A mini-bakery is a small enterprise specializing in the production and subsequent sale of baked goods. Quite often, bakeries are private enterprises, either independent or as part of a business, for example, a hypermarket. In some cities there are even entire chains of bakeries that sell their own products even from mobile points. True, as practice shows, startups and newcomers to entrepreneurship themselves are seduced by financial gain, forgetting that this “game” is one of the toughest.
Why is this business plan needed?
It’s corny, but the saying: “Measure twice, cut once” just fits perfectly here. This principle also applies to bakeries.
What do you think, if the thought of opening a bakery is in your head, what will be more important to you: a tidy sum of money, the cheapest rent for the premises, or a professional team that is always ready to complete tasks? I would like to disappoint you - the answer will be: “all at once.” In our case, we have to talk about a fairly common concept in modern business - a business plan.
An ideal business plan is not only the key to investing, but also the key to the successful development of your entire enterprise.
In general, a business plan should be understood as a document that takes into account all aspects of advantages and problems, and possible ways to solve them. Moreover, in addition to the verbal picture, it implies sufficient numerical indicators that characterize the costs and benefits of a particular process, procedure, or investment.
A business plan is a kind of look into the future today. That is why drawing up a plan is a categorically important process that lays the foundation for a “bright future.” In addition, writing it is the first step, the first step when starting any project designed for success.
Market analysis, competitiveness assessment
It is worth noting that a business plan involves taking into account most of the features associated with business at the current moment and in the future. If we consider that a bakery is a very interesting and exciting project, then we must take into account that a business plan for the production of bread and bakery products cannot do without competition.
Naturally, competition forces business participants to grow and develop, leads to the creation of new interesting products, and reduces the cost of the product. Consequently, this benefits both the manufacturer and the consumer.
There is currently no active growth in the number of mini-bakeries. Yes, from time to time the next family impromptu appears somewhere, but to a greater extent they are calculated on luck or built on the personal interest of the owners. Metaphorically speaking, pseudo-French bakeries are growing by leaps and bounds. Most of them are not able to survive on the open market for several months.
Despite this, the market for quality and successful bakery cafes is still trending upward. If we take into account statistics, France has one bakery per 5,000 inhabitants. Of course, there is no need to talk about such demand in the domestic market at the moment.
How to open a bakery from scratch (choosing a registration form, what documents are needed to open a mini-bakery)
Before you open a mini-bakery from scratch, you need to go through some bureaucratic procedures.
It is well known that to carry out activities an official business registration. In this case, there are two options for the development of events: either. If an entrepreneur is not a stupid person, and his thoughts are focused on obtaining his own benefit, then he will register his activities as an individual entrepreneur. In this case, there will be less hassle with paperwork, and the registration process it will be easier and cheaper.
An LLC must be registered if you plan to conduct a joint business. This option is more reliable and justified.
Providing services to the population: .
Marketing options for bakery products
Sales organization will require:
- concluding a supply agreement with several points of sale with the possibility of delivery as quickly as possible;
- registration of contracts with wholesalers. This will limit you from the need to organize a sales market, and will also bring economic benefits (there will be no need to maintain a vehicle, driver and car mechanic);
- outbound trade. In this case, mobile retail outlets (vans) will be needed. This option is the most troublesome, since in order to implement it, in addition to purchasing a van, you need to obtain a special permit to trade.
Promotion of a mini-bakery
To promote a business, you need to invest a certain amount of money in promotion. In this case, one cannot fail to note the merit in this matter advertising activities.
Although initial promotion will cost a pretty penny, thanks to a well-thought-out business plan for a mini-bakery with calculations, all costs can be distributed evenly, which will reduce the financial burden and start making a profit as quickly as possible.
Is it profitable to open a bakery (how much does it cost, what are the profitability and payback)?
We cannot ignore the most important component of any business plan – its financial part.
So, how much does it cost to open a bakery from scratch? 
Expenditure part will include the following items:
- registration of an enterprise and purchase of necessary equipment - 600,000–1,200,000 rubles;
- funds needed to repair the premises - 80,000–100,000 rubles;
- furniture costs – 50,000 rubles;
- rental fee for premises – 850,000–900,000 rubles per year;
- payment for energy and utility bills – 150,000–200,000 per month;
- staff salaries – 1,500,000 rubles per year.
