Going to open a bakery need some help and ideas?

**NinaBug** · 05-03-2011 08:52 PM

i am thinking of opening a bakery in my town because there isnt one and i really enjoy baking. im just getting started. i am only 20 so its a big step. ive started by making a plan. im getting management experience by taking a promotion at my job from a cashier to shift manager. I am taking a semester off of school to get a part time job a cake shop to get first hand knowledge of how to do things and run a bakery when the spring semester comes around i am going back to school for business management. but i need help with other aspects of the whole business thing. and i need ideas about what i can sell. please help?

**Milkerz** · 05-04-2011 07:19 AM

Ideas for what to sell can depend on where you live. What products are big in your country, county or even your local area?

Luke

**NinaBug** · 05-04-2011 07:53 AM

I live in the united states in the state of Texas. I live in southeast texas on the border of Louisiana. So we have a big mexican and cajun population. we also have some germans as well. I am german and thats kind of where i got the idea. Donuts and breakfast type items are real big seller during the week day morning because of the college and high school kids that drive and also because everyone is driving to work and on the weekends because of the little league sports. Coffee is also good item. I want a traditional bakery.

**NinaBug** · 05-04-2011 08:06 AM

and ive been trying to come up with a good name i want to use my first name but i am not sure if i should use bakery or patisserie behind it. I like patisserie because it gives it a foreign feel but bakery would probably sound more american.

**Mundy** · 05-04-2011 09:42 AM

I would recommend reading "Kitchen Confidential" by Anthony Bourdain. Anthony makes you think about why you want to open a restaurant which is basically the same thing as a bakery. Make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. Give the people what they want not what you want them to want. A be prepared to have little sleep. One baker I talked with said for the first few years he worked 100 hour weeks. If you have the right model, and have it set up for the right reasons you should be on a good path.

**JKansas** · 05-04-2011 09:48 AM

I think patisserie sounds cool, might also give it a quirky name to spark interest. Talk to the local paper about running an article titled, "What is a patisserie and why should you go there?" Things like that.

I think that you're taking the right steps. Experience is important and valuable. As far as specifics to running, that you'd have to talk to an existing bakery owner and trial by fire! Definitely start with the local health department. They can shut you down. The rest of the people will work with you. You'll have to figure out other things like taxes and leases, but generally they give you a couple years and some mistakes before they harass you too much.

I would say your next step should be to find some people to work with you. Check out the SBA, SCORE, and even local business owners. A little support goes a long ways when you jump out there like this! Good luck!

Also, is it possible for you to start baking at home? This could help you with your product selection. Start the business now out of your kitchen. Make an assortment of goods that you think you can profit on and donate them to your church on Sunday morning, or a charity event, bake sale, etc. Get your food out there and take criticism. Cater the menu to that criticism since it is from your target market. Build some demand for your product before you even open your doors! I do know this strategy worked for a local bakery here.

**NinaBug** · 05-04-2011 11:48 AM

those are wonderful ideas. I thought about making a survey and going around asking people what they would want to be served in a traditional bakery because that is coming straight from the people. and yea i thought about the sleep thing and i would get some help i know doing everything all by myself would just set me up for disaster. and i think i might read that because i even thought about doing a cafe and bakery in one. I have thought about starting at home but i dont know just how to get my name out there to start generating business you like i said im new to the whole business thing.

**JKansas** · 05-04-2011 01:06 PM

That's fine, everyone is new at some point! Start out with some reading, on this site, the book Mundy reccommended, and some SBA materials. Starting & Managing a Business | SBA.gov Start out there on the website. There is a wealth of information. I took classes on business managment, structuring, business plans, financing, etc. and there is still more to learn from the SBA info. Definitely worth reading... and it's free and convenient!

I think starting at home is the best option if it's possible. That's how you will get your name out. Get a logo, any food licenses you need, and some stickers with that logo and a phone number. Your name will spread. I assume you have most of yoru baking tools already. Make sure every package you send out has your sticker on it. Blank paper bags are cheap, add your sticker, now it's your bag!. You practiced baking some new treats? Put a sticker on them and take them to a local radio station, city hall, fire station, police station... not only will it be something nice for those people, but it will get the word out for you in a cost effective way. I know of a local woman who used groupon to sell pre packaged dinners that she made in her kitchen, boxed up, and then delivered to all those that bought them on groupon. Instant recognition! Plus, while she probably didn't make a ton of money on those sales, she also didn't lose any money which means free advertising which is always good.

