1. Bakery Basics
In South Africa there are an estimated 600 in-store bakeries in the major supermarket groups, 250 franchise bakeries and over 4 500 small independent bakeries. It is estimated that each South African consumes about 63 loaves of bread a year.
On average, one in three South Africans bake for pleasure and interestingly, all age groups enjoy this ‘pastime’. In terms of population groups, more South Africans of Indian origin bake for pleasure (45%), followed by whites (43%), coloureds (34%) and blacks (32%).
Start from home or from retail premises
You can start a bakery business from home or rent premises. It can also start as a part-time business. This is a good way to see how feasible and profitable it is before spending a lot of money on equipment and signing leases for premises. It’s a good business choice as there will always be a demand for bread.
Qualifications
There are no compulsory qualifications to run or own a bakery, but you need some training in the basics of baking and you can specialise in different areas such as bread, cakes or pastries. Enrolling for an environmental health course will be useful
What it takes to be a baker
To be a baker you need to be friendly, approachable and have good communication skills and attention to detail. You will also need management skills, the ability to plan, co-ordinate and delegate responsibility. Be prepared for long hours and early rising to get products baked and ready for the day’s business.
Don’t under estimate the power of good research
Research is very important, as you need to understand who your customers will be.
However, it isn’t easy getting information and statistics about the people living and working in the area where you want to start the business. Do a survey of your own.
Talk to people in the area and ask them what they would buy from a bakery. If there are other bakeries in the area make it your business to get to know your competitors thoroughly so you can identify potential gaps in the market