The mini-bakery produces from 0.5 to 1 ton of baked goods per day.
Profitability mini-bakery depends on the amount of bread baked and its price in different regions of the country. On average, the profitability of a bakery is 25–50%.
Payback period- 2–3 years.
To summarize, we can say that the correct development of a business plan for opening a bakery, taking into account a well-thought-out sales system and focus on the interests of the client, will quickly recoup the investment. In this case, the key to a businessman’s success will be the thoughtfulness of his actions based on strict adherence to the business plan, taking into account timely adjustments.
A bakery as a business is an opportunity to realize your wildest ideas, so the question arises: how to open your own production, is it profitable or not to bake and sell bread yourself?
The production of bread and bakery products is a process that will always find its consumer. How many famous sayings are dedicated to this hearty and tasty product! People living in the former Soviet Union eat absolutely everything with bread – it’s both tastier and more satisfying.
Fresh bread is quite difficult to find in a big city today. Most people are accustomed to purchasing this product in supermarkets, where its quality does not always meet the necessary requirements. There is no need to talk about the variety of baked goods in such stores - it is unlikely that you will find a fresh, still warm bun with which you can please your family.
A bakery can be found in almost every major city and even small town. Large enterprises cover a vast territory, which is why it is much more difficult for them to comply with all the preferences of their consumers - there is an emphasis on mass production and providing all categories of citizens with bread that is in demand.
At the same time, the profitability is obvious - private production and reaching fewer people will help satisfy the needs of almost everyone, while giving the consumer the right to choose from a fairly large assortment. Having your own bakery can be a real gift for both a small village and a large city, where people have long missed fresh baked goods.
Relevance and prospects
Bakery is a multifaceted process that requires detailed market research and good advertising. If the quality of your product is high and the location of the store is convenient, the consumer himself will make good advertising - information will be passed on by word of mouth, and a random passerby will not be able to pass by.
Mini-production is profitable because it is much easier for it to adapt to the immediate desires of customers and rebuild its equipment. Baking bread can be just the beginning of a large business - the store should not be limited to only this product.
The key to successful trading will be assortment. Every person wants to pamper themselves not only with simple bread that goes with any dish, but also with original pastries, dietary products and confectionery. In this case, the quantity of baked product will depend on demand.
The bread business will be successful if you have chosen the right premises not only for preparation, but also for selling the product, provided it with the necessary equipment and raw materials, and, of course, found a baker who can be considered a master of his craft.
A creative approach doesn’t hurt - experiment, add something of your own to production, and very soon your brand will become recognizable, and product production will reach a new level.
As a sample you can download it for free.
Starting capital and documents
A bread baking business requires an initial investment - you will have to fork out money for renting premises, purchasing equipment, and wages for employees. All costs will depend on the scale of production you plan. For a small bakery, three hundred thousand rubles can often be enough, but with increased volumes the amount can increase several times.
At the initial stage, it is important to understand the calculations related to starting production. A home business will require a much smaller amount than a full-fledged bakery. Costs for the year will consist of the following categories:
You can register as an individual entrepreneur and open your own enterprise under simplified conditions, or you can expand your opportunities and create a limited liability company. Planning and expenses are not much different, but each type has its own characteristic features:
- A sole proprietor is legally responsible for the operation of the business and will suffer serious financial losses if the costs and profitability of the baking business are high. If the business is profitable, the project is justified.
- Registration of a person as an individual entrepreneur occurs without the intervention of lawyers in a short period of time, and a limited liability company requires the services of a lawyer.
- as an individual entrepreneur it is much cheaper at the stage of registration and registration of a legal entity.
- It is much easier to bake yeast-free bread and any other product and sell it by registering it as an LLC. This way you can easily change your field of activity without limiting your capabilities.
- Bakery products produced under the LLC design will receive greater interest from partners.
This makes it much easier for a businessman to deal with the registration and, if desired, liquidate the business.
