How to Equip Your Bakery Business for Growth

Did you know that the bakery products market in North America is projected to grow nearly 5% in the next four years? Yes, 2020 and early 2021 were big for home baking, but things are changing fast.

More consumers are going back to work outside the home, reducing the time they have to cook and bake from scratch as many did during the height of the pandemic. Adding to that, a change of scenery and an opportunity to enjoy hand-crafted, artisan pastries and breads are a powerful draw for most of us!

Offering a little insight into what’s to come for the baking business, Restaurant Business recently reported that Panera is introducing a new store design featuring a “bakery theater” debuting in November in the St. Louis suburb of Ballwin. This new design will treat dine-in customers to the experience of watching fresh breads and pastries being made throughout the day. Can’t get that with delivery!

Whether putting on a show for customers front-of-house or making their magic in the back, as with any art, bakers and pastry chefs do their best work with specialized tools of their trade. Here’s a collection of some of the best tools and equipment to help support your growing business while keeping your baking talent productive, feeling valued, and happy.

Clear Measuring Cups

Measure quickly and accurately with virtually unbreakable Cambro Camwear Measuring Cups. Crystal clear cups with blue metric and red American standard graduations allow at-a-glance measuring for fast-paced baking operations. NSF listed and dishwasher safe, these essential tools withstand acids, stains, and odors for reliable use. Available in 1 cup, 1 pint, 1, 2 and 4 quart sizes.

Mobile Ingredient Bins

Cambro Mobile Ingredient Bins hygienically store flour and other frequently-used bulk ingredients. Made of NSF-listed, FDA-accepted material for direct food contact, these bins also have a hygienic, clear sliding lid that makes ingredients easy to see and access without needing to be taken off. Cambro bins fit under standard worktables to make the most of your space while keeping key ingredients within close reach.

Bakers Dough Blade

Essential for helping dough expand as it bakes while creating gorgeous, artisanal breads, the Bakers Dough Blade by Mercer is the classic baker’s tool for scoring perfect slashes into baguettes and other crusty breads. This indispensable baking tool is 6" x 1" x ½" H and features an ergonomic and durable ABS plastic handle, a double-edged stainless steel blade, and a slide-on cover that snaps into place for safe storage.

Reusable Baking Mats

Silicone Bake Mats by Mercer Culinary fit neatly into full and half size sheet pans or can be used as work mats on counters. Safe for oven, freezer, or microwave, reusable baking mats provide a sustainable alternative to parchment that helps you bake a more uniform and consistent product.

Made of food grade silicone over reinforced fiberglass, they are naturally nonstick, reducing the need for fats or oils, and are able to withstand temperatures up to 480°F. Mats have printed measurement marks in inches and centimeters for easy size reference and are offered in two sizes (16½" x 24½" and 11⅞" x 16½") and two colors (orange and allergen safety purple).

Beveled Edge Spatula

Hell’s Tools Slotted Spatula by Mercer Culinary is made of high-temperature nylon for superior flexibility and strength. Its beveled edge slides under food quickly and precisely. This tough, 12" x 3½" spatula is easy to clean, safe for use with non-stick cookware, and is available in black, white, gray, and 6 additional colors. Click here to see more baking and pastry tools from Mercer.

Bun Pan Racks

A reliable, long-lasting solution for sheet pan transport and holding, the Ultimate Sheet Pan Rack from Cambro is made of rust-proof composite material that carries a lifetime warranty against rust and corrosion. 

With heat-resistant rails that can accept a sheet pan straight from a 350°F oven, the Ultimate Sheet Pan Rack’s NSF listed components are also easy to clean. 

Available in Full Size, Half Size, or Under-counter models, two caster types, and two rail spacing options (3" or 1½") for a custom fit, these bakery workhorses hold full size or half size sheet pans or trays. They also look great front of house.

Proofing Cabinets

FWE offers a broad selection of proofing cabinets to fit your product, space, and budget. Two pieces of equipment in one, these reliable proofing cabinets also work double-duty as holding cabinets. FWE's Proofer/Heater cabinets give you a faster pre-heat proofing time and maintain a 95°F - 95% heat/humidity balance for uniform raised dough results.

Cabinets are offered in a variety of capacities and heights ranging from under-counter to full height (64"+). Multiple ENERGY STAR^® qualified models are available.

Combi Ovens

The Convotherm 4 with ACS+ and BakePro was designed to ensure that every product is baked to perfection every time. BakePro starts your baking profile by delivering the ideal amount of steam for your product to the cooking chamber for perfect steam saturation, automatic humidity adjustment in combi-steam cooking and fast, even heat transfer for convection.

This feature delivers an ideal, constant environment in the cooking chamber for all baked products, from Danish pastries, baguettes, croissants, bread, and much more. 

Even when fully loaded, the Convotherm 4 achieves consistent, evenly-baked results with fresh, frozen, precooked, or part-baked products.

With Convotherm 4 easyTouch® you can configure your baking profiles with your own pictures, then simply touch to start. BakePro can be programmed in multi-level baking profiles. For a beautiful glaze, simply finish baking with an extra BakePro step. Did we mention that it can also clean itself at the push of a button? To learn what other tricks the Convotherm 4 can help you do, click here.

Stone Hearth Ovens

For artisanal baking, Wood Stone makes traditional stone hearth ovens in four sizes, with baking surfaces ranging from 7-45 square feet. With a range of models suitable for virtually any size kitchen, each oven is available as wood-fired, wood and gas combination, and gas-fired. No matter which size or fuel type you choose, Wood Stone ovens support high quality and high bakery production. 

These customizable ovens are also stunningly attractive, making a bold and unique statement to your commitment to the art of baking, perfect for creating some “bakery theater” of your own!

From custom powder coat to façade extensions, see what your dream oven will look like in real time with the Wood Stone Product Visualizer. This handy tool takes the guesswork out of configuring your new Wood Stone oven along with helping you visualize styles and finishes to suit your baking operation.

We can help you keep your bakers happy and your customers coming back with tools and equipment that optimize space while maximizing operational efficiency and quality. Contact us.