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Marketing diabetic food
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April 27, 2000: 10:38 a.m. ET
Research the market and form relationships with hospitals, providers
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Dear Jane: I'm interested in marketing gift baskets of food for diabetics. What is the best way to find out if anyone else is doing this? And what should I do next?
Unfortunately, there are very few totally new and different ideas, especially if you plan to sell via the Internet. But, because there are many online and brick-and- mortar companies serving diabetics, you know there is a strong market for products and services. Start by doing a major search on the Internet by typing in key words like "diabetic," "sugar-free foods," "gift baskets," etc.
Visit all the sites that come up and take notes on what they offer. You also should contact all the associations that serve diabetics. There are several, and I'm sure they will pop up in your search. Check the Yellow Pages, both online and offline, for more listings.
You might be able to strike a deal with an existing gift basket company to provide the special foods and candies for diabetic clients. There are thousands of gift basket companies around the U.S., so there should be many to choose from. Speak with as many owners and managers as you can to see if there is any interest in working with you.
Finally, contact the managers of hospital gift shops to see if they would accept a few sample baskets on consignment. This means they pay you only when the basket sells.
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ApplegateWay
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