Do you love the smell of freshly baked patisserie goods, just as much as you enjoy eating them and sharing them with others? If the answer is affirmative, you’re certainly an individual who’s a good candidate for opening and running his or her own baking business.

You’d certainly be in good company, as baking is one of the industries that have been thriving in Australia in recent years. Though the COVID-19 pandemic presented some challenges that have never been seen before, what with lockdowns, social distancing and mask-wearing, even in times like these you’d be able to pull off a patisserie business strategy with some careful planning and creativity. Here’s how:

What you’d come to see right at the beginning when you decide to take part in this industry yourself is the fact that this may be a costly venture. Especially when you consider all the investments you’d have to do regarding innovative and efficient commercial food machinery.

Still, having in mind it’s these exact components that bring about financial success and growth, as they increase production while also minimizing staffing, you’d agree they’re important bases for the business. Moreover, it’s easier than ever to come across reliable equipment stores and suppliers that offer flexible finance solutions to help you with your business needs and dreams - along with providing expert technical support and a convenient warranty.

To have your peace of mind that you put your money in something of value, it’s advisable to also look for those sellers that give you the chance to test out the bits and pieces of food equipment; in other words, try before you buy! This is a great solution for a beginner in the patisserie and baking business because you may be interested in a specific model but after testing find out another one with different features would be more suitable for your needs.

If you think this kind of shopping experience might be overwhelming, mostly because there are so many options of machinery available, then it’s advisable to adopt a strategy to first define your baked goods and the menu. Of course, by first considering what your target clientele would be, so you’d have to do thorough research around the area where your store would be located.

Defining the pastries, from croissants and chocolate rolls, to brioche, and other delicacies made with leavened dough, followed by biscuits, churros, doughnuts, tarts, custards, cakes, chocolates, and confectionery – you’ve got lots to choose from. Once you come to know what your main products are, this would allow you to get a good image of what you should focus on commercial food machinery wise.

This could be the specialised chocolate, whipped cream and pastry machines (e.g. churros, croissants, biscuits), or the dough mixers, dividers, fryers, sheeters, ovens, and the beneficial retarder provers. Those who think of expanding the business into a mobile bakery too, besides the set up shop, would certainly do with van machinery designs.

It’s necessary to point out here, there are two other pieces that are key for such a business: the fridge and the display case. Think about it, the success of your patisserie is about properly stored ingredients. It’s really simple, without them, you won’t be able to make your delicious baked goods, let alone sell them.

Moreover, fridges enable you to get ingredients in bulk and store them, in case there’s a supply shortage in supermarkets as we’ve witnessed with the pandemic in 2020. The same can be said about the display case which is crucial in showcasing your lovely baked goods to attract the customers, though for the sake of space you might find the upright glass door fridge to be a better option.

Acquiring the commercial food equipment is only part of the deal – if you want it to serve you well time and time again, and prove that you’ve done a great investment, you ought to maintain and clean it properly. What good would it do to buy the most expensive mixer or oven if you don’t maintain it?

It would give up on you when you least expect it, and worse, result in additional costs for repairs and replacements. All this aside from the fact unclean machinery tends to have a bad impact on the quality of your pastries, affecting the taste and perhaps even the structure.

For this reason, you must always take the time to wipe down each and every piece of equipment with a clean cloth, inside and out, and don’t leave food in them for long. In case you find it necessary, give them a vacuum too from time to time, to remove crumbs, and remember never to exaggerate with the loads and production.

A machine’s capacities are indicated with reason. Lastly, make sure you don’t place them too close to other appliances, the walls and furniture, as they do require some “breathing” room to avoid overheating.

You’ve finally rounded up all the planning, you’ve finished up all the paperwork and got your business registered with the government, and you’ve invested in all the crucial commercial food machinery. Now what?

Well, take the time to be thankful we live in a technological world that goes round and round with the internet. Using this to your advantage, specifically social networks and an online platform such as a website with your own domain, means you’d be able to reach out to a bigger number of people quickly.

This would offer you the chance to sell your delights online, which has turned to be a business-proofing strategy in times of pandemics. Hungry people won’t have to worry about cramming up in one and the same space to get a hold of your products when they can order them online and have them delivered promptly.

In case you’d like to give the old-fashioned marketing solutions a go too, you could always turn to the help of direct mail marketing. Though many find snail mail to be obsolete, fact is it’s still here, and such an approach allows you to get connected with customers on a more personal level outside of the digital realm.

Another way that proves to be very efficient with attracting a bigger customer base is it’s advisable to consider giving out free products. How do you like the sound of giving a complementary pastry for every two that a client buys?

With this strategy you’d have them running in and ordering faster than you'd expected them to when you were still pondering whether or not to venture in the business. Moreover, with the reliable machinery you’d be able to keep up with the production quality even as the business expands.