In this day and age of healthy eating and customers who are much more aware of what they’re putting in their mouths, is opening a bakery really feasible? Well, if you’re asking whether you’ll get enough business from consumers, then it’s in no doubt at all. However is it feasible to do traditional baking in the way that it has been done for multiple generations? This is a bit hit and miss because it completely matters where you’re opening and who you’re aiming your products towards. The younger generation can be introduced to some fantastic traditional food, but you also need to innovate. In the metropolitan cities of today, people want something lighter and experimental. The smaller cities and the towns will respect tradition and the customary way of doing things. It all depends on your vision if we’re honest. Running through the middle of all kinds of bakeries are a few hurdles that you must actively jump over to get started.
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Your store or shop size
The first thing you need to scout once you have all your rough ideas ready is a store. Remember you’re not opening a restaurant, so you want just enough room for people to browse and shop. So what does this mean? You need a buying area and a waiting area for customers to line up in. However, this doesn’t mean they will have to be split up in the store even though your front produce area is. The square foot you need is directly linked to the amount of profit you intend to make. Something that is small and personable such as a boutique shop is cozy and inviting but when it gets busy, will it be the ideal space? The general rule of thumb of is to buy a property that is around 1000 square feet. However, if you intend to make at least a quarter of a million dollars, then you can increase this buy 500 square-feet. If you want just to be sure and plan for the future, then you could opt for 2000 square feet. Think about the display cases that you will be exhibiting your wares in, the room needed for your workers to move around freely in a while holding fresh batches in their hands etc. Too small and it will feel crowded, and customers will possibly have to line up outside. Too large and it will feel as if the store is unpopular and looking from the outside in, it won’t be inviting.
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Decide on the style of food
Now comes the hard part or easy part depending on how you look at it. Deciding on what kind of food you’re offering will determine a lot of other things. Do you follow a cold business plan that makes common sense, or do you go for something that is outlandish and true to your heart? Realistically, you need to try and balance both. People like different things and trends always keep changing so don’t limit yourself too much. Indeed you’re only small, and you want to stick out so you should be aiming for something niche and chic. Consider the costs of the ingredients and the time and energy it takes to make and cook. Bread is, of course, something that is stock-basic but you really need to focus on a type of baked goods. Traditional Italian bakeries offer cannolis, focaccia, sfogliatella, Sicilian lemon cakes etc. If you want something that is hip to the location, you have to scout and do a bit of legwork. Do not clash with your rivals that are just a few steps away from your location. You could go for something that is incredibly bizarre but alluring to the spot you’re in. A classic Iraqi bakery will do kleecha, flatbreads with sesame seeds, stuffed flatbreads with minced lamb, baklava, prune rolls etc. Once you have what kind of style you want in mind, then you can search for bakers and make up your menu list.
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Crucial equipment choice
Now come the technical hurdles that you must not fear. The equipment that your bakery is going to be using will be the inanimate objects that turn your dream from drawings and imagination into reality. First off you need to go through a choice of professional bakery ovens. Carefully study the abilities of each product and brand, such as maximum and minimum as well as optimum temperature, internal pressure, the running costs from day to day as well as monthly, and what the brand offers in terms of repair to name a few things. The working environment for bakeries is incredibly important because the atmosphere plays a large role in building the quality of the products. Getting the right amount of ventilation with a commercial hvac will allow the heat to not build up to a critical level thus maintaining an optimum temperature in the bakery. Oven product a lot of excess heat which cannot be helped, but if you’re trying to allow different baked good rest and fill out naturally, having a humid and sweaty environment will kill what you’re trying to achieve. Speaking of resting, you need good proofing boxes where yeast can function to its full potential and allow your breads, rolls, cakes, and hot pastries to rise. You’ll need mixers, work tables, chillers, sinks and even freezers as part of the smaller but just as a relevant list of professional equipment.
So why are these the hurdles that many who want to start a professional bakery business must jump over first you may be thinking? These are the absolute fundamental objectives that your food business must decide and stick to. The style of food is perhaps the hardest choice to make as you’re trying to stick to something you know, something you love and yet still is in a position whereby you’re satisfying a niche demand. The shop size will determine the atmosphere inside. Customers play their own role subconsciously by how they act. If a shop is large but empty, they will make a decision in the back of their subliminal mind to not enter because they think the shop isn’t really good at what it does. Now that you’re about to put the wheels in motion you need to think carefully about the type and size of equipment you’re going to fit in the store. Bear in mind the workers will be using the ovens, proofing drawers and ventilation systems day in and day out. They will need to understand how they function and be comfortable with them.
