5 Advantages of Running a Bakery Franchise

Becky Martin, writer

Published at 25/03/2019, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 5 min

5 Advantages of Running a Bakery Franchise — Photo © open-bakery-franchise.jpg

Most of us can’t resist the tempting aromas that drift out of our local bakery, as we often find ourselves popping in and choosing an indulgent treat. Has starting a bakery franchise ever tickled your taste buds? If yes, read this article to find out the top benefits of doing so.

The ‘Great British Bake Off effect’ is in full force. Each series leads to a peak in baking activity among viewers, with fans of the show rushing out to buy the ingredients to replicate the cakes and breads showcased every week. It’s easy to understand why Brits are enjoying donning their aprons and baking again – you can’t deny the appeal of freshly baked bread or a beautifully iced bun.

But when we want our sugary fix ASAP and without any washing up, we turn to bakery businesses and their huge selections of cakes, pastries and bread. If you’ve got a passion for baking and have always dreamed of being your own boss, you might have considered joining a bakery franchise. If you’re in need of a little reassurance, reading the following advantages may help provide some clarity.

5 advantages of running a bakery franchise

1. The British public can’t resist baked goods

The demand for baked goods is huge in the UK, with few of us being able to refuse the ease, convenience and competitive prices that bakeries can offer. It is the ultimate comfort food, after all. The bakery business is also widely considered to be recession-proof, mainly because people need to eat and the majority of us are happy to pay for fresh products.

Businesses that also offer sandwiches should be particularly popular, as the UK is a nation of sandwich-lovers. In fact, it is thought that we buy more than 3.5 billion sandwiches every year and spend more than £7.8 billion.

If a bakery business is able to provide a wide range of tasty, nutritious and easy-to-eat sandwiches in a city centre, busy office workers can nip out in their lunch break to visit the business again and again. You can see a more detailed breakdown of the bakery industry later in the article.

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2. Can express your creativity

When you run a bakery franchise, you can challenge yourself by creating new, tasty recipes or interesting twists on classics. By experimenting with different ingredients and decorating your products in new ways, your business will stand out from the competition and you can flex your creative muscles.

If you allow your employees to also express their ideas, they’re more likely to be satisfied with their work than those who have to produce the exact same items all day every day.

3. Our eating habits are changing

Bakery franchises provide the opportunity to cater to the increasing demand for high-quality speciality food as, more often than not, consumers are looking for healthy and affordable food that can be eaten on the go.

It is estimated that although only one percent of people in the UK suffer from gluten intolerance, 15 percent of the population are choosing not to buy products with gluten and wheat. And this number is expected to grow as more and more health-conscious Brits look to improve their diet.

Embracing the demand for gluten-free, vegan and organic products and catering for specific dietary requirements will increase your revenue potential and make your bakery stand out from the competition. However, bakery outlets could also benefit from targeting other large societal groups, such as young people seeking out the latest food trends.

4. Can start small

Unlike lots of other food businesses, a bakery doesn’t take up much space. You mainly just need a production space that is large enough to prepare and bake your delicious treats and enough space to display your products beautifully. To save on overheads, you could choose to operate from your home. Just make sure not to forget about health and sanitary requirements.

5. Potential for expansion

If your bakery franchise is successful, you might want to expand your business and move into a larger facility. If you decide not to actually enlarge the physical size of the bakery, you could still choose to increase your product variation and how much you bake in one session.

The current state of the bakery industry

The UK’s bakery market is worth £3.9 billion and is one of the largest markets in the food industry, selling the equivalent of almost 11 million loaves every single day. The industry employs around 27,000 people and 40 percent of these are bakers and the rest work in retail, distribution and administration.

The UK market for retail bakery products is increasing by two percent each year, with this rising to five percent for artisanal products. To suit customer demand, there’s been a growth in the gluten-free products on offer. In-store bakeries are a valuable source of additional revenue for lots of retailers.

If you have an entrepreneurial mindset and a passion for baking, then starting a business in this sector should be a no-brainer.

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Start a bakery franchise

Bakery franchises have the potential to be extremely lucrative if they are launched in the right location and offer a well-thought-out selection of food items. Unsurprisingly, there are many options when it comes to bakery franchises; for example, Bagel Corner, Baguette Express and Wafflemeister. Here at Point Franchise, we have a whole bank of helpful resources to guide you through franchising and related topics. If you’ve enjoyed reading this, you might also want to check out some of our other ‘Advantages of’ articles. Choose whichever takes your fancy from the list below.