# How much would you charge for jerky?



## dougmays

so i made a batch of jerky a few weeks back and brought it into work and people loved it.  alot of people said they would buy it if i ever sold it.  I was thinking about it and i was wondering how much you would charge for jerky?  my initial though was $5 per 1/2 lb.  does that sound like a good starting point?  by my calculations if i did that, assuming 40% weight loss during the dehydrating process, i could quadrupedal my money by charging that much

also does anyone know what all is required to sell jerky as far as permits, licenses, and whatever else? i was thinking about setting up a website if people really do like this and try to start setting to the public


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## fpnmf

I don't know how 5 bucks covers 1/2 pound...

When I bought homemade at work (years ago)  it was 5 bucks for 1/4 pound.

We were all glad to buy it too.

 There are lots of threads here concerning going pro on smoked stuff.

 Use the search tool and have fun!!

  Craig


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## dougmays

cool i'll take a look.  my thought process was say i buy 10 lbs of eye of round.  i'm looking at around $30 if i find a good deal.  I havne't weighed my before or after yet but i just got a scale to do so, so i was assuming losing 40% like with butts and briskets.  even if its 50-55%.  i'd get 5lbs of smoked jerky.  if i sell for $5/lb i'd get $50.....ok i guess i did my math wrong and its not quadrupaling...

so maybe $5 for 1/4lb?


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## michael ark

Don't forget time is money + spices ,cure. It may start out as a hobby but turn to work real quick.


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## dougmays

i think it'd be fun work personally :)  better then my current sit at a computer and stare out the window job i have not ;)


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## roller

Calulate good because if you start at one price and then go up shortly after starting you gona have some po`d people and they will stop buying.


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## fpnmf

Ummmm yup...5 bucks times 5 pounds would equal 25 bucks...

Plus fridge (curing) time ,making it time ,store..to and from frome,spices, and dehydrating...then weighing and packaging.

 I used be wonder why it costs 5.50 to 6.50 bucks for a BBQ sandwich.

 Since I started making it..I sure don't anymore.

 Mine is much better too!!!!

Whew..and sausage...man. People eat some of my andouille and say "you should sell this".

I say 15 bucks a pound..how much you want??   hahahahahaha  

Good luck and have a great day!!

  Craig


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## chefrob

fpnmf said:


> I don't know how 5 bucks covers 1/2 pound...
> 
> When I bought homemade at work (years ago)  it was 5 bucks for 1/4 pound.


at least, i was thinking even higher....store bought is around $5-$6 per 4oz. you have to fugure in time, ALL of the ingredients, wood, packaging.....etc.


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## smokingohiobutcher

Did you smoke it?   How much do you pay for wood chips? Do you use Gas or electric? Can you say for sure you can get $2.99 lb for eye of round all the time? Cause if you start selling a lot and have to buy it when its NOT on sale....You just shot your self in the foot!   I dont think any of us want to sound like party poopers but we want you to realize all the costs there are to consider.  Good luck

SOB


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## dougmays

yea these are all very good points! thanks fellas!


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## rstr hunter

I'd double check the weight loss as well. When I do mine in the smoker I start with a fair sized piece of meat and by the time I'm done there is a good sized pile, but it is more bulky than heavy.  I'd guess my shrink to be 60-70% or more.  However mine is fully dehydrated not big chuncks of meat in a dry coating.  Probably would make a difference.  Would sure make a difference in your cost per pound.


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## scarbelly

chefrob said:


> at least, i was thinking even higher....store bought is around $5-$6 per 4oz. you have to fugure in time, ALL of the ingredients, wood, packaging.....etc.


X2


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## meatnbeer

This is some of the best jerky I have had.  Maybe use it as a price comparison

http://www.mikescountrymeats.com/ordering.php


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## dougmays

meatnbeer said:


> This is some of the best jerky I have had.  Maybe use it as a price comparison
> 
> http://www.mikescountrymeats.com/ordering.php




thanks alot this helps!


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## mballi3011

Now this is all interesting for sure. I have been selling bacon and snack sticks for a while now and I would go for the 5.00 for maybe a 1/4 a pound myself. You really have to think about it as a bussiness or if you want to work for money or for just the making folks happy with your food thingy.


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## chef willie

You might also check on Ebay for sales price info. I've seen a few on there, both licensed and not. Look for folks with high feedback that have been doing it a while. I've considered doing it myself with Q-sauce, even went so far as to become licensed by the Or. Dept. of Agriculture. My only advice is to be veryyyyy careful when selling to the public. Once you start you become a 'food processor' in the eyes of regulators and they are very concerned about your operation, especially when you're dealing with meat. I don't mean in any way to deter or scare you but I would hate for you to open a nasty can of worms that could cost you big time.


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## dougmays

i've been looking for a good source of info on the costs and requirements to get licensed....is it expensive to start off?


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## SmokinAl

All I can say is HEALTH DEPT. Check & see what your local regulations are. Here they are very stringent.


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## ryanhoelzer

I've bought from a few people on Ebay that don't seem to have any licenses.  I also mail order some of my favorite local commercials from around the country.  The cheapest is probably around $25/lb and I've paid as much as $40/lb with shipping.

