"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" > wrote in message
...
> Ted Mittelstaedt wrote:
> >
> > My guess is you already looked into this and are looking for
> > a cheaper alternative - I don't think one exists unless you want
> > to try packaging them with mothballs (that's a joke) There ain't
> > no free luch, sadly.
>
> I walked into this late, but many baked goods dry well and will last
> a long time in a FoodSaver type vacuum sealed bag.
>
> One idea is to dry low fat unfrosted cake slices. When you serve them
> add frosting and fruit compote, brandy, etc.
>
> If you are just looking for a way to keep them from going bad, slice
> them if they are larger than one portion and seal them in Foodsaver type
> vacuum bags and then freeze them.
>

From the original post, and looking at their website where they
sell the baked desserts, this is the old story of small operator done
good, and now is faced with if they want to be a bigger operator,
they have to start dealing with the same things the large retailers
have to - namely, how do you keep food fresh, good, and appetizing
for the weeks if not months at a time that the larger retailers demand.

This is why Americans have seen a steady erosion of the number of
different apple varieties available for sale. Most of the good American
ones - like for example Yellow Transparent - have disappeared because they
turn to much if you try storing them for a while. Back in the "good old
days"
when the pioneers crossbread apple trees, they were dealing with a lot
of stock that came from Johnny Appleseed, most of which produced
apples that tasted terrible. So they bread for taste. It produced some
famous apples, just about all of which are completely incompatible with
the large retailers needs for long shelf life, and it's why you don't see
them for sale much anymore.

Unfortunately for the original posters they have to make a decision.
Their product sold based on the lack of artificial preservatives and
taste. To sell in the large retail space their only option is to repackage
with the exotic expensive packaging that I mentioned, or add artificial
preservatives and "reposition" their product.

It's the same decision Snapper lawnmowers faced when Walmart
was courting them back in 2000. Snapper told Walmart they
wouldn't compromise product quality to meet Walmart's demands
and turned their back on them. Unfortunately, too many companies
today look only at sales figures and are willing to compromise quality
to sell in the large retail space.

This is exactly the reason I got into canning. Due to the realities of
the retail space, it is simply impossible for the large food manufacturers
to make jam or jelly that can hold a candle to the taste of home
made and home canned stuff (if it's done right, of course) There are
nowadays some specialty jam and jelly makers who can get close -
you see their stuff sold for $10 a half pint and suchlike in some of
the speciality boutiques - but you can't crack open a jar of any
commercial jelly without smelling and tasting the corn in the cheaper
corn syrup they use as sweetner, or commercial cakes without
tasting the lard used in the cake batter because it's cheaper than
butter, etc. etc.

Ted