How to Sell Fruit Cups

Everyone loves fruit stands at fairs and festivals in the summer. You don't need a big food establishment or restaurant to sell fruit cups. Look at how popular bake sales and lemonade stands can be. Fresh cut fruit including the all-time favorite slices of watermelon are no less popular.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Plastic cups
• Plastic wrap
• Napkins
• Plastic forks
• Ice
• Big thermos

1. Do a little research on the Internet and with local powers-that-be and find out where and when the fairs and festivals are going to be this year in your area. Look into your state and county regulations for selling food. Some states offer home food establishment licenses for some foods prepared in the home that are then sold to the public.
2. Make the rounds of your local markets that sell produce to find the best and most reasonably priced fruit. You will find that it's competitive and you can find specials. Also, check out your local farmers' markets.
3. Research the price of fresh cut fruit and fruit salads at local food establishments and markets while you are out and about buying fruit and gathering supplies for your fruit cups.
4. Buy fresh cut fruit by the pound at warehouse stores if you are in a hurry and do not have time to wash and cut all the fruit by hand. You will find this fruit usually hand-picked and sweet, though it will not be quite as fresh as when you cut it yourself.
5. Use grapes (green and/or red seedless), cantaloupe, watermelon and pineapple as your staple fruits. But if you're short or out of one of these it is OK. Just adjust the price, and let your buyers know what you have. You can add different fruits like berries and charge more.
6. Wash and then cut fruit into large bite size pieces by hand in your sanitary kitchen. Trim fruit of any spoilage. Trim pineapples by hand. Put the fruit in clear or tinted plastic cups and wrap with plastic wrap. Roll plastic forks in napkins. Keep the fruit cups in ice until served.
7. Price your fruit cups competitively using your research of prices of fruit salad and fresh cut fruit sold at food establishments or markets in your area.
8. Serve and sell your chilled fruit cups with napkins and utensil at your local fair, festival, your own fruit stand or from your refrigerator on wheels. If you need a local temporary license from your city or county be sure to obtain that first.