Business License/Wholesale Issues

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Scogar
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Business License/Wholesale Issues

Post by Scogar » Thu Jan 24, 2019 20:55

Does anyone have any experience overcoming the issues of getting raw materials by having a business license? It seems everywhere that I turn no one has jowls, or back fat, or even whole belly. Why because Johnny Q Public doesn’t buy these items regularly. So when I go to the bigger meat packers or warehouses they have everything I need but won’t sell to me because I don’t have a business license.

Yes I know there are many answers on how to get raw meat so I’m not looking for where to buy things. What I am looking for are answers on has anyone successfully gotten a business license for the purpose of buying meat OR has anyone used an existing business license to do the same? I’m wondering if my friend who is a contractor with a “business license” (whatever that means) is all I need.

thanks
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Post by BBQBob » Fri Jan 25, 2019 13:37

Not sure in Ga. In New Jersey you need a tax ID number for places like Restaurant Depot. I was lucky enough to have a sister in law so owned a restaurant and I used her card to gain access to Depot. Then my wife was hired and worked for a middle school in town. Was able to access their ID number and I've had my card for the past 10 years.
If you know anyone in the industry let them know what you plan on doing. If you know them well enough I'm sure they be willing to help out.
As far as back fat and whole bellies I just get that stuff from my local supermarket. I've ordered bellies from them plenty of times.
25 years ago I use to smoke pot. Now I smoke pork.
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Post by Scogar » Fri Jan 25, 2019 15:58

Thanks Bob, my quick research looks that it is conforming to what you say. I think it is solely a tax issue...meaning the wholesaler doesn't want to and doesn't need to complicate things with taxes so long as they get the correct paperwork. The business license ultimately transfers that liability to the downstream purchaser at the retail level.

It looks like it might be possible to get one's own business license, say as a reseller for EBay, and with that go to a wholesaler and buy meat. That meat gets used and not resold but of course to conform and eliminate state issues you pay the tax to the state on whatever periodic (quarterly?) basis is required. Bonus would seem that you have access to wholesale prices. That wasn't the original intent but it does seem like a possibly very lucrative benefit.

Further research on my part is intended but if anyone else has any insights that would be helpful
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Post by Butterbean » Tue Jan 29, 2019 22:51

I had a sales tax number at one time and it was more trouble than it was worth unless you are buying large quantities of goods. In the end, its hardly worth because if you forget to fill out your quarterly tax report you will be fined and they will make your life miserable over nothing.

I would suggest finding a small grocer or someone who still cuts meat and talk with them about buying meat in bulk. What you can do is piggyback your order with theirs and since they buy from meat packers they can get you pretty much anything you want. Doing it this way will be beneficial to both of you since the more meat he buys the cheaper it will be for him. This is what I do and have three businesses I buy from. Only problem with doing it this way is you have to buy bulk which is 50-60 lb boxes of meat but between the three I can get pretty much anything I want.

If you start doing it this way you can learn the different meat packers and who cuts what. I used to buy from a guy who bought boxes of 70/30 scrap meat to make sausage with. The boxes were filled with miscut porkchops which made for incredible sausages not to mention weiner schnitzel. Sadly, this guy is no longer in business so that dried up.

Another thing you can do is talk to the butcher at Sam's. If you buy bulk in the box he will cut the price considerably.


Key is to get out and talk to the meat cutters and butchers in these stores. I often bring them stuff I make for a little public relations because once they see you are a member of the fold they will warm up to you and help you out.
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Re: Business License/Wholesale Issues

Post by LOUSANTELLO » Fri Feb 08, 2019 12:57

3 things. Wholesalers don't want to deal with individual people coming in to buy small quantities. There's a cost involved when dealing with that. Secondly, if a butcher found out that a wholesaler was chopping his nuts off by selling direct, there would be a real good chance the butcher would boycott their facility and never buy from them again. That's the facts. Also Wholesalers are setup to have the proper paperwork whereby they don't have to deal with sales tax. All accounts on file have Tax exempt licenses and the paperwork is the wholesalers protection to prove that the dealer is responsible for collecting the sales tax on the retail end.
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