Start of the artisan bakery business
In the era of mass consumerism, of industrial mass production, of frozen, prefabricated food full of additives, setting up a craft bakery would represent a return to what we were, to what we are, to what we want, and this could be the economic answer you were looking for, the option for your desire to undertake.
The taste of craftsmanship is irreplaceable and nowadays there is no time to prepare those delicacies at home, so you can provide your neighborhood with the crunchy cream-filled cannons, the spongy stuffed croissants and the exuberant Berliners that only your hands can make.
What is it and how does an artisan bakery work?
This idea of entrepreneurship proposes a new model of bakery, with the artisan production of bread, so that the percentage of products must be at least 50% manual. The rest may have machinery that facilitates the work. For example, to make the twelve folds required by a French puff pastry, would already be excessively laborious to do it with the kneading stick. In that case it is justified to use a puff pastry machine; but the filling should be done by hand.
Why open a business like this? If you go for a walk in your area, you will probably find a bakery every two or three blocks. I mean, there are plenty of bakeries, but what about the quality of their products? That’s why opening a bakery like this is an option to improve a product of massive consumption with a proposal thought in the delicious handmade flavor.
Start requirements: What do you need to open a traditional bakery?
To open a craft bakery, the first thing we need is to have knowledge in the preparation of the products that will be sold there, so if you don’t have it, it’s time to get trained, even if you plan to hire staff, because an entrepreneur should always know everything about his own business.
Since the activity of your business is specified, it is time to register your business with the corresponding entity in your city, and in this way, know the conditions and regulations to which you must adapt in terms of hygiene, conditions of the place of operation, permits and operating licenses.
Before starting, it is also extremely important to carry out a market study that will allow you to know the market conditions, identify competitors that sell products like yours, as well as find your target audience and in this sense, create strategies that allow you to know their interests and preferences, as well as the values that move in the market and other key aspects to set up your artisan bakery.
How do I start my own artisan bakery?
Write a business plan that reflects the main activity of your business, as well as the public your business is aimed at, the type of products you are going to sell, your competitors, the equipment your business needs depending on the size of your premises, which may well be bought, rented or fitted out if you have space that can work. All this will allow you to get a quote and give you an idea of the investment capital you will need.
The place you choose to set up your business must be in a good location, close to the view of a varied public, since your customers may be especially families. Also, this space must be ideal for the installation of the materials you will need for the preparation of artisan bakery products.
Contact suppliers who will provide you with the raw materials, which must be of high quality to make all the products. Make sure you have at least two suppliers, as this will prevent you from getting what you need from another reliable supplier if one does not have it. Study and evaluate the suppliers beforehand to make sure you have the best of the best.
Key tips for setting up a craft bakery
Make a regular analysis, so that you can evaluate records and in general, the control of raw material, management time and other data that will allow you to study ways to minimize some procedures to improve the potential for preparation and overall performance.
We recommend that, especially in the initial stage, you do not waste product that could well be used as a basis for the preparation of other products. Your base product is bread; now, what happens when you don’t sell all you produce in a day? Here are some ideas: breadcrumbs, packaged toast, bread pudding, etc. What do you do with the cake tips you cut off? Truffles! The idea that you should always keep in mind is: when you think about setting up a bakery, never throw away a product
not a trace of one.
The administration must be carried out by a single person, who will also be in charge of the purchase of raw materials and the rest that is needed. A business like this requires a promotion focused on the area in which it is located, so you can place posters with offers, pamphlets or flyers in nearby streets. Don’t forget that the Internet also opens the doors to your public, so it will be a tool that you must take into account.
Weaknesses: this is a business idea that requires considerable investment capital, so we recommend that you do not rely on exact figures available, but that you have capital available in case costs appear that were not formulated in the business plan or that we had not previously considered and that interfere with the launch of your artisan bakery. Although it requires a high investment, the truth is that its profitability will soon allow you to have a return on the amount invested.
Another aspect you should consider is the hiring of employees, since it is such a delicate matter, we recommend taking the time to interview them and make sure they have the knowledge and skills necessary to work in your artisan bakery.
Pros: It is a business that is focused on one of the most consumed products in the world, so it opens the doors to an ever-moving market with a public that increases the demand for this product that is consumed not only at breakfast, but also in the afternoon and on special dates.
Decorate your business and add that special touch that the public always expects from new businesses, this will certainly manage to attract their attention.
Success stories
Like the franchises you will see in the following link, your business can also grow and become one of the most important leaders in the market, but always with effort and passion for your project. Be inspired by their business models and start setting the course for your own artisan bakery.
The recipes must be homemade. That is, nothing “massified” that everyone knows, but they must have that “secret” touch that has the effect of the Pied Piper, remember? All the customers will be hypnotized by your buns because they will have a taste and texture impossible to find in any other bakery.
