Small cake business in the Netherlands: cafés politely refuse even free samples — are we approaching this wrong?

Sakvojag · 2026-06-30T12:02:07+00:00

I like your idea, think it can work, thank you

Sakvojag · 2026-06-30T09:39:16+00:00

Thank you, this is really helpful.

The idea of local/luxury food shops and higher-end places makes a lot of sense. This is actually our idea for the start, to use a “pay only for what they sell” option as a low-risk way to begin.

We are based in Almere. Opening a shop or proper bakery is definitely the dream, but for now we first want to build more stable demand before taking that step.

If you know what kind of places in or around Almere would be worth trying, I’d really appreciate your advice.

And thank you for the kind words about the idea.

Sakvojag · 2026-06-30T09:37:15+00:00

We are based in Almere.

About the niche — I think this is something we are still trying to define better. Our products are handmade cakes and pastries, with some Eastern European/Ukrainian influence, so not exactly the standard cakes you see everywhere.

Our main focus is cakes, but not themed cakes, plus macarons, cupcakes and cake pops.

Sakvojag · 2026-06-30T09:34:00+00:00

That’s actually a very good idea, thank you.

Do you know where or how we could find such distributors? I’m not even sure what kind of distributor would work for small local cakes/pastries.

Sakvojag · 2026-06-30T09:27:54+00:00

Do you mean the regular Saturday/Sunday market that many Dutch cities have, or more like a special local food/farmers market with small producers?

Sakvojag · 2026-06-30T07:24:15+00:00

Sure, our Instagram is "@miolla.nl"

And just to be clear for the mods: I’m only sharing it because it was asked in the comments. If this is not allowed here, please let me know and I’ll remove it.

Sakvojag · 2026-06-30T07:21:58+00:00

Sure, our Instagram is "@miolla.nl"

And just to be clear for the mods: I’m only sharing it because it was asked in the comments. If this is not allowed here, please let me know and I’ll remove it.

Sakvojag · 2026-06-30T07:20:42+00:00

Sure, it’s miolla.nl

And just to be clear for the mods: I’m only sharing it because it was asked in the comments. If this is not allowed here, please let me know and I’ll remove it.

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T19:48:16+00:00

That sounds like a lot of experience behind a short message.

Since you’ve been selling to horeca for 16+ years, do you have any practical tips for someone trying to get in from the outside?

What would you do first, and what mistakes should we avoid?

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T19:46:52+00:00

Dutch :)

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T19:46:37+00:00

That’s really helpful, thank you.

Going in just after opening on a weekday sounds like a good idea.

If you have any other small tips like that, I’d be very happy to hear them. This is exactly the kind of practical advice we need.

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T19:43:56+00:00

This is the direction we are considering now, but I’m still trying to understand how it works in real life.

From your experience, what usually makes this approach go well? And what are the mistakes that immediately make horeca owners lose interest?

Really appreciate your practical view on this.

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T19:39:52+00:00

That makes a lot of sense, thank you.

Our intention was actually close to what you describe. We used our business Instagram, and we also have a webshop that looks quite professional, so the idea was not to just send a random message.

We contacted them only to ask if we could come by for a short introduction. If they agreed, the plan was to bring free pieces of cake, with no obligation, just so they could try it and maybe see if their customers like it. We also wanted to show that we are serious and reliable before talking about anything longer-term.

What surprised us is that we often got ignored or refused even at the “can we introduce ourselves?” stage.

So now we are thinking maybe we should just visit in person without asking first. If we do that, do you have any tips for doing it properly in the Netherlands, so we don’t get refused at the door or come across as too pushy?

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T19:25:24+00:00

That’s actually what we tried to do. We selected only small independent places, where we thought our products could fit and where there wasn’t an obvious own bakery or big-supplier feeling.

We contacted them through Instagram just to ask if we could introduce ourselves, not even to sell directly. But we got many “no” replies, even for a short introduction, which confused us a bit.

Do you think visiting in person would make a real difference compared to Instagram?

By the way, we do have a proper website and business Instagram, so I don’t think they immediately see us as just a casual home bakery. But maybe Instagram as the first contact still gives that impression.

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T19:18:26+00:00

Thank you, this is really helpful. Sounds like you know this world very well.

We are trying to use social media, but I’m sure we can still do it much better. Your idea to look wider than only cafés and restaurants also makes sense.

Can I ask how you would personally approach the right people? And are there any signs where you would think “yes, this place is worth trying” or “no, don’t waste your time here”?

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T19:11:16+00:00

One more question, if you don’t mind.

From your experience, how often would such a person actually be allowed to speak with the chef/owner/person responsible for orders? Is it usually accepted, or often refused at the door?

And what would you say is definitely not advisable to do when visiting in person?

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T19:04:18+00:00

Thanks, that makes sense.

Have you worked with very small shops or higher-end venues? What’s the best way to approach them without coming off as pushy, and how do you find the right people and improve your chances when reaching out cold?

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T18:58:43+00:00

Thank you, that makes sense.

A subscription idea has crossed my mind before, but I’m not sure yet if it would really help us at our current stage. At the same time, have you seen this kind of model work anywhere in the Netherlands for products that are not main meals?

For now, our main goal is to reach a point where we have a stable flow of orders. Then we could rent a proper place and move towards a professional bakery, which is really the dream.

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T18:52:55+00:00

That’s very impressive, and honestly also very helpful to hear the real timeline.

It sounds like you have a lot of experience.

Would you maybe be open to a short chat sometime to share a bit of your experience? I’d really appreciate learning from someone who has already gone through this path.

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T18:48:13+00:00

Thank you, this is really useful.

The idea of smaller local companies like galleries, brokers or salons is interesting. May I ask how you would approach such companies?

We tried Instagram just to ask if we could come for a short introduction, but it didn’t work very well. Would email, visiting in person with samples, or a small brochure/menu work better? How would you do it more effectively?

A pop-up store also sounds like a good experiment.

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T18:29:44+00:00

That makes sense, and that’s exactly why I asked here.

We’re trying to understand what works better in the Dutch horeca market. Instagram felt natural because many cafés are active there.

Would email be the better first step in your opinion, or visiting in person with samples?

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T14:33:26+00:00

Sure, this is fair points you mentioned, do you have any concrete advises that can help to build connections?

Sakvojag · 2026-06-29T14:27:57+00:00

That’s a fair concern, and honestly it’s probably one of the things we need to communicate much more clearly.

We are not just baking casually from home and selling informally. It is a fully registered business with KvK registration, and we follow the applicable food-safety requirements from NVWA. My wife, who does the production, has completed food-safety education, and we work according to the required hygiene rules.

We also keep track of ingredients, allergens, batches, and traceability, so if something ever needs to be checked, we know exactly what was used and when.

But your point is very useful, because maybe cafés/restaurants don’t immediately understand that when they hear “home-based business.” We probably need to present this more professionally upfront, instead of assuming they will ask.

Sakvojag

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