The bakery business thrives on freshness and a single stale roll could ruin your reputation. The goal is for every customer to have the same great experience, and to achieve that you will need your products to be consistently fresh. Investing in storage and display equipment will have a long lasting effect and can improve the quality, shelf life and consistency of your items.

Storage

A messy kitchen can cause safety hazards, food waste and other inefficiencies. Having proper storage will allow you to take advantage of seasonal inventory opportunities, keep your workspace safe and efficient and most importantly, keep your ingredients fresh. Proper refrigeration is important in every business within the food industry and bakeries are no exception. There are requirements for refrigeration that need to be met and poor functioning equipment can get you into trouble with code enforcement. Additionally, a lack of proper refrigeration can cause health risks and costly spoilage. Storage and refrigeration are not the place to cut costs. Before making a purchase, consider how much space you have, the best environment to store your items and your equipment budget.

Display

Putting your menu items on display is an essential component of marketing for your bakery. Everyone loves to look at a clean display case full of his or her favorite treats. Conversely, an old or dirty display case is sure to drive customers away. Most bakeries have a variety of cases to display their many offerings but many of them fall flat when it comes to keeping a product fresh. If you’re looking to keep your bakery delights at peak freshness, an investment in top of the line cases may be for you. There are a variety of different strategies to use when displaying your products to increase sales and reduce waste. Overproducing and creating a grand display for a signature item will give off the appearance of freshness and demand. Additionally, displaying items that taste good together or packaging items into gift baskets can help you move slower selling items while providing value to your customers. Before making a purchase decision, it is best to look at the needs of your business and which display products will best fit your model.

Surplus

One of the most difficult questions for bakery owners to answer is what to do with day old items. There are many different options available to unload your leftovers. If you’re looking to get every dime out of each production, you may choose to offer day old items at a greatly discounted rate. Be sure to analyze your past, current and future sales to ensure this practice doesn’t cut into your profits on fresh items.   Another great option for handling leftovers is to simply give them away. Many bakeries distribute their surplus to churches, schools, charities and soup kitchens. This may not add to profits, but it can certainly have a positive affect on your public relations.

With over 12 years in the business, Quikstone Capital Solutions has proven to be a trustworthy and knowledgeable lender specializing in small business funding. Over 60% of our clients are renewals looking to continuously grow their business. Whether you need cash for emergencies, cash to cover unexpected costs, or if you’re looking to make long overdue improvements, Quikstone Capital can help. 

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