Hopefully some of this helps! If you're sick of my long responses, the short version is The U.S. Small Business Administration | SBA.gov !

I think the best survey for food is a taste test... and it's easier to get people to respond when there is free food involved!

**NinaBug** · 05-04-2011 01:22 PM

ive been on sba most of the morning and it is very helpful i think i am going to put up some flyers around my college campus and put some up at the local grocery stores as well and maybe put in ad in the paper and see what happens from there. and no worries about the long post i dont mind your helping me and thats very much appreciated trust me. Now what would you want if you walked into a bakery?

**suckerjob** · 05-04-2011 04:49 PM

Having a bakery sounds good just try to do local market research beforehand and then, based on that research+your skills you should determine a specific product you want to perfect. You can sell other products too but you really need to have something that really grabs peoples attention. You need a product that people associate with your bakery when they think of it, the most delicious scrumptious.... You will also need everything you sell to be consistently good (above average) when compared to your competition. Once I worked at a farm market that made fresh 'apple cider donuts' people would come in just for them. You can also use trial and error to find the best product if the first thing you try isn't successful try something else, but make sure your always getting feedback from the customers to see what they want, like, dislike etc.

A few things to remember with a bakery or any food establishment:
Consistency- Always make your product to the same(high) standard using tough quality control LOOK & TASTE (same size, appearance, texture, taste...)
Freshness- Never sell yesterdays goods today donate them to charity but do not sell them
Creativity- Maybe once a month have a special item for a limited time take orders for it or pre advertise when it will be avail but customers like some variation in their selection.
Friendliness- Always be friendly, polite, and respectful to your customers

**NinaBug** · 05-04-2011 08:50 PM

Thanks that was helpful. I am doing alot of research as far as where i want to have my bakery and what i want to sell. ive been asking people around me what they would love to buy. i have also been on sba looking at the licenses and certifications i will need i was also looking at the grants and loans section to see if maybe i can get some help with the start up costs but i am actually going to have to go to my local goverment to find out specifics. Now i am contemplating starting out of my house and save the money i make there to help at least a little bit and the part time job i am going to try and get at this local bakery i am going to also put that money towards that as well so it will cushion the cost at least a little bit. does any one know of any wholesale equipment websites where i can get equipment that is good quality but not going to cost me and arm and leg?

**patrikcainan** · 05-05-2011 01:05 AM

Hello everyone! I'm a 27 years old
>girl, I have always in my
>mind to open my own small
>bakery to sell my homemade baking
>goods. I'm a trained baker and
>i have kind of a concept
>of how i would like the
>little bakery would be. I"m so
>passionated into baking and would really
>like to do it for life.
>But i just don't know where
>to start and how much money
>would i need to open one.....Or
>should i be open it at
>a foodcourt? or downtown ??
>Anyone out there would give me
>an insight?? The one who
>love to bake so much -
>Kelkel

Hammock

**yvetteB** · 05-05-2011 04:58 AM

What you can sell depends on where you live. You will have to experiment on which bread or cakes they want to eat or buy in your bakery. You will have to have a taste test for them to be interested and be your costumer.

**WhoIsRicardo** · 05-05-2011 08:37 AM

There's this book called "The E-myth Revisited" by Michael E. Gerber.
I think that would be a great read for you. Not just from the business point but the examples/characters used in the book.
It's a pretty fast read too. Read it on a plane ride from Chicago to LA and back.

Good luck...I like the name "Patisserie" too. Makes it sound sophisticated and foreign.

**suckerjob** · 05-05-2011 08:58 AM

I dont know much about texas but their is probably some sort of board of health that any foodservice business has to get inspected and certified by, so look into that. if you are looking to start without a storefront that is totally possible, in fact its how you should start. Its foolish to make an investment in something you havent tried at all or when you open in a new area. Talk to some local shoppes in busy areas of a downtown and also ones that have a lot of customers in a typical day, a busy salon, for example. Talk to owners of these businesses and get one that will allow you to set up a table for a small fixed price. And as far as a bakery goes if your not allowed to do it in your house just talk to businesses about 'renting' their kitchen, say a pizza place after it closes, also, a lot of churches have kitchens. This is something you can do very easily, the hardest part is finding places to help you out. You can be up and selling as soon as you get your licensing and such done. Good Luck and keep us posted. You can follow me on twitter @suckerjob or my site suckerjob.com