Documentation
It is important to collect the following documents:
- Documents confirming the completion of the examination and establishing compliance with sanitary standards.
- Certificate of conformity allowing trade in homemade bakery products.
- Documents received from the fire inspectorate on the fire safety of premises.
- Permits for the supply and sale of raw materials, products, bread machines, large production equipment.
It is necessary to collect a package of documents immediately after paying the rent, as this will reduce the time before opening the project and will allow you to realize your ideas as soon as possible.
Choosing a direction
In order to decide on the type of activity and correctly calculate your strengths, you need to take care in advance about the direction in which your company will operate.
Today, a mini-bakery is the best option, if only because large enterprises have long occupied the niche of such trade. If you have small expenses, you can take your business to a larger scale, but for this you need to develop a project in detail.
If there is a large production of a product in the city, and your plans include baking an analogue, it is unlikely that you will quickly make a good profit and be able to steal a client. In this case, you will have to reduce the cost of the project, reduce the cost of goods and wages to employees.
One of the popular trends is considered to be a mini-bakery, which produces unique products that are very different from those produced by a large brand. For example, baked goods do not have to be sweet - many people use cheese, garlic, and even meat products.
The best option would be to combine a bakery with a cafe or fast food restaurant, where customers can not only purchase fresh buns, but also enjoy them in a cozy atmosphere. At the same time, the menu should include a complete lunch for all categories of consumers, including small children. Don't forget about dietary products.
Room
Starting even a mini-bakery from scratch is quite difficult, since you will have to do absolutely everything from scratch - look for a suitable space, make repairs in it, carry out the necessary communications and connect equipment.
It is not profitable to set up a small production in a large space - if you have a lot of unused space, you will simply spend extra money on rent. The room must be suitable in size and type.
At the same time, it is worth thinking about household places where employees can spend personal time during lunch, as well as a locker room and a bathroom in which all communications for washing hands and cleaning hair will be carried out.
From a small room, you can make a sale through a small window or a mini-hallway - this way you will save space, but will be able to perform all the functions of the organization, comfortably serving customers. A project with small ovens does not require a large space, but bread from a Russian oven and bread from a tandoor require separate rooms for production.
High-quality equipment, just like a good premises, is the key to the success of your organization. You can purchase it gradually as needed and possible, or you can purchase it all at once. The small bakery project involves the following positions:
| Position name | approximate cost | |
| 1. | Bake | 800,000 rubles |
| 2. | Dough mixer | 280,000 rubles |
| 3. | Flour sifter | 20,000 rubles |
| 4. | Pastry table | 4000 rubles |
| 5. | Electric mixer | 4000 rubles |
| 6. | Dough proofing equipment | 55,000 rubles |
| 7. | Dough sheeting machine | 40,000 rubles |
| 8. | Hood | 20,000 rubles |
| 9. | Blender | 3000 rubles |
| 10. | Electric stove | 20,000 rubles |
| Total: | 1246000 rubles | |
It is not recommended to purchase low-quality equipment, as it jeopardizes not only the product, but also fire safety. In addition to the above, you will have to purchase additional furniture, display cases and cash registers to sell products.
Video: how to open a bakery - step-by-step instructions.
Staff
The employees of the bakery and the adjacent store are people who will provide the consumer with a tasty and high-quality product, as well as polite service at the time of purchase. At the same time, each employee must know his job well so that there are no misunderstandings in the future. Pay attention to education, work experience and availability of a health certificate.
Note! Without a valid health certificate, specialists are not allowed to work.
Among the key employees that should be in every bakery, the following positions should be present:
- Production technologist.
- Cleaning woman.
- Accountant.
- Bakers.
- Loader.
- Packer (optional).
- Driver.
- Salesman.
Payback directly depends on both production technology and the type of product produced by a particular enterprise. At the same time, you should not save on advertising and equipment - these are the factors that guarantee you a profit in a short time. Payback calculations must be made in advance so as not to lose money; for this it is recommended to hire a qualified specialist.
Scientists have calculated that the average person eats 7 tons of bread throughout his life. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine your diet without this type of product, which is why bakery products are classified as everyday goods. This means that bread will be in demand even during periods of economic downturn. That is why bakeries that offer visitors fresh and tasty baked goods will always be in demand.
