The in-store bakery trend is moving in the right direction. Little by little, grocery stores and supermarkets are including an in-store bakery and making it a point of interest in the store. In 2018, in-store bakeries made $13.8 billion dollars in the United States which is up 6.4% from the previous year. The growing trend points towards in-store bakeries making $18.4 billion in 2020 which would be up 45% since 2010! The numbers don’t lie and they suggest that every grocery store could benefit from a good in-store bakery. Adding a bakery is half the battle. As you plan for an in-store bakery, you need to also plan how to ensure its success. Here are some main points and tips on how to run a successful in-store bakery.

Show Off Your Versatility

Product versatility can open your bakery up to a variety of different products that may interest customers. With more options come more purchase possibilities for the people shopping. A good way to promote versatility is through your bakery’s display cases. Laying out the variety of delicious treats your bakery is producing will catch the consumer's eye and give that traditional bakery feel. Now that you understand the importance of versatility, how do you efficiently produce a wide variety of delicious baked goods while keeping up with the demand of the consumer? Investing in bakery equipment will give you product flexibility and allow you to automate some of the baking processes that manually take up a good deal of time.

For example, cookie depositors can allow a bakery to automate the production of a wide variety of cookies, cakes and pastries. Empire’s Suprema Cookie Depositor features a 7-inch touch screen control with a 200-recipe memory capacity so your in store-bakery can set up a plethora of treats to cycle throughout your displays to keep the bakery section new and fresh. The Suprema is also capable of producing 180 trays of consistent and high-quality cookies per hour so production in the grocery store environment will be no problem!

Make Your In-Store Bakery Feel Separate

Just because your bakery is located within the grocery store, does not mean it should be just another set of isles, it should feel like its own destination. Shoppers should feel like they have entered into a different part of the store and get the full bakery experience. This experience could be a unique way to connect with and attract shoppers. One way to give off the genuine bakery experience is to show off the baking process to the customer and let them see the bakers hard at work skillfully crafting the delicious items that are on display. Bringing the ovens front and center gives the customer a sense of freshness as they watch cookies and breads come right out of the oven. In order to not clutter the front of the bakery, ovens with a smaller footprint are preferable. Empire’s FOX Single Rack Oven and LFM-D Modular Electric Deck Oven are high-quality ovens that are designed to fit where space is limited.

The FOX Single Rack Oven is only 43 inches wide and 66 inches deep with the capacity to run up to 20 pans per bake. The FOX features a digital control panel with a programmable automatic start-up and a reliable no-clog steam system to ensure a consistent bake of the highest quality. Available in both electric and gas, the FOX is perfectly suited for bagels, breads, cookies, cakes, pastries and more!

The LFM-D Modular Electric Deck Oven features a compact design perfect for the inclusion in tight workspaces. In fact, the LFM-D can be installed at near-zero clearance thanks to its thermal insulation. On top of its compact size, the LFM-D uses as little as 11 kW of power making it a valuable piece of equipment for your grocery or supermarket. You will be giving your in-store bakery artisan-level breads thanks to the LFM-D’s hearth which is one of the highest quality baking stones available today.

So, in order to ensure the success of your in-store bakery, shoppers must see your bakery as a destination worthy of more than just a quick visit during a grocery run. With the proper planning, preparation and the right equipment, you can take your bakery to the next level.