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22nd Aug 2022
Just like with any other business, your home bakery is going to go according to regulations and there are things to consider before you start marketing your bakery. So, here are some tips, tricks, and factors to remember.
This is the first and most important step when opening a home-based bakery. You have to make sure that your business is legal in your area, and those laws can vary from state to state and country to country. You should absolutely visit your state’s Department of Health website and see what is legal under laws often called “cottage food laws”.
In short, cottage food laws regulate whether you are allowed or not to produce foods of low risk in your home for sale. These usually include baked goods, pickled products, candies, canned foods and dry goods. These laws are designed for small businesses and states may put a cap on how many thousands of dollars your business can make to be considered legal. So, make sure to research these in your own state before opening the business.
Once you’ve established that it is legal for you to open your business, it’s time to research licenses and certifications. You may find that some states don’t even require any kind of licenses for small businesses, but some are very strict about them.
The kitchen layout
Some regulations will require a certain kitchen layout for your business to be legal and under health regulations. You should check the state’s law and see that you make changes in your kitchen accordingly. Some of those changes may include:
You are required by the law to pass the health inspection. These are visits from Health Officers who assess everything in your home bakery, including equipment, storage, employment practice, and sanitation methods.
This is another certification that you may be required to obtain. Many states have their own approved food safety courses which are available to you to take and pass. These will instruct you on how to properly store, handle, and prepare your baked goods with avoiding any risks of cross-contamination or illnesses.
Now that you’ve taken care of all the legal aspects of opening your own home bakery, it’s time to start organizing, equipping, and running the numbers.
The very first step here is coming up with a solid business plan. This plan will be your guide on your goals, and how to achieve them and it will list all the necessary items you need to obtain to open this business. More importantly, your business plan will be your financial projection and how to plan the budget. These are some of the expenses you may expect when opening:
As you’re writing your business plan, you will come up with a list of all the machines and equipment you’re going to need to run your business. You should also do thorough research on what’s on the market. This way, you will manage to find several different options for equipping your kitchen. You can find great businesses that sell baking supplies, such as Medina bakery, for example. On the other hand, if you need some heavier equipment and lots of them, you might even want to look for smaller industrial machines. It is entirely up to you and your future products to find the best equipment, and this part of opening the business can be the most fun one.
Now that you are ready to open the business and start baking, it’s time to find some clients. When it comes to baked goods, the word of mouth (no pun intended), seems to be the best marketing campaign. So, if you have friends that have tried your baked goods, let them spread the word and share your posts on social media. You can even suggest you cater the cakes for their birthdays, and get some great marketing and test how other people feel about your products.
Additionally, you should consider having strong social media profiles where you can interact with people and let them know how good your cakes are. Another great idea is having a strong and honest website to showcase your talents and skills.
These are the most important factors and elements to consider when opening a home bakery. Make sure everything is up to code, and to get some good marketing, your baked goods will sell like hot cakes!