Bakeries are enterprises whose specialization is the production and sale of bakery products. The specialty of such establishments is the offer of different types of bread, aimed at different consumers (bread with cheese, Italian bread, bread with cereals, etc.). This business has the potential for development despite the competition: success depends on your marketing policy, the successful location of your bakery, and a varied assortment. This business is attractive due to its relatively low investment, quick payback and high demand for bakery products.
The initial investment amount is 866 186 rubles
Break-even point is reached on the tenth month of work.
The payback period is from 1.5 years.
2. Description of the business, product or service
3. Description of the sales market
To successfully launch a project, you need to analyze your main competitors, consider their product range, pricing policy, identify the most active sales hours and implement the knowledge gained in your business. Competitors can be classified as follows:
- large manufacturers;
- own production of retail stores;
- mini bakeries;
- semi-finished products are substitutes for finished products.
4. Sales and marketing
5. Production plan
1. Registration with government agencies and paperwork
Registration with government agencies is the first thing you need to start your business with. It is preferable to register as an individual entrepreneur using a simplified taxation system; the tax you pay to the budget based on the results of your activities is 6% of income. Also a mandatory procedure is the registration of cash register equipment with the tax authorities.
A bakery is a production associated with the production of food products. Rospotrebnadzor imposes certain sanitary requirements on bakeries, regardless of whether it is a large-scale production facility or not. In this regard, it is necessary to obtain various permits. To open a mini-bakery you will need the following documents:
- conclusion on compliance with fire safety requirements (from the fire inspection);
- sanitary and epidemiological conclusions for production and products (separately) are issued by Rospotrebnadzor;
- certificate of conformity - obtained from the Federal Agency for Metrology and Technical Regulation.
In addition, each employee will need to obtain a medical record. In general, to obtain all the necessary permits you will have to spend no more than 80 thousand rubles, including medical books for staff (about 1000 rubles each).
Basic requirements of SES:
- Availability of sewerage and water supply;
- The room is not a basement;
- Availability of ventilation;
- Availability of separate storage room and toilet;
- Walls up to 1.75 meters must be tiled or painted with light paint, the rest and the ceiling must be whitewashed.
2. Search for premises and repairs
As described above, the premises should be located in a public area with high pedestrian traffic. It is possible to locate the bakery on the ground floor of a building with a hotel entrance, in shopping complexes. The area depends on the chosen format and production volume. For the smallest bakeries, premises from 40 square meters are suitable. meters. The approximate rental price for such a square area varies from 35,000 rubles. up to 60,000 rub. per month. You need to be prepared for the fact that you may have to do cosmetic repairs, which will cost about 50,000 rubles.
3. Purchase of necessary equipment and inventory
To open a mini-bakery you need the following equipment:
Name | Quantity | Price for 1 piece. | total amount |
Production equipment |
|||
Dough mixer | |||
Food table | |||
Proofing cabinet | |||
Refrigerated cabinet | |||
Bathtub washing | |||
Portion scales | |||
Cabinet for finished products | |||
Kitchen tools | |||
Total | |||
Retail store equipment |
|||
Trade showcase | |||
Total | |||
Furniture and equipment for staff |
|||
Wardrobe | |||
Microwave | |||
Electric kettle | |||
Total | |||
Total equipment costs | |||
4. Search for frames
First of all, you need to find an experienced and professional baker. There are many options: you can search through groups on social networks, through friends, and also through specialized Internet sites. Searching for a qualified employee on official portals will cost approximately 7-15 thousand rubles. It is necessary to hire three bakers, since the enterprise must work every day, and fresh bread must be waiting for customers on the shelves in the morning. In addition, cashier salespeople are needed to issue goods to customers, and a cleaner to service the premises. Often, bakeries need drivers to load and unload the necessary raw materials.
5. Determination of the range of products offered
You need to determine exactly what products you should offer to your consumers. Perhaps you will focus on Italian baked goods, perhaps you will offer dietary types of bread with the addition of cereals; it is possible that there will be a high demand for exotic types of bread. Raw materials for the production of finished bakery products can be divided into two types - mandatory and additional.
