We've noticed a lot of comments and feedback from all our wonderful blog readers, mostly on those who want to start baking at home or in a small scale.
Since we are also a home-based bakery workshop and we love to help our fans, we want to give a few tips on how to get started. We hope this helps out any entrepreneurs who are bakers out there.
Tip No. 1: - Do a lot of Market Research:
If you decide that you will sell baked products, select a target market of the types of customers you would like to sell your products. It is also important to select a location you would like to concentrate and sell your products in