyone throw any light on how I would go about researching how to set up selling cakes and chocolates on a market stall in France?

This may be an impossible task altogether but as my french language skills aren't brilliant I am not sure which official bodies to make my application to. I imagine a hygiene license will be required to sell food on a market stall, as I plan to cook and prepare in my home kitchen.

Thanks so much for any advice x

[thumbelina]

I should imagine your best bet would be to contact the Chambre d'Agriculture.


Chambre d'Agriculture de Perpignan, 19 avenue de Grande Bretagne, PERPIGNAN, 66000, 04 68 35 74 00

The Tourisme de Terroir people may be able to offer some advice, too.

http://www.tourismedeterroir.fr/index-en.asp


(I believe they are part of the Cd'A but it may be a different group of people)

[ruby]

Hi Sarah,

you could have a look at valerie's website http://www.startbusinessinfrance.com/

regards

[polremy]

The chocolate might melt on the market in August of course.

[mrob343]

Hi all

Can anyone throw any light on how I would go about researching how to set up selling cakes and chocolates on a market stall in France?

This may be an impossible task altogether but as my french language skills aren't brilliant I am not sure which official bodies to make my application to. I imagine a hygiene license will be required to sell food on a market stall, as I plan to cook and prepare in my home kitchen.

Thanks so much for any advice x

Hi Sarah,
Your first point of call is the Chambre de Commerce, as you do need to have your registration papers available as they are checked by the police municipal,when you arrive at most of the markets in the PO.
Either register as micro or auto, the latter is most likely easier and best for you in your circumstances.
Of course you can cook or prepare items in your home and then transport them to market, but the hygiene regs are quite strict, for example any cakes you make with cream or other filling must be kept within a refrigerated display.
This is one thing they do control !!
My wife used to have a stall on various markets throughout the region way back when......
The next issue if i may say so is.. its quite a battle trying to get a pitch in the morning ..that depends on which markets you intend on hitting, but Ceret & Collioure for example, can be difficult to get in ??
If you need any more help please feel free to PM me,my wife is more than willing to give you more advise.
Cheers
Rob

[Santiago]

I think you have had good advice. You definitely need some certificate from some Chambre - Metiers or Commerce is my guess.

Some markets are easy to get in to. Some are cartels, like Castelnou. The regular ones like Ceret are perhaps the most obvious. Once you are a registered "producteur" you can look at the various regional "artisan" fairs which might (or might not) be more interesting.