Running an online bakery can be a dream for many, but there are a number of challenges to consider, too. As items will be delivered to customers, or sometimes collected from a physical location, you must think about the freshness of your baked goods. This is particularly important if you batch bake items in advance.
If you do ship out baked goods, then you need to think about how to guarantee freshness. After all, customers do not want to pay for stale or soggy cakes and pies. Thankfully, this post outlines three of the key ways to maintain freshness when shipping baked goods.
Use the Right Packaging
When shipping baked goods, a level of protection is required. This is often due to the fragility of cakes and cookies and whatever else you sell, but this will depend on the item being shipped. Some goods need more packaging than others; for example, cakes usually need sturdy bases to provide a stable foundation, while this isn’t a requirement for biscuits. With this in mind, you need to look at what you are shipping before deciding on the right packaging.
The packaging you choose should cater to the item’s freshness. Airtight containers are often a go-to as their tight seals will minimize air exposure, which can actually cause baked goods to dry out. Additionally, you might need to use insulated packaging, particularly if the items are quick to perish or the weather is warm. Maintaining a cool temperature can be achieved with ice packs, and this temperature control can prevent melting and/or sogginess.
Preventing breakages is also important when selecting packaging. Foil, parchment paper, or plastic wrap should be used to wrap each item individually, as this will prevent them from sticking and allow moisture to be maintained. When items are ready and wrapped, they should be placed in packaging with bubble wrap, crumpled tissue paper, or packing peanuts to stop the baked goods from shifting and breaking during transit.
Choose a Suitable Shipping Strategy
With the baked goods suitably packaged, the next aspect to consider is the shipping strategy. It might be best to limit the days that shipping is offered to avoid the likelihood of packages sitting in transit over the weekend. This is why online bakeries and businesses often ship early in the week. You should make this clear on the website to ensure customers are up-to-date.
Your shipping strategy can be assisted by selecting a reliable courier to deliver packages. Couriers will list their services on their website to enable clients to make informed decisions before finalizing their selection. Florida Couriers lists “delivery of perishables” as one of its services, which includes the pick-up and delivery of groceries and other perishables. This means the courier service and its drivers will be equipped and trained to handle baked products.
Similarly, these couriers could offer same-day or next-day shipping services, which will help to maintain the freshness and flavor of the items. Quick delivery can make the baking business a preferred choice as customers won’t need to pre-order days or weeks in advance; this is ideal for spontaneous events.
Improve the Process Using Feedback
Even if you adjust the delivery process for your online bakery, there might still be issues that occur. It is important to identify these problems early on and work to make improvements, and using customer feedback is vital to do this. This is why you must keep a keen eye on the reviews your business receives, especially if you notice poor reviews mentioning the freshness and quality of products.
Customer feedback, both the positive and the negative, will highlight what needs to be adjusted. This might include the packaging used when sending baked goods or even the recipes that are used.
To conclude, ensuring baked goods are fresh when delivered to the customer is essential. This is why you need to master the shipping process to ensure products are sent out in a timely manner and adequately protected, and the three tips listed in this post will help you achieve this.
