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craftbatch

Recipe costing, batch tracking, and inventory for UK artisan makers

Most makers undercount product costs by 15–30% once you add packaging, energy, and platform fees. CraftBatch replaces the spreadsheets and guesswork with recipe costing, ingredient inventory, and batch tracking in one place — so you know your real margins before you sell.

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For soap makers, candle makers, bakers, and craft food producers across the UK.

Planned pricing from £15/mo. Waitlist members get early-bird pricing.

Launching 2026. Built by Crocker Digital Ltd — UK Company No. 17008789.

Lavender Soy Candle

Batch #47 · 24 units

£2.34/unit

68% margin

The spreadsheet ceiling every maker hits

Running a craft business starts simple. Then you hit 10+ recipes, multiple sales channels, and food safety paperwork — and it all falls apart.

No idea what products actually cost

Ingredient prices change, recipes scale differently, and hidden costs (packaging, postage, platform fees) eat margins you never calculated.

Run out of ingredients mid-batch

You start a production run, discover you're short on fragrance oil halfway through, and waste a morning driving to the supplier.

Batch records in notebooks nobody can read

Environmental health asks what went into batch #32. Your answer is a smudged notebook, three post-its, and a guess about which supplier lot you used.

Allergen tracking is a compliance risk

You know your soap contains almond oil, but is it declared correctly on every label? One missed allergen in a batch sold at a market is a serious liability.

From recipe to shipped order in four steps

From recipe to shipped order — without spreadsheets, mental notes, or guesswork.

1

Add your recipes

Enter ingredients, quantities, and supplier prices. CraftBatch calculates the true cost per unit — including waste and overheads.

2

Plan production batches

Pick which products to make, set batch sizes, and get an auto-generated pick list of every ingredient you need.

3

Track what you use

Log batches as you produce them. Ingredient stock levels update automatically. Lot numbers recorded for traceability.

4

See your real margins

Per-product cost breakdowns, batch history, and margin dashboards show exactly where your money goes.

Stop guessing your costs. Join the waitlist for early access to CraftBatch.

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Free tools for artisan makers

Free calculators and tools to help you cost recipes, plan production, and price your products — available now.

Etsy Fee Calculator UK

See your real profit per sale after listing fees, transaction fees, and payment processing.

Use free tool

Candle Fragrance Calculator

Calculate exact fragrance oil amounts for any wax weight and fragrance load percentage.

Use free tool

Recipe Cost Calculator

Add ingredients and quantities to see your true per-unit production cost with margin analysis.

Use free tool

Price with confidence, pass inspections without panic

Price with confidence

See your true cost per unit — ingredients, packaging, overheads, and platform fees — so you can set prices that protect your margins on Etsy, at markets, and for wholesale.

Pass inspections without panic

Batch records, ingredient lot numbers, and allergen declarations are already logged. When environmental health visits, your records are ready — not scrawled in a notebook.

Spend your time making, not tracking

Auto-generated pick lists, automatic stock deductions, and one-click batch logging mean less time on admin and more time doing what you started this business for.

Frequently asked questions

How do I track recipe costs as an artisan maker?
Calculate your true recipe cost by listing every ingredient with its unit price, measuring the exact quantity used per batch, and dividing total ingredient cost by the number of units produced. Include packaging, labels, and a labour allocation. Most makers undercount costs by 15-30% because they forget overheads like energy, market stall fees, and Etsy/Shopify transaction fees.
What batch records do UK food producers need to keep?
UK food businesses registered with their local authority must maintain traceability records under EC Regulation 178/2002. This means recording which ingredients went into each batch (including supplier and lot numbers), when it was produced, and where it was sold. Environmental health officers can request these records during inspections. Paper logs work legally, but become unmanageable beyond 10-15 recipes.
What is the best recipe costing software for small makers?
Look for a tool that handles ingredient-level cost tracking with automatic rollup to finished product cost, supports batch size scaling, and accounts for waste and overhead allocation. Most recipe costing tools on the market target restaurants or factories — not artisan makers. CraftBatch is one of the few being built specifically for 1-3 person craft producers who sell via Etsy, Shopify, and markets.
How do I manage ingredient inventory for a small production business?
Track each ingredient with its current stock level, reorder point, and cost per unit. When you produce a batch, deduct the ingredients used automatically. The goal is knowing — before you start mixing — whether you have enough of everything for today's production run. Spreadsheets work for 5-10 ingredients but break down when you have 50+ ingredients across multiple recipes.
What allergen labelling rules apply to UK food producers?
UK food businesses must declare 14 named allergens on pre-packed food labels under the Food Information Regulations 2014. Since October 2021 (Natasha's Law), this applies to pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) items too — the kind artisan producers sell at markets and via Etsy. Allergens must be emphasised in the ingredients list, typically in bold.
How much does production management software cost for small businesses?
Enterprise manufacturing software (ERP/MRP) typically costs $49-$199+ per month and is designed for factories, not craft producers. Spreadsheet templates cost £15-39 one-time but lack automation. CraftBatch is designed for artisan makers and priced for small businesses — join the waitlist for early-bird pricing details.
Can I use CraftBatch for candle making, soap making, or cosmetics?
CraftBatch is built for all artisan production — food, cosmetics, candles, soaps, and any craft where you mix ingredients into batched products. For cosmetics, it includes CLP labelling support specific to UK regulations. For food, it covers FSA allergen tracking. The core recipe costing and batch tracking features work identically across all craft types.
Is CraftBatch available yet?
CraftBatch is currently in development. Join the waitlist to be notified when it launches and to receive early access pricing. In the meantime, explore our free tools and guides for artisan makers.

Ready to stop guessing your costs?

Join the waitlist for early access to CraftBatch — production management built for artisan makers, not factory floors.

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