- The first is the one that is used for almost any bread, regardless of its type: flour, yeast, salt, sugar, vegetable oil.
- The second is what is required depending on the assortment offered by the bakery: seeds, nuts, dried fruits, spices, etc.
6. Marketing policy
First of all, you need to think about a sign that will guide potential customers. It should be noticeable and attract the attention of passersby. The production of such a sign together with approval will cost you 60,000 rubles. As for distributing promotional leaflets, you need to budget at least 10,000 rubles. for the work of the promoter, as well as about 5,000 rubles. for printed materials.
It is also desirable to create and promote platforms on social networks; this will allow for an additional flow of customers who are not just passers-by. They can be lured with special offers, promotions, and original products. All news and events of your bakery should be covered on social media. network, if you don’t have time to personally maintain a group and profile, it’s better to hire a promotion specialist. For this purpose it is necessary to allocate at least 10,000 rubles. per month.
6. Organizational structure
The minimum staff for your bakery includes a director, an accountant, three bakers, two cashiers, a cleaner, and a driver.
Director is an employee who performs the key functions of a manager, subordinate to whom are all other personnel. His responsibilities include managing the bakery’s funds, making decisions on employee salaries, hiring or dismissing staff, ensuring decent working conditions, collaborating with contractors, and searching for suppliers. It is advisable for the director to have experience in the catering industry and to know all the specifics of this industry. The salary of this employee consists of a salary (30,000 rubles) and a bonus in the amount of 4% of revenue if the bakery’s targets are met.
As for bakers, these employees are key in your enterprise, because the quality and taste of the finished bread depends on their skills, knowledge of the recipe and experience. It is necessary to consider candidates with secondary vocational education and experience in a similar position. To keep your bakery running smoothly and provide customers with very fresh bread, you need to hire three bakers who will work night and day shifts. Their salary consists of a fixed part (salary of 15,000 rubles) and a percentage of revenue (2%). The baker carries out the process of baking and frying bakery products, places the dough pieces on sheets, in cassettes, forms, determines the readiness of the dough pieces for baking, lubricates the products before baking, controls the temperature and humidity in the oven using instrumentation, and carries out the primary processing of raw materials: sifting, washing, sorting, grinding, softening.
As for the salesperson-cashier, his responsibilities include receiving finished products from the kitchen, serving customers, arranging goods in the display case, maintaining and recording cash documents, ensuring the safety of funds in the cash register, ensuring cash discipline, providing consulting assistance to customers regarding the assortment , quality of bakery products to be sold; control over the availability and correct placement of price tags, as well as over the indication in them of complete and reliable information about the product. The salary of a salesperson-cashier consists of a salary of 14,000 rubles. and bonuses of 2% of revenue.
You can find a delivery driver on social networks and private advertisements without spending money on a search. The driver has a flexible work schedule and delivers raw materials to the bakery at a predetermined time in his car. The driver's salary is RUB 10,000, and you will need to pay his fuel costs in the amount of RUB 3,000. per month. Also, to ensure cleanliness in the bakery, it is advisable to hire a cleaner who will work part-time and carry out her duties at a pre-agreed time; the cleaner’s salary is 8,000 rubles/month.
You can find an accountant remotely or contact a specialized company that provides accounting services. The average salary of a remote accountant is 5,000 rubles. per month.
The general wage fund changes monthly due to the percentage wage system. The wage fund for the first month of operation of the bakery is presented below:
General payroll |
|||
Staff | The number of employees | Salary per 1 employee (RUB) | Total salary (RUB) |
Manager (salary+%) | |||
Baker(salary+%) | |||
Sales cashier (salary+%) | |||
Driver | |||
Cleaning woman | |||
Accountant | |||
General salary fund | |||
7. Financial plan
Investments in opening a travel agency are as follows:
Name | Amount | Cost of 1 piece, rub. | Total amount, rub. |
Dough mixer | |||
Food table | |||
Proofing cabinet | |||
Dough rolling machine | |||
Device for sifting flour | |||
Refrigerated cabinet | |||
Bathtub washing | |||
Portion scales | |||
Rack |
If you are thinking about how to open a bread kiosk, then you understand that its location in a residential area of the city or in any place with high traffic can be an excellent type of business even for a novice entrepreneur. By relying on high turnover, over time you can achieve much more favorable terms of cooperation with suppliers, mini-bakeries and bakeries.
