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In today's connected world, digital platforms make it easier to sell homemade food online. It is no surprise that an ever-increasing number of home cooked food delivery apps provide the ideal platforms to sell food online.
You can choose the right food platform based on a wide selection of factors, including homemade food app features, the number of registered users, and the app's reliability. Once you identify the ideal app, it becomes easier to generate substantial profits, thanks to the wider reach.
The best homemade apps provide a secure and safe environment to process orders. In addition, the platforms comply with regulatory privacy requirements. You can also count on the platform to simplify and streamline sales and delivery of cottage foods.
For this reason, you need to select a home cooked food app that enables you to track orders and inventory. Accuracy plays a vital role in ensuring customer satisfaction. Another key aspect to consider is the cost of using a particular app. Most applications charge a nominal monthly fee or deduct a small percentage from your food sales.
Homemade app chefs take advantage of a wide selection of professional apps to grow food businesses. Examples of leading apps for selling home cooked food include:
Yummit
This platform is a marketplace for on-demand homemade foods. It provides access to an application to help you boost sales. However, because it is a marketplace, you have to compete against other food artisans for customers.
Shef App
With this food app, potential customers discover your home cooked meals based on specific food requirements.
Castiron
This app is undoubtedly one of the best applications for home-based cooks and food artisans. It allows you to accept orders and deliver more efficiently. Although Castiron doesn't handle the delivery for you, it helps you organize your orders and accept orders for pickup, shipping, or delivery, which you fulfill on your own terms.
DishDivvy
DishDivvy is another popular platform; it helps you assume increased control of food sales and inventory management.
Foodnome
This application vets home-based food artisans before approving new accounts. A group of professional chefs and cooks created the app to suit specific food sales and delivery requirements. The platform offers more comprehensive ordering options, including dine-ins and takeouts.
In the next few sections, you will find in-depth information about leading home-based food applications, such as DishDivvy, Castiron, and the Shef App.
DishDivvy is a platform that helps solve the dinner dilemma for customers while supporting cottage food businesses. The application allows you to monetize your cooking skills.
With DishDivvy, you exercise maximum control and flexibility when it comes to your prices and menu. At the same time, you can set your schedule to determine when customers can view and order your meals. The platform ensures seamless coordination between yourself and customers via the app.
You gain access to a dish uploader wizard that simplifies inventory management. Uploaded meals automatically appear on your website and the application. Meanwhile, the smart dish scheduler allows you to determine order pick-up times to suit your schedule.
DishDivvy also provides an in-app chat function to help you communicate with customers more conveniently and securely. You can use the feature to communicate with clients about active orders, ensuring efficiency in order management.
DishDivvy charges no registration fees and provides close support during the onboarding process. Once you have joined the platform, you can expect transparent transaction fees and direct payments. A 15 percent marketing fee applies to all transactions, including credit card transactions. Displaying your menus does not incur any charges.
On the other hand, the platform provides a convenient way to accept direct deposits from customers, thanks to the bank account integration capabilities. Additionally, you can track payments and revenue from your dashboard.
Pros and cons of selling homemade foods via DishDivvy include:
Pros
Cons
This community-based platform allows you to tap into a growing market. You can set your availability and display specific menus on your account. The Shef app also notifies you of any orders that you receive. Your role is to prepare delicious meals and package them for delivery.
Once you delivered the orders, you can access customers’ feedback to gauge satisfaction levels. On the Shef app, you receive assistance to choose the ideal delivery method for your home-based cooking business. The delivery options available to you vary by location or market. Thankfully, you can count on the platform to assist you every step of the way.
The platform partners with a leading payment processing service provider to ensure efficient and secure payments to your account. You can expect payments for orders at the end of each day.
To join the platform, you need to register and submit a sample of your best meals. Once you pass the food quality test, the next step involves completing an accredited food safety exam. At the end of the registration process and assessments, you will be free to upload your dishes to the platform.
Shef app provides excellent customer support services to ensure that you run your business more effectively. You can contact the support team via email or text to find the right answers to your problems. As a registered home cook, you take advantage of an efficient payments system, reliable Logistics, and great customer support. The platform takes 15 percent in commissions.
