Are you a dab hand with dough? Love nothing better than concocting up new cakes, biscuits, or pastries for your family and friends? There’s a chance you could put your talent to work and make from your passion, either as a side hustle or full time. More people are doing it than ever, but it’s crucial you start your home baking business the right way. Here’s how.
Find your niche
The bakery market is subject to fierce competition. Take the UK bread market – Gira figures quoted by the UK’s Federation of Bakers note that 97% of bread is produced by large plant or in-store bakeries, with high street bakers making up the rest.
Don’t let that put you down though; the bread and bakery market grew by 2.1% between 2014 and the global artisan bakery market is set to grow by 4.1% between 2019 and 2024, according to Market Research Future.
There’s definitely a market for home-baked goods, especially ones that break the store-bought mould and offer something special, but you need to find a clear niche that you excel in. Give your customers a reason to put down their supermarket loaves and trust you with their baked goods!
Become top of your game
You might be a great baker already, but in the competitive baking world, that won’t cut it. You want the orders to come flowing in on the back of word of mouth and brilliant reviews, and the best way to do that is simple: bake brilliantly.
Take courses, watch YouTube videos, read blogs – practice is the name of the game. Treat the process as if you were at university. Take notes as you practice, learn the basics, build on your skills, then experiment to discover new and interesting ways of baking.
Set up your kitchen
Your kitchen is your office when you’re operating a home baking business, so you should invest in the right equipment and supplies to help you achieve greatness. Invest in a powerful, reliable, and accurate oven with plenty of space. Purchase a mixer, baking equipment, and decoration tools, and get hold of the best ingredients so the pastries or cakes are of the best quality.
Health and safety is crucial if your business is going to operate legally, so get hold of the right supplies, such as food safe multi-purpose cleaners, always try to use natural and no MSG ingredients, and make sure that your business is registered and has the proper food safety processes in place to protect your customers and reputation.
Market your business
To make a name for yourself and set yourself apart from the competition, marketing is crucial. Firstly, design a name and logo that stands out and is of the proper quality your customers will expect.
Create a social media presence and plan out a posting calendar, sharing high-quality photographs of your bakes, as well as business and delivery information, or any deals you decide to offer. Consider paid social advertising too – most networks are pay-to-pay these days, and ads will get your business in front of thousands of people.
Starting a new business is never easy, but with a headstrong, well-researched approach that leverages your very real skills, you can make sure yours kicks off successfully.