What do you need for work?
So, if you are seriously thinking about how to open a bread kiosk, you should know that this will require the following:
Permission for this activity from several departments of the local administration;
Trade equipment, namely wooden trays, racks and a cash register;
A stationary kiosk, it can be new or used;
Agreement with suppliers of bakery products;
One or two product sellers.
Preparation process
Before opening a bread kiosk or stall, you need to find out from the local administration where you have the right to locate a retail outlet in accordance with existing rules. In some cities, the space for the location of such retail outlets is very limited, so you have to proceed not from your own wishes, but from the requirements of government authorities. When you choose a specific location, you will need to coordinate it with the architecture and urban planning department, and then get permission from the trade department.
Speaking about how to open a bread kiosk, we should touch upon a very important point - the place of trade itself. It is worth evaluating the proposals of companies engaged in the manufacture of such structures in the city or in its environs. This way you will have at least some idea of how much you will spend on the kiosk itself.
If it is possible to order a new one, then it is worth doing, otherwise you can agree to purchase a used stall with the owner, who is liquidating his own outlet. All costs associated with dismantling and transportation will most likely be borne by you.
Equipment
If you decide to open a bread shop, you must understand that you will need to equip it with everything you need. The equipment in this case can be as simple as a few shelves and wooden trays. In addition, you will need to install a fire alarm.
You need to purchase a cash register and register it with the tax service, provided that you already have the status of an individual entrepreneur, and also enter into an agreement for its maintenance. The permitting authorities must accept your ready-to-operate outlet. Here we are talking about Rospotrebnadzor and the fire inspectorate.
Further actions
When you already have all the necessary documents, you can collect a database of all possible suppliers of bakery and confectionery products with whom you can potentially cooperate in your region. When drawing up a business plan for a bread store, it is worth considering that many manufacturers do not work directly with retail outlets, but carry out wholesale sales to companies that then distribute the goods themselves.
It will be more convenient for you to work with wholesalers. Given that they make an additional markup on the product, you do not need to independently organize the delivery of bread from the bakery or factory, which makes life much easier.
You will need a salesperson at a bread kiosk (or several). It must be reliable in every way. It is best if he has recommendations from several of his past employers. A polite and honest seller is the key to the fact that your retail outlet will prosper in the future. It is better to change several implementers in order to find a worthy one, than to constantly suffer losses from the fact that the first one you come across will perform his duties in bad faith.
Conducting activities
You need to think carefully about how your store will operate. This could be simply a retail outlet where bread and related products will be sold, or a place where not only sales are carried out, but also production, that is, combined with a small bakery. In the first option, the main problem is to sell a sufficient volume of products and control demand, since bread is a perishable product. However, organizing such a business requires lower costs.
In the second case, production can be controlled, and fresh bread, which is produced directly in front of customers, costs much more. But in this case we are talking about more significant costs.
In this case we are talking about the first option. Its cost may vary depending on the locality in which the enterprise is organized, as well as on other factors, for example, the premises that will be used.
Expenses
If we talk about how to open a bread store, then it is worth saying that this business is associated with a number of expenses. The main ones:
Renting retail space will cost at least 50 thousand rubles per month;
The cost of the equipment will be about 25 thousand;
For a thousand units of purchased goods you will need to pay about 30 thousand rubles;
The average staff salary per person is 8 thousand rubles;
Coordination of various documents will cost 20 thousand;
Registration of an individual enterprise will cost 20 thousand or more.
Your income will depend on the successful location of the open store. It is best to place it near residential areas of the city or transport stops in the busiest area. Since the state controls markups on this type of product very strictly, the main profit will depend solely on sales volume.
Modern bakery
If we talk about how to open a bread stall, then it is worth saying that you can create a completely unique business in your city. This could be a bakery where customers will find a huge range of fresh products. This will attract more and more customers. The bakery does not only offer baked goods; it also offers a variety of pastries, pastries, pies, gingerbread cookies, and sometimes handmade sweets.
