How to Start a Bakery

Starting a bakery is the ultimate dream for most avid bakers or pâtisserie students, but like most startups, it’s a long road to fruition. From finding the best pâtisserie and boulangerie school to creating the perfect business plan, our blog will teach you everything you need to know about starting a bakery from scratch.

There’s no doubt that opening a bakery is the ultimate dream for most aspiring pastry chefs and bakers. But before you can turn the key on your new premises, you have to prioritise your culinary training and work experience.

When it comes to finding the school and course for you, Le Cordon Bleu should be the top of your list. Our Diplôme de Pâtisserie is recognised globally as one of the most respected culinary qualifications in pastry and baking, and our Diplôme de Boulangerie aims to provide you with the classical and practical skills of Boulangerie arts, artisan baking, kitchen management, and gastronomy.

Throughout the duration of the courses, which can be completed in either 6 or 9 months, you’ll learn and work with some of the industry’s best chefs. Your creative flair will be actively encouraged as you gain and perfect the essential skills need to thrive in the world of pâtisserie or boulangerie. These diplomas can also be studied alongside each other.

Students who wish to gain work experience in professional pâtisserie kitchen can choose include an Internship Pathway in conjunction with their Diplôme de Pâtisserie. Through the internship pathway, you’ll be connected with a highly regarded industry partner who will be able to facilitate a structured placement, leading to a practical understanding of business and a variety of alternative aspects of kitchen operations.

This type of work experience is invaluable to any aspiring chef, but especially so to those with entrepreneurial ambitions.



If your end goal is to start a bakery business, it’s never too early to start building your brand name and identity. As pâtisserie and boulangerie are both such a visually appealing side of the culinary arts, start building your brand by documenting your baking triumphs on social media. Some of the more visual platforms, like Instagram would be a good place to start.

By doing this early in career, you’ll have already established an audience who’ll be familiar with your designs, style and specialities. By cultivating this audience from the outset you’ll be in a better position to promote and advertise your business in years to come.

The Le Cordon Bleu Diploma in Culinary Management has been designed to provide aspiring business owners with the relevant skill set to lead successful food businesses, covering everything from food trends and marketing to cost control and operational efficiency. This 3 month diploma is perfect for those who wish to open your own business can be studied with the Diplôme de Pâtisserie


Market research is a vital and integral part of starting any business. This research is the foundation from which all future business decisions will be made and is key to learning as much about your target market as possible.

By conducting in-depth research, you’ll be able to identify a gap in the market for a particular cuisine or dining experience. If the preferred location of your new bakery is a commuter town, make sure your bakery offers lots grab and go options.

If there are lots of the cupcake or donut speciality shops in the area, but no bakeries specialising in gluten-free baked goods, this could be a niche you could capitalise on.

By catering to the needs and lifestyles of your customers, you’ll be in a better position to increase profit.
Finance

After many hours of dedicated training, market research and work experience in some of the world’s top restaurants, it’s time to take the next step and open your own bakery. There’s no doubt that starting your own bakery is a huge personal and financial commitment.

Before you sign up to a business loan, mortgage or lease, take the time to identify and prepare for the biggest expenses you’ll face as a start-up.

When it comes to finding the perfect location for your business, there are a lot of boxes that need to be ticked.

Firstly, you need to find a premises with a central location, as this will ensure your bakery benefits from lots of foot traffic.

Secondly, your business must be accessible to all patrons and be big enough to deal with a business expansion.

Thirdly, and most importantly, your ideal location should fit within your budget.

Choosing the right location for your new business comes with many challenges, but it’s one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make when starting a bakery. By taking the time to find the ideal location, you’ll ensure your business’s longevity and profitability.


Unlike a lot of startups, which require only a laptop and internet connection to function, bakeries require a whole host of expensive equipment. Unless you’re leasing space that was once an existing bakery and has all of the equipment in situ, you’re going to have buy your own cooking equipment.

There are number of the options available to business people who have to purchase their own equipment, you can spend money from your own personal fund, or take out a business loan and use the profits from your early sales to pay it off.

Whatever you choose, remember to factor in these expenses when formulating your business plan.


In the early days of a business, one of your biggest expenses will be salaries. This is why it’s important to hire wisely, and scale your staff numbers slowly.

During your bakery’s first months, business can be sporadic until a loyal customer base is established. During this time, try to keep outgoing costs low, as you don’t want excess staff on the books, especially if it might but pressure on the finances of the business.

In short, take your time when it comes to hiring. Consider a soft opening so you can easily identify any weak points, or minimum staff required before your bakery launches.



The final piece of the puzzle, before opening the doors of your business, is to create a strong business plan.

A written business strategy will allow you to solidify your bakery’s business objectives, goals and revenue targets. Your business plan should also include your previous market research, competitor insights, information on your target audience, an outline of your marketing plan, and a solid financial and budgeting projection.

By creating a structured and informative business plan, you’ll be able to make informed business decisions, compare projected revenue with actual revenue and ensure your bakery’s long term success.

For more information on studying at Le Cordon Bleu London, contact our team today.