How-To: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Selling Homemade Food & Starting a Micro-Bakery on Sweeten

Your step-by-step guide to selling your homemade food locally

Why Sell on Sweeten?

Sweeten is your neighborhood food marketplace, designed to make it easy for home cooks, bakers, and food creators to earn money doing what they love. Whether you’re dreaming of starting a micro-bakery, growing a weekend food hustle, or simply selling your famous cinnamon rolls, Sweeten gives you the tools to:

• Reach local food lovers who value homemade goods

• Set your own schedule and pick-up times

• Start selling without a storefront or large overhead

• Build a loyal customer base right in your community

"I never thought I could start a food business from my kitchen. Sweeten helped me turn my side hobby into real income." — Antoine D.

Create Your Chef Profile & Set Up Payment Details

Let your personality shine! Add:

• Chef name

• Short bio and food story

• Profile photo

Payment details must be set up before customers can place orders with you.

From your Profile page, tap “Set up payment details” and follow the secure steps to connect your account. Sweeten partners with Stripe, a trusted global payments platform, to ensure your information is processed safely.

Once you’re set up, you’ll be able to start receiving orders and payouts directly to your account. It only takes a few minutes to complete!

Tip: A warm, friendly photo and a fun backstory go a long way in connecting with customers.

Set Pick-Up Location & Hours

From your Profile page, tap Edit Weekly Pick-Up Schedule to:

• Add your pick-up address

• Turn pick-up days on or off

• Set available time windows for each day

• Add optional instructions (e.g., "Ring the bell on the side gate")

Add Menu Items

Showcase your creations with:

• Clear photos

• Dish name, description & ingredients

• Pricing and prep time

• Allergy tags (e.g., gluten-free, nut-free)

Tip: Use natural light and simple plating for beautiful menu photos.  📸

Manage Orders in the App

When an order request comes in:

• Tap to confirm or decline

• Tap Ready for Pick-Up when the food is prepped

• Customer picks up and marks it as collected

Get Paid

• Payments are transferred after pick-up confirmation

• Sweeten charges a small 5.5% platform fee + any required taxes

• Track payouts in your app dashboard

See here for a guide on Sweeten fees

Start & Grow Your Micro-Bakery

Selling on Sweeten is a low-risk way to test and grow your food business:

• No need for a physical store

• Get feedback through reviews

• Build a local following

• Stay flexible and set your own schedule

  
  

Ready to Get Started?

Head to your Profile in the Sweeten app to complete your setup and start adding menu items. Whether you’re a seasoned homebaker or just starting your micro-bakery, we’re here to support you every step of the way.