All products are top-class, they are aimed at even the most demanding consumers. The main product here is bread, which is in high demand, because it is a product of the highest quality. You may also think about opening your own bakery along with a bakery, even if it is small.
It is quite possible to create a retail outlet, offering the buyer products of a level with which he is not yet familiar. Ideally, you should organize your own workshop and several sales points, where only your product will be available.
Bread business: profitable or not?
When organizing such an enterprise, you will encounter several nuances. To set up a workshop you will need an area of approximately 20-50 square meters.
All necessary equipment will cost about two million rubles. It will take a lot of time and money to develop your own technology and create an original assortment.
From a business point of view, it is ineffective to produce only five to eight types of products in such a workshop, because opening it requires quite large expenses, which may not be recouped. At first, you will have to somehow manage without a technological workshop.
Business pitfalls
The Russian habit of saving on everything, even when opening top-class establishments, can play a very cruel joke. You can give an example from life. The most luxurious store window is simply replete with delicious pastries. And to the question “Do you bake it yourself?” the seller begins to tell us that the baking process takes place here, and semi-finished products come from Germany.
By European standards, the sale of such products is considered fast food for the poor. However, for modern Russia this is already an achievement. For decades, bread cost a penny, and it was bought for next to nothing for livestock. It is worth noting that this product will always be bought, you just have to choose the right place.
Now, when a buyer encounters beautiful baked goods on supermarket shelves, even if they have been frozen, he gradually gets used to innovations. Every day such a person looks askance at new products, but prefers to buy what is already familiar to him, only allowing himself some liberties for the holiday. And you will encounter these prejudices if you decide to open a mini-bakery with a bakery.
Quite often, when describing certain small business ideas, I mention that there are no dogmas or 100% working methods when choosing your own direction, however, there are a number of certain “beacons” that allow you to find the most successful one for you. a specific person. Speaking about such “beacons”, we can figuratively divide them into subjective and objective, you can talk about the first (three steps when choosing an idea), but objective ones are those that tell you in which direction it is more profitable to start your business. One of the most important parameters in such an assessment, of course, is the level of competition and growth prospects of the selected market. They usually say “catch the wave.” Today we’ll talk about one of these areas for creating a new business.
Bread and bakery products, of course, are not an innovation on the domestic market, in fact, like the baking business, it is perhaps one of the most ancient types of entrepreneurship on Earth. At first glance, everything is as old as the hills and there is nothing interesting about creating your own business from scratch, but as often happens, the most interesting things are hidden in the little things, and so a few words about the current situation in Russia with bread factories, mini-bakeries and bread baking.
Fact one - about 90-95% of baked bread is produced in large specialized bakeries.
The second fact is that Russia is in a leading position in Europe in terms of bread consumption and culture (we are talking about the frequency of its use in the daily diet).
Fact three: politicians and officials pay great attention to the bakery market and carefully control prices for so-called social varieties of bread. This in turn leads to two trends:
- Firstly, large manufacturers, in pursuit of profitability, use a lot of technological tricks to reduce costs and, as a result, the baked bread is neither tasty nor healthy.
- Secondly, for the same reason, the owners of large enterprises significantly increase the prices for elite varieties of bread in order to naturally partially compensate for the low profits from social varieties of bread products.
The results of this situation are quite prosaic; in most cases, the bread is not tasty and is very expensive. There are quite a lot of reasons why this is happening and, by and large, I perfectly understand all the interested parties, but at the same time, this state of affairs provides a great opportunity for most small business representatives, the main thing is to properly think through your business - a mini-bakery.
And so, in the dashing 90s, there was already a boom in mini bakeries in the country, I think those who are a little older remember it, de facto, in almost every basement they opened mini workshops for baking bread, but such a business did not last long. In just 5-6 years, successful players who were able to consider the prospects began to buy out “orphan” bakeries and force other mini-bakeries out of business. At the beginning of the new century, the situation changed a little and grain and flour traders came into the baking business; these actually took over production for debts and, as a diversification of the business, actively began baking bread. Then everything went according to the proven scheme of further consolidation.
