Top Ways to Diversify Your Bakery Business

 

Whether you’re starting from a small bakery business in your home kitchen or operating from dedicated premises, the potential for diversification and expansion is vast. This growth can help you reach a new audience base and solidify your position in the market, all while staying true to your culinary roots. The future is bright, and there are numerous opportunities for your business to flourish. 

 

The British bakery scene is not just thriving; it’s booming. A survey by NatWest revealed a staggering 267% increase in city bakers opening in major UK cities between 2017 and 2022, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down. This is the perfect time to capitalize on the demand for home-cooked, non-mass-produced bakery goods and take your business to new heights. The industry is ripe with opportunities, and it’s an exciting time to be a part of it.

 

So, what can you do to branch out and keep moving forward?

Attend Festivals and Events

Food festivals, markets, and even pop-up shops in thriving locations in city centers are becoming increasingly popular. People want to try something new, and not a day goes by on Instagram or TikTok where people aren’t trying out new baked goods or looking over new creations that taste too good to be true. 

 

It’s crucial to get in on this by attending popular events and exposing your business to as many people as possible. While these events are more popular in the spring and summer months, not to mention Christmas markets, you can find events happening or lots filling up pop-up shops all year round. By actively participating in these events, you can engage with potential customers and expand your business.

Don’t forget you need an efficient bakery POS system that can handle payments on and off-site and allow you to sell your goods wherever you are.

 

Offer Baking Classes

Not everyone is a natural teacher, nor do they have space to teach, but if you are and you do, why not offer baking classes to teach people how to do what you do? Whether you teach others how to bake bread in a group environment or you teach the art of the perfect sponge cake one-on-one, if you have a way with others that allows you to share your knowledge and expertise, you can monetize this aspect of what you do to help you diversify your income.

 

Subscriptions

Bread subscriptions, baked goods, complementary food pairings with your baked wares, etc., are all great options for reaching more customers. Whether you only serve your local area or you offer nationwide delivery, finding ways to keep money coming in on a regular basis can help you to expand what you do and keep pushing your skills, trying new things, and providing people with what they need.

 

Collaborations

Let’s say you specialize in sourdough bread. Finding other local businesses that offer products you can enjoy with the bread can be beneficial for both parties. For example, local jam producers or cheese companies can be great partnerships. If you bake cakes, partnering with parry suppliers, for example, can be beneficial, or even pet companies to offer pet-safe baked goods could work for you. Get creative, find other local small businesses, and see what collaborations you can come up with.

 

Cookbooks

Have something special you want to share with the world? Then, creating your own recipe book based on what you sell can be beneficial. You might simply use your products in other meals to create delicious recipes, or you might create a recipe book to recreate your food. It’s entirely up to you, but if you have unique recipes or secrets to share, selling them in a recipe book could be the perfect income stream for you.

Wholesale Distribution

Lastly, you can look into wholesale options for supplying your goods to other organizations or retailers. You might supply bread for a local catering firm, or cakes to coffee shops, or even get a line in a national retailer. It’s entirely up to you, but finding others who are happy to use your bakery services to supply products for what they sell can be a lucrative money spinner and support what you do day to day.

 

These are a few options available to you to help you diversify what you do without diluting your offerings or pivoting to increasing lines or products that won’t be as profitable. Simply look at your skills and abilities and pinpoint the best options for you to increase your success.