Baking for Profit: Starting a Small Bakery

Most communities have the capacity to support a well-run bakery operation. With good planning and access to raw materials and markets, setting up a bakery can represent an excellent enterprise opportunity. Baking for Profit provides the information that a small entrepreneur needs to address when setting up a bakery. The emphasis is on clear advice and instruction, beginning with effective planning. The opening chapter covers first steps, including setting about the vitally important feasibility study. Subsequent chapters cover other aspects of setting up the business, such as choice of site and layout of buildings, hygiene and safety, raw material selection and choosing the right type and scale of machinery and equipment. The book gives appropriate recipes for initial production, as well as guidance on suitable production systems. There are also troubleshooting charts giving advice on overcoming production problems, as well as useful advice on stock management. This practical manual is invaluable reading for those who are starting out in the bakery business, those whose job it is to advise others doing so, or those who want to scale up existing operations to increase their profits.

George Bathie is a retired professional baking consultant, and a Fellow of the Institute of British Bakers.