The question immediately creeps in: if it didn’t work out then, why should small businesses bother with mini bakeries now?
The question is correct, it’s just worth analyzing the situation a little, in Europe and the USA large manufacturers account for about 30-35% of the market, the rest is occupied by small businesses, those same famous Western mini-bakeries at home, in our country the situation is completely opposite. It can be noted that the potential demand for freshly baked and delicious bread in the “bakery at home” format is huge. A clear confirmation of this is the surge in sales of the same Georgian bread “shoti”, despite its certain specificity (compared to traditional bread), it is popular and mini-bakeries for its production are growing like mushrooms. What's the secret?
Everything is quite simple: the niche between the two segments is empty, on the one hand, mass production of bread by large manufacturers, on the other, retail sale of baked goods (usually sweet) in cafes, and the segment of fresh bread from the oven (in fact, it is very popular in the West) is idle here and we have that same segment for mini-bakeries. It is interesting that the first mini-bakeries for baking fresh bread were mainly focused on social varieties and, as a result, lost the price war with mass production
As a conclusion today, the format of mini bakeries selling hot bread of elite varieties and non-traditional baked goods is promising for developing your own business. Today, thousands of recipes for baking bread are known, which guarantees a huge range of products, and the availability of modern bakery equipment can significantly expand the technological capabilities of a small bakery. An additional factor that allows us to talk about the prospects and success of the baking business is the ability of small businesses to move away from using “advanced” bread baking technologies, which involve the use of leavening agents, emulsifiers and other “chemicals”. In fact, a small bakery can afford to carefully control the output of finished baked goods and, as a result, ensure the “from oven to table” mode. In this case, the storage time of finished products and their delivery is significantly reduced, which in fact largely determines the use of such techniques by large manufacturers.
And so, as a result, we have a number of significant advantages of a small bakery.
Small bakery – pros:
- – high mobility for the production of different types of fresh baked goods;
- – wide range of baked bread. Plus, a small bakery can afford to work with non-traditional recipes, for example, French bread without yeast.
- – a small bakery has the opportunity to bake truly environmentally friendly and most importantly healthy baked goods, without the use of preservatives.
- – the demand for bakery products is stable, which guarantees uniform capacity utilization of the mini-bakery.
Mini-bakery – cons:
- – the need for start-up capital. Even in small bakeries that are not full-cycle (there are two approaches to the concept of a mini-bakery, about them in the next article, do not forget to subscribe to the blog about business ideas) it is necessary to purchase a whole list of equipment for the bakery.
- – sufficiently large areas to accommodate both the mini-bakery itself and the bread store itself during production. Practice shows that in large cities, opening a retail outlet during production itself can ensure the sale of 70-90% of freshly baked bread. There is less dependence in small settlements, although often people come to such a store specifically to buy hot bread.
- – constant monitoring of the quality of baked products, as they say, without comment;
- – increased requirements of regulatory authorities for the quality of premises and baking equipment. Although it can be noted that any business related to food is the object of close attention, be it the production of cutlets or the production of dumplings, everywhere you need technical specialists and communication with them.
The financial attractiveness of mini bakeries is less obvious than other aspects of prospects (we are talking about huge latent demand, relative simplicity of organization and minimal competition). I think I won’t lie when I say that you won’t find the real level of profitability of baking bread on the Internet. Experts say 30% in a circle for all varieties, large producers “cry” and talk about 3-5%, the latter can be understood, say that the business is profitable, they will immediately be forced to lower prices. The actual experience of one mini-bakery cannot serve as an objective indicator of the situation in the country as a whole. In general, after analysis and communication with the owners of small bakeries, the overall level of profitability of baking bakery products for a small bakery in a large city was 40%, while the range of such production included baking not only bread, but also a number of other products - bagels, buns, etc. Further.
Conclusion: Bread production in our country in mini-bakeries is both profitable and promising for small businesses in the country, and we’ll talk about the technology itself, how to open a mini-bakery yourself, in a separate article, where we’ll also analyze the equipment for a small bakery.