Imagine walking into your bakery on the first day of ownership to find customers waiting at the counter, the ovens running, and staff moving with practised ease.
It’s not a dream. This is what buying an established bakery can offer. For many aspiring bakers, owning a bakery is a deeply personal ambition. But when they go to make this dream a reality, they are stuck between buying an established bakery or starting from scratch.
Believe us, this is not a small decision. Both options have their appeal, but buying an existing business offers a range of advantages that can make the road to success, a little smoother. Let’s take a look at those advantages one by one.
Immediate Customer Base
Attracting the first customer in your business takes a lot of effort. Building a consistent customer base for a bakery can take months, if not years, depending on your marketing strategy and word-of-mouth momentum.
If you purchase an established bakery, you inherit something invaluable — a loyal customer base. Customers who know the brand and trust its product will already walk through the door, ready to spend. Not only that, but word-of-mouth is already working in your favour, so you can skip the gruelling early phase of getting people through the door.
When looking for a bakery business for sale, we recommend you check the customer base, before anything else. By purchasing a bakery, with a proven track record, you buy into years of cultivated relationships with customers and the community.
Existing Infrastructure And Equipment
Setting up a bakery is a big task in itself. From ovens to mixers tables to display cases the costs add up quickly. If you, decide to start a bakery from scratch, you’ll need to make significant upfront investments in equipment, supplies, and the right location. Not to mention, the setup process itself takes a lot of time and money.
Now, look at an established bakery. You’re walking into a space that’s already designed for baking. The equipment is in place, operational, and customised for the business’s needs. No need for renovations or setup. It saves you from unexpected costs or delays. Additionally, since the infrastructure is already operational, you can hit the ground running and start baking (and selling) from day one.
Proven Business Model
Making delicious pastries is a must. But it doesn’t determine your success alone. Behind every flourishing bakery, you’ll notice a well-honed business model that ensures smooth operations. For bakeries starting from scratch, figuring out the right recipes, menu, pricing strategies, and even operating hours can be a trial-and-error process.
While purchasing an established bakery, you’re stepping into a system that already works. You get the equipment, space, and business strategies that have been tried and tested.
Brand Recognition And Marketing Momentum
How can you grow a business without branding? Branding for a new bakery means investing in logo design, social media presence, website development, local marketing efforts, etc. These efforts take time to gain traction, plus it’s challenging to establish, a reputation when you’re a newcomer to the scene.
On the other hand, an established bakery already has a name in the community. People are familiar with its product and know what to expect when they, step through the doors. You don’t have to start with zero followers or wait for your first customer review.
Taking over an established name can give you a massive head start!
Trained Staff And Established Relationships
Hiring and training the staff is one of the most time-consuming and challenging aspects of running a successful bakery. From finding the right bakers to front-of-house employees, it takes time, to assemble a team and train them to work efficiently.
When you buy an established bakery, the staff is often part of the deal. The employees who are already familiar with the operations, understand the recipes and have established relationships with regular customers. Even if you’re not an expert baker but have the business skills to manage the operations, the transition will be, super smooth.
Conclusion
While starting a bakery from scratch might sound appealing for those who want complete control over every detail, the benefits of buying an established bakery are hard to overlook. Plus, there is a 20% chance of failure for a new bakery.
From an immediate customer base and existing infrastructure to proven business models and steady cash flow, purchasing an established bakery can fast-track your success in ways that starting from scratch simply can’t.