I get pretty close to 50% yield with 1/8".  Full price eye of round is usually around $4/lb, so $8 for 2 lbs for 1lb yield.  I'd have to be getting at least $20/lb to make it worth my while since I can only do around 4 lbs at a time (2 lb yield).  I think this summer I'm going to build a plywood smokehouse to try a high volume batch.  I figure I might even be able to do it without a heating element midsummer.


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## BGKYSmoker

I used to sell jerky on ebay to people from all over, UK, Japan, Canada and sorts.

Then one day i get this letter in the mail from the USDA (It looked official) Section this section that and they wanted to know why i was not putting the USDA stamp on my packaging?

Just remember, Ebay has groups that watch this. Like Chef Willie says, Its a nasty can of worms, You dont want to stand tall before the man (FEDS)


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## shtrdave

Around here it is selling for 18 to 22 bucks a pound, this from butcher shops, they get meat far cheaper than you would, ( I am assuming this of course).

I have 20 pound of london broil cut up and soaking in the fridge now, I had to by 23 pound to get 20, with loss from trimming and the moisture that gets soaked up in the little diapers under the meat.

Also have 7.5 pounds of chicken tenders soaking, had to buy 9 pounds to get 7.5 to use.

London Broil was 3.99 pound

Chicken Tenders were 2.29 pound.

This won't get made into jerky until later in the week, I will weigh once done.


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## eman

Just remember  that it's easier to lower your prices than to raise them!!!!


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## striper

Based on the price our local "Smoke Shop" charges, I should be able to sell all I could make for $30.00 per pound.  Their stuff, at $25.00 per pound, just doesn't measure up.


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## shtrdave

Finished up mine yesterday,

again 23 pound to get 20 usable london broil 3.99 #  $91.77

used a cabelas kit   $8.00

Took maybe 35 minutes to cut it up and season, left in bottom of fridge, mixing once a day for 6 days

20 minutes to load the dehydrator and slightly over 7 hours later it is done.

Got 8# of jerky cost for just ingredient was $12,47 per pound, you can see the amount of time involved and you may want to add because my girlfriend was here to help

The people I made this for loved it.

The chicken was in the seasoning for 5 days and in the dehydrator for 11 hours.

Had 28.61 in the stuff for the chicken not much prep time, 9# on meat to get 7.5 usable ended with just over 4#

the chicken ended up costing $7.15 per pound to make.

neither one have had time or electric usage, or a rate for equipment usage added in.

Also I incurred an additional $104.00 cost as my girlfriend decided she would like to find out what happens when you feed the little metal tong down through the blade of the Cabelas jerky slicer attachment for my grinder, that is the cost to fix the 200.00 slicer I bought for halp price 2 years ago.


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## rich-

I personally feel you would lose your shirt at selling for $5.00 per half pound. With the weight loss from drying and shrinkage, I only get at best 60% Jerky out of my raw meat purchase, Throw in the spices and a hell of a lot of work & attention, you won't make hardly any profit.

Here in the Seattle area, Good Jerky goes from $13.95 to $18.00 per pound.


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## tsulcoski

dougmays........

I thought about this a few years ago also.............

Do you own a house?

Keep in mind, the liability piece!  If somebody even thinks they got sick from product you made and sold to them............it can be costly!!


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## dougmays

tsulcoski said:


> dougmays........
> 
> I thought about this a few years ago also.............
> 
> Do you own a house?
> 
> Keep in mind, the liability piece!  If somebody even thinks they got sick from product you made and sold to them............it can be costly!!


tsulcoski thanks for the advice...right now i'm only selling to friends and family while i get my procedure and recipes down, but this is definitely something i thought about.  i talked to a good friend of mine who is a CPA and he is having me incorporate myself so that if something were to happen, legally they could only go after the corporation and not me personally.  since the house or anything else important to me is not owned by the corp i think i'm pretty well covered.

eventually if this thing because a full time money make i would take the next steps to be commercially certified.  i'm going to talk to a lawyer friend also about this matter


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## jeff 1

I dont ever sell my stuff,  I will gift a lil out here and there to close family and friends as a thank you for something or just out of graditude or gift.  I have people all the time wanting me to make and sell jerky, bacon and sausage or  pay me to make bbq for an event and I say no.  I dont mind doing it on occasions at my own leasure but I am in no way set up or have time to provide a service or take orders for it.   As for me it takes a lot of time effort money and work just to make our personal stuff for our household,  I dont think you can put a price on it


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## lorraines

I've been selling my jerky for 20 years @ $5.00 for 3 ounces and that covers my spices,meat and time...


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## tawny miller

If I create a fb page - Closed Group for friends ans family, will that avoid all of that woohaw?


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## floridasteve

dougmays

I'd like to talk to you about this next month at Sebring.


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## joseph harris

I make and sell jerky at a flea market and at $2 per ounce (2.5 ounces for $5 to be specific), it flies off the table. Of course, could be different where you live. People where I'm at love a hearty snack while they browse the various vendors of junk and treasure and since most of them are country folk, they love jerky.


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## grabber

I agree with Nepas.  I looked into selling my Cajun seasoning.  Here in NY we have the worst business climate in the country.  The regulations make it prohibitive.  Government needs the recipe to make sure it's safe for consumption, than better have insurance if someone should get sick, packaging, setting up website for selling, etc.  Most colleges or municipalities have offices to assist anyone wanting to start a small business.  Check them out, as the one I went to had a lot of good info and was very informative on how to do it to protect yourself.  Good luck.


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