Do you like to bake and feed other people? I am a member of so many food groups in Facebook and I am simply amazed at how moms even find the time to cook and home bake bread. If you like to bake and find you bake pastries, amazing cakes, sweets, and other goodies, if you have more baked goods than your own family can eat, perhaps a home bakery is the business for you.
Here are some tips for beginning a home baking business!
Recipes
Develop some favorite one of a kind recipes for breads, cookies and muffins to keep your business unique and fun. Make your own baking pastry recipes. You can be really creative and take a regular recipe and jazz it up with your own favorite additives.
Variety
While you’ll want to have a variety of goods to sell, you’ll find that you will earn more if you keep your inventory fairly low. Don’t make so many different kinds of breads that you get lost in what kinds there are. Keep it to four or five basics and perhaps a specialty bread once each week or month. Do the same with the cookies and muffins.
Basic Baking Accessories Gadgets and Machines
You probably have most of the basics, like oven, mixer, baking tins, pans but if your only starting here are the top baking accessories and basic list of cake baking machines for home.
Martha recommends this Beginner Set.
My baking kit choice are all from Lazada. I am always an advocate of making things easier and you can save on gas money by taking advantage of Lazada’s free delivery.
The first big ticket item is of course, the oven. I have this same La Germania oven that I’ve been using for several years. Its basic for small time bakers. You can’t really cook a lot in one go but good enough to start. A timer is a basic thing that is also good to have. You may already have one in your house so that’s less cash out for you. The next three things all have something to do with measuring. I’ve learned that these are actually being used often and my advice is to buy those that has no lines or curves because they are so hard to clean!
Now there’s something that is nice to have but I didn’t include in the list. Technically, you don’t really need a mixer in order to be able to bake but it sure helps to make things a lot easier and faster.
Pricing and How to Price Products for Retail
Have you been to a bakery lately? If not, it’s time for a field trip. First, list out what you have to sell. Cookies, breads, muffins etc. List the flavors and take your list with you. Go to several bakeries. You’ll want a fairly good sampling of prices. Start at a regular grocery store and then find a regular bakery. Now, jot down each stores prices for your items on your list. Match them as closely as possible. Now go back home and figure out your prices. Take into account how much your ingredients cost and your time when figuring your prices.
Here is a basic costing taught by TESDA. I got this from a friend in FB.
Selling
Where are you going to sell your products? Are you planning on a road side stand? How about a Farmers Market. Don’t forget small businesses and door to door. Local coffee shops love to have small businesses offer baked goods at reasonable prices. Get a feel for places to sell your goods and get to work. Also consider local gift shops.
Business Cards
Get some business cards because once people taste your fresh baked goodies they will want more. You could take orders on a weekly or monthly basis or you could have them on a mailing list. You could also have a website and pre sell your goods online and then deliver them at a later date. However you do it, you’ll have a great booming business once everyone gets to taste your great goodies.
Advertising
Now that you’re in business, you’ll want to do a bit of advertising. Use your social networks to create a fan page. Put a small advertisement in the local paper. Tell your friends. Tell your family. Spread the word and get the word out that you’re in business. The more people who know the faster the word will spread.
You’re home bakery will grow and grow as your friends, customers and family spread the word about your great goodies.
