Do you plan on turning your baking addiction
into a profitable business? That’s great! But what kind? Have you planned it
out yet?
Well, if you haven’t made up your mind
about the kind of bakery service you want to provide, maybe this will help.
There are generally four types of bakeries – counter service bakeries,
specialty service bakeries, sit-down bakeries and online bakeries.
Learn more about them by reading the details below.
Online Bakeries Bakers have found a way to provide baked goods at a
lesser cost. They do away with having a storefront and just do business through
the Internet. What they do is obtain the necessary licenses that one usually
gets when putting up a bakery, then they create a website where they can post
pictures of their products and add a shopping cart service onto the website.
Counter Service Bakeries These are the traditional kind of bakeries
wherein the staff would tend to their customers as they approach the counter.
There the customers would choose the type of bread or baked goods they would
like to purchase, people behind the counter wrap it up for them and then the
customers pay. It’s the typical kind of bakery you see, and the great thing
about it is that it provides quick service to customers.
Specialty Service Bakeries Specialty service bakeries are those that
specialize in certain types of baked goods. Usually, the products customers
purchase from these types of bakeries are those that are pre-ordered. They
describe to bakers what they want done, and the bakers would work on the
project for a given number of days. Examples of such bakeries include wedding
cake bakeries, personalized cakes and pastry chefs.
Sit-Down Bakeries A lot of bakeries nowadays are trying to attract more
customers and gain more profit by letting their customers dine inside the
bakeries. They provide clean seating and waiting services, as well as menus
with a selection of food their customers can choose from. These bakeries are
like cafes, adding coffee beverages and other refreshments, only they still
would mostly specialize in baked goods.
What Supplies Do I need?
To be able to open up your very own bakery,
you will need to own all the essential supplies to help make your baked goods –
hundreds or even thousands of baked goods. You probably know some of the stuff
you need since you use all those at home, then again, you’re not just baking
for your family and friends anymore.
Shelving – One of the most important things
you’ll want to have in your bakery is shelving. You need storage spaces where
you can keep all your ingredients, other supplies, plates and utensils, and
other items that you would like to put away.
Baking Equipment – You, of course, need
food prep and baking equipment. Among all those, the commercial mixer is of
utmost importance, as well as your mixing accessories. Depending on your needs,
you can choose between a stand or tabletop mixer. Next, you’ll need a machine
that can help you crimp, fold, trim and seals dough. This is essential when
making pastries and turnovers. You have to have slicers, as well, to help in
preparing loaves and bagels.
Oven – Just as important is a commercial
oven. Without it, baking would practically be non-existent. Make sure you know
how many ovens you will need to get all your products done. Remember, you will
be providing baked goods for a lot of people for a good number of hours.
Utensils – Not the usual spoon, fork and
knife, but dough cutters, flour sifters, spatulas, etc. Different baked goods
make use of different things during preparation, so if you were to add
something in your menu, make sure you have the right supplies.
Pans – A variety of pans are also available
for different applications – pies, cakes, springforms, loaves, you name it!
They’re used for prep, moving and display.
Donut Fryer – Donuts are a popular treat,
so why not add them to your list of products. To create these delicious treats,
you need to get a good donut fryer. These will already include wire mesh donut
screens with handles, as well as turner sticks.
Refrigerators – There are certain items
that will need refrigerating, and yoy will also need to keep all your
ingredients fresh. And to make things much easier for you and your employees, I
recommend reach-in freezers or refrigerators.
Display cases – Presentation is key to
attracting customers, so you’ll need the help of display cases so you can lay
out all your baked goods for people to see. They come in different shapes and
sizes, as well as self-service or attendant served orientations.
Click here for a list of bakery equipment
needed.
Taking your bakery online
Many of us dream of starting a bakery, but
for some of us it’s just too expensive. It’s a big financial risk, so is any
type of business venture. But thanks to the Internet, bakers have the chance to
live out their dream. They can do business online and eventually earn enough to
later put up a storefront. However, an online baking business is more than just
posting your products on a website and having drooling customers order. Here is
what you ought to do.
To form a corporation, partnership or limited liability company, you will
need to have your business with the secretary of state’s office . To have sole
proprietorship, you will have to approach the county clerk’s office and
register your business there. You also need to obtain an Employer
Identification Number (EIN) through the Internal Revenue Service, which will be
needed on all your necessary documents.
Before selling your baked goods online, you also have to contact the
health department to be able to get a food manufacturer or distributor’s
license. Depending on the state you reside in, there may be additional licenses
needed, so you will have to visit your local health department and inquire
about what other licenses you need to apply for.
Food labels are also important. The best way to determine requirement
labels is to check out the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website and
see how you should label your baked goods.
Assuming you’ve picked out your bakery name and when all your licenses
and other requirements have been completed, you can now register a domain name
through domain registration websites like Whois.net to see what domain names
are available. Then, look for a web hosting company (we always recommend
Bluehost). It would be great if you find one that allows for unlimited web
pages, file uploads and shopping carts.
Now for the fun part – designing your website. Upload photos of your
products and include a brief description, as well as the price. Provide
customers with your contact information and instructions on how to order and
pay for the baked goods they order. Also include a return policy, as well as a
customer feedbacks section to help you see how well business is doing.
Marketing is also an essential step to growing your business and
establisher a bigger market, so make sure to have a good marketing strategy
such as using different social media platforms to help promote your business.
Final Things to Consider When Starting a
Bakery
It’s not easy taking on a new business
venture, especially one that relies so much on the taste of the customers. For
this reason, you will want to think carefully about the steps you will take in
making it happen. So when starting a bakery, what does one have to consider?
To start with, how do you want to plunge
into the food industry? There are a couple of options you can choose from –
start your very own bakery, take over an existing bakery.
Once you’ve decided, it’s not time you
think about what type of bakery you want to run and who you plan on marketing
your products. Do you wish to put up a small stall, a counter service bakery, a
sit-down type bakery pr do you want to first start online? Or maybe you would
like to franchise.
Try to see if you will be able to generate
cash flow. You ca do this by determining what type of baked products you will
be selling and at what price, then make an estimate of all the income you ate
likely to end up with after a year, VAT included.
Compiled from www.starting-a-bakery.com/
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