Figure a profit, as well as the time and labor, as well as ingredients and cost of jars. All this would average about $5 for a pint or less.

Karen - I've been selling various jams and such at our local farmer's market. I haven't made the habenero gold, but other items. And I've had to buy most of my ingredients from the grocery store, as I didn't grow any of the fruits of veggies I've been using. So, anyway, figuring ingredients and jars only, the total is usually between $2 and $3 per half-pint. I have been charging $5 per half pint, and people have been fine with that. That gives me $2 to $3 for my time and profit per jar. Sorry if that was all too much information!

Anyway, yes, you definitely need to figure up your costs to make it, and decide from there how much you feel your time is worth : )

Becki

I would charge $6 per half-pint for the HGJ. Unless you do yours differently, there's a lot of meticulous hand-chopping with that recipe, as the look is part of the appeal. For the extra time and because liquid pectin is expensive I'd charge more than I would, say, for a simple jam.

Carol

Fyi... I was at a department store today and they had on one isle different food stuff. Mine you this was a home goods store where they sell furniture and such. But they have olive oils and rubs etc... They had Habenero Jam there in little jam jars for 7.00 and that was on clearence. It looked just like the pics on another thread.
I thought of all of you when i saw it. Pretty neat.

I work in the retail store of a company that does small batch preserves, The jars holds 7 oz and the avg retail price is $7.50. They've been in business for 25 yrs.

Since you are making it at a special request of your boss (emphisis on boss) and because you don't have much overhead and because you arn't in business, I'd think $5.00 would be fair...

Nancy

I sell pepper jellies at my local farmers' market, and I charge $4 for a half-pint. The other lady who sells jam sells hers for $4.50 a half-pint or two for $8.

Just FYI... --Gina

Here is a link that might be useful: Lindsey's Luscious

In reading this thread, I've found myself re-thinking this issue.

Going back to what's been said already and thinking of my DH's costing for his stained glass, you should charge as ksrogers recommended cost of ingredients+cost of materials+cost of utilities+a reasonable wage for your time. It's true you're not in business (right now anyway) so you don't have the carrying costs of a commercial enterprise, but your labor is still just as valuable.

I disagree on charging your boss less (offering a discount) because the likelihood is she'll tell others about the jelly or serve it not just to her DH but to company and you may well find others approach you to buy their own jars. They will expect to pay no more than your boss paid.

Of course, if you're basically doing this as a favor and don't ever plan to sell it to anyone else, then it's a moot issue and you can charge whatever seems fair to you and in the best interests of your relationship with your employer.

Carol

One more important issue about costs, supervisors, managers, and 'bosses', usually make much more money (as a salaried worker) than us working class people, so charging a high price isn't somthing you should feel guilty about. If they liked it THAT much, they should be willing to support your efforts by paying the price you ask for. Doing favors, sometimes backfires, just like that fussy guy I knew who asked me go grow some nice big tomatoes, and then was way too picky when it came to their appearance, even if they had a slight blemish.

Darn after just adding up the cost of ingredients & supplies I'm already at $5.00.
jar .58
onion .75
red pepper 1.50
pectin 1.88
sugar .30
habs were technically free I grew them

as for time I think it took about 4 hours to prep & make @ $10/hr (I'm worth it) divided by 13 8oz jars=$3.08

That would make a jar $8.00

I'll let you know how much she was willing to pay, I may show her this thread so she doesn't think I'm ripping her off.

Thanks all.

I think it's really informative for us all to work through this and see how your costs added up. A lot of people just don't realize the expense involved. And you didn't even include utilities.

Carol

I've read this thread with interest since the start. Just seems so many ways could get awkward.

What I would do is make another jar or two and give to her for free and make it plain that jelly making is a once a year project or something like that. That would eliminate the possibility of her saying next month or the month after something like "hey... I'd like to buy a couple more jars for a party next week".

So much of this swings on the boss/employee relationship where you work. Work places differ so much.

And then again you could start a small ongoing enterprise and sell the jars at fair price year round to everybody.

I too am finding this thread very interesting. Not that I have any plans to sell but it's fun to see.

habs were technically free I grew them
If you were really going to try to sell for a profit (or even to break even), they aren't free. You presumably bought either seeds or plants. If seeds, you bought potting material to start them indoors, you had electricity bills for the lights, etc. Once planted outside you probably watered them and you may have bought fertilizer or other additives.

If I was just selling a couple jars to my boss, I wouldn't worry about what I just wrote but, for sake of completeness of the discussion even growing your own is not free of expenses.

Ann

When I calculated the cost I used the cost of ingredients for the entire batch, therefore decreasing the cost per jar to 4.41 for costs & time. I told her about this response and she offered to pay $6.00 per jar. Thanks all, you are right this really has opened my eyes to the cost.

When I give my canned goods as gifts I always feel like I'm giving a cheap gift, I won't anymore. (Even when I do ask for the jar back LOL)

Thanks again all
Karen

My boss? I love her and she's a great friend, I'd just tell her if she provided ingredients and jars I'd make her a batch and "donate" the labor and utility costs. Or, I'd provide jars if she promised to give them back when she was done with them, LOL.

Of course, you may have decided to do this "for profit" in which case you need to check with your local health department regarding requirements for selling homemade products.

The prices and methods for pricing given here seem very fair, so I won't add to that.

Annie

> When I calculated the cost I used the cost of ingredients for the entire batch, therefore decreasing the cost per jar to 4.41 for costs & time.

I wondered about that --- if you had paid 13x $1.88 for pectin I was going to offer to ship you some! ;-)

It is an interesting exercise. When a similar discussion comes up on the tomato or vegetable forum from time to time, it often dissolves into an argument over whether one needs to factor in an amortization percentage of the one-time set-up costs (which I guess would be the canner, jar lifter, etc.), and whether one "has" to include labour if one enjoys doing it and therefore thinks of it more as recreation (some folks feel that gardening SAVES them money because it's a hobby that costs less than what they would be doing otherwise to entertain themselves).

These kinds of old domestic arts really are fascinating in that they can be seen as either work or entertainment or even both at once....

Zabby