As a result, you will find it easier to grow your home-based food business. It is no surprise that there are many positive Shef app reviews.
Pros and cons of selling home cooked food via the Shef app
Pros
Cons
When it comes to the best app to sell food, you need to consider a variety of factors, such as commission rates, logistics options, payment methods, application features, and customer support services. In doing so, it becomes easier to compare various home-cooked food applications.
Selecting the right platform enhances your ability to increase sales, keep track of transactions, and manage inventory or menus more effectively. For this reason, consider testing the apps through a free demo to determine the suitability of each platform.
Here are the best food apps you should consider.
This platform is undoubtedly the best option available on the market. By signing up as a chef on Castiron, you can create a free website to display your menus and connect with customers. In addition, the app allows you to interact with other home cooks, enabling you to share ideas and compare notes.
Key benefits of selling food via Castiron include:
This platform is one of the popular apps for home chefs to sell food. It charges a 15 percent commission on your food sales. However, it does not provide ice packs and containers to home cooks selling via its platform.
With DishDivvy, you leverage a wide selection of digital tools to boost sales and inventory management. It also charges a 15 percent marketing fee deducted from transactions at checkout. On the downside, the application is only available to residents of California.
Selling home made food online is increasingly becoming popular with home chefs. This approach widens the market reach of a home-cooked business. Technology allows you to take advantage of various channels, including social media, mobile applications, websites, and dedicated online food marketplaces.
Online sales can help augment offline activities, boosting your overall revenue. You can choose to operate online only or take advantage of both options. However, both channels come with pros and cons that require careful consideration.
Your ability to sell online depends on local and state laws. Thus, you should check the relevant state laws before making the final decision. The best part is that platforms like Castiron can help you understand regulatory requirements and other key considerations involved in online homemade food delivery.
Many home chefs sell their food via social media platforms like Facebook marketplace and Instagram. However, these platforms lack the specialized tools and functionality to streamline your sales processes and inventory management.
Homemade food e-commerce can enhance your ability to reach a wider audience more effectively. You can achieve your objectives by leveraging online marketing channels, advanced e-commerce tools, efficient payment systems, and expert support services.
Effective digital marketing
By selling home made food online, you can take advantage of digital marketing tools and channels to increase sales. This type of marketing allows you to choose the most effective channels to suit your business needs and target audience.
You can opt to engage with potential customers through influencer marketing, pay-per-click ads, content marketing, affiliate marketing, and various other channels. Social channels like Facebook and Instagram enable your customers to order cooked food online.
Compete with larger companies
Online homemade food delivery platforms help balance the playing field for established and smaller food merchants. As such, you can find it easier to grow your home made food business faster.
Sell home cooked meals more efficiently
Online platforms like Castiron provide access to digital tools that streamline menu uploads, availability scheduling, inventory management, and payment processing.
Regulatory restrictions
When it comes to how to sell home cooked food online, you can ill-afford to ignore local and state cottage food laws regarding online sales. Some states do not permit online homemade food sales. As a result, these laws may restrict your ability to sell via a website, food app, social media, or other online marketplaces.
The Cake Whisperer
My business would not be the same without my Castiron website! It is an easy setup with lots of customization and tons of support! I am so glad I set up my shop last year before the holidays — it really helped increase my sales!
The Whimsical Cookie
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Castiron provides me a professional site to my customers increasing my credibility and value while giving me the tools to effectively market and manage my business in an easy, user-friendly manner.
Wesley's Treats Hallie's Sweets
Castiron has made my cottage bakery shine, and my business easy to manage. As a platform they care about my business as much as I do.
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Food entrepreneurs, this is your moment. Your community is more and more conscious about what they buy and where it is from. They want food made with love. With ingredients they can pronounce. And they want to support their community while doing it.
Castiron is the best fit for your food business because we're not a one-size-fits-all tool. Selling local food is different from pre-packaged warehouse products. Whether you sell cooking classes, need local pick up, utilize pre-sales to plan inventory, or need a fully custom order form — we got you.
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