01
Build your foundation
Add the ingredients you buy, including each purchase quantity and price. These ingredient records can be reused across your recipes.
THE BUSINESS BEHIND THE CAKEWhich of your products is your bestseller?
Which of your products is your bestseller?
Do you know what it really costs?
What does it cost you to produce your 250g vanilla recipe? Your cost may be different from your baker friend’s, even when you use the same recipe.
The CostNav Bestseller Challenge invites bakers and cake decorators to cost one real product using their own numbers, then explore what comes next.
Cost my first recipe ↗Explore CostNav, create your account there and start when you're ready. No separate challenge sign-up.
TAKE YOUR TIME AND KNOW YOUR NUMBERS.
Start with the product you know best.
Set aside time over the next seven days, or complete it sooner. This is a suggested journey, not a timed competition.
02
Cost your bestseller
Build your most ordered recipe using your ingredients. Include relevant labour, packaging and overhead costs to understand what it costs to produce.
03
See the bigger picture
Once you've costed your recipe, explore how CostNav connects inventory, orders, invoicing and profitability in one place.
Have your recipe quantities and ingredient purchase prices to hand. You don't need to complete everything in one sitting.
Start with one real recipe
Know the cost behind your craft.
Your first recipe is the starting point, not the end. As you add ingredients and their purchase details, you begin creating records you can use for future recipes.
See the cost of a product you actually sell, using your own numbers rather than guesswork.
Cost my first recipe ↗
More than a costing tool
Your bestseller is just the beginning.
CostNav is designed to help food businesses understand and manage the business behind the products they make.
Know what's in stock.
Manage ingredients, monitor inventory levels and keep track of stock information.
See beyond the next order.
Bring orders, business activity and profitability information into view.
Recipe costingInventoryIngredient price updatesOrdersInvoicingProfitability
Product images are illustrative; features and availability may vary by plan.
Built from lived experience
Beautiful cakes deserve sustainable businesses.
CostNav grew from a baker's understanding that making exceptional products and running a financially healthy business are not always the same thing.
The aim is simple: help food entrepreneurs move beyond guessing, understand their numbers and make more informed business decisions.
Know your numbers. Own your business.
Good to know
Before you begin
Do I have to finish in seven days?
No. Seven days is a suggested timeframe. Start when you're ready and work through the milestones at your own pace.
Why should I use my own ingredient prices?
Your cost of producing a recipe may be different from another baker’s, even when you use exactly the same ingredients and quantities. CostNav uses your actual ingredient purchase prices and quantities to calculate your production costs, helping you understand what you spend and make more informed pricing decisions.
Do I need to register for the challenge separately?
No. The button takes you to the CostNav homepage, where you can explore the platform and use its existing account registration.
Is CostNav just a costing tool?
Not at all. Costing is only one part of running a successful food business. Sustainable growth needs systems that help you manage inventory, organise orders and understand profitability. CostNav brings these essential activities together so you can make more informed decisions and build a business that works for you. A busy business isn’t necessarily a profitable one.
Is CostNav only for cake businesses?
No. This challenge is designed for bakers and cake decorators. CostNav supports food businesses more broadly.
The CostNav Bestseller ChallengeYou've built the cake.
You've built the cake.
Now understand the business behind it.
Start with your most ordered product. Discover its cost. Explore a clearer way to manage your food business.
Cost my first product ↗Need help getting started? Chat with CostNav Support on WhatsApp