Selling and marketing
Farmers Market Bakery Display Case: What to Buy and What to Skip
You will know which display case fits your table, what it costs, and how to set it up so bakes sell.
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Your case does three jobs at once. It shows off what you baked, it keeps hands off the food, and it turns a folding table into something that looks like a shop. Here is what is out there, what it costs, and how to pick one you can haul, power, and pay for.
What to remember
- Dry cases need no power. The George & Willy small case is 16.5 inches wide at $340, the regular is 26.8 inches at $420, and the large is 38.6 inches at $520. - Refrigerated countertop cases start at $639 and run on 110V. - Buy the width your table and your car can take, not the width you wish you had. - The case is only half of market day. You still need a way to take card payments at the table.
What a display case does at your table
A case shows the whole bake, not just the top of a box. People can see crust, crumb, and color, and they can point at the one they want without you unwrapping anything. It also keeps hands off your food, which matters on a busy Saturday when a line forms.
Dry cases: no power, nothing to plug in
The George & Willy cases have an aluminum frame with acrylic panels, and none of them need power. They stack, and the doors slide, so you can load one at home and carry it in.
- Small: 16.5 inches wide, $340
- Regular: 26.8 inches wide, $420
- Large: 38.6 inches wide, $520
These are the cases for bread, cookies, bars, and anything else that holds at room temperature. No cord, no outlet, no worry about the market losing power.
Refrigerated cases: when a bake has to stay cold
The Avantco countertop cases are curved glass and steel, run on 110V, and hold 36 to 43 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Avantco BCC-28-HC: 27.5 inches wide, a 1/3 hp compressor, 3.1 cubic feet of space, $639
- Avantco BCC-35-HC: 34.5 inches wide, $749
- Avantco BCC-48-HC: 48 inches wide, $999
This is the group for cream pies, custard, and anything else that cannot sit out. They need an outlet, so ask the market manager where the power is before you buy one.
The big floor case
The Avantco BCD-48 is a dry case that stands on the floor on casters and is 48 inches tall, with curved glass and steel and 115V for its lighting. It runs $1,529 to $1,649. It is a dry case, so it is for bakes that hold at room temperature, but it shows a lot at once and it does not eat your table space.
How to choose your size
Measure your table, then measure the back of your car. A 16.5 inch case is easy to move and holds a small load. A 26.8 or 27.5 inch case fits a normal market day. A 38.6 or 48 inch case needs a helper and a bigger vehicle. Buying wider than you can carry is the mistake that leaves a case in the garage.
Measure your table and your car
Write down the width of your table and the space behind your back seats. The smallest dry case is 16.5 inches wide and the widest countertop case is 48 inches, so that number decides what you can carry.
Decide if anything you sell has to stay cold
If you sell bakes that need refrigeration, plan on a 110V outlet and a case that holds 36 to 43 degrees Fahrenheit. If everything holds at room temperature, a dry case is enough.
Match the case to how much you bring
A light load fits a 16.5 inch case. A normal market day fits a 26.8 or 27.5 inch case. A full table with a helper calls for 38.6 or 48 inches.
Sort out power before market day
The Avantco countertop refrigerated cases run on 110V. The Avantco BCD-48 floor case uses 115V for lighting. Ask the market manager where the outlets are before you buy a case that plugs in.
Work the case cost into your prices
A case is money out before you sell a single loaf. Sit down with your costs and your prices so it pays for itself over a season. If you are still working out numbers, farm stand baked goods prices walks through what to charge for each item.
Getting paid at the case
A case full of bakes does not help if you cannot take a card. Brevl is $20 a month flat with no cut of your sales. You take card payments through your own Stripe or Square account, plus Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and cash. It works on your phone at the market and on your computer at home, and a real person answers when you get stuck.
Before you spend the money
If you are still building your table, start with farmers market bakery booth ideas and how to sell bread at a farmers market. When you are ready to take orders and get paid, a home baking business app is the next step.
Prices and state cottage food limits change. This is general information, not legal advice. Check your own state's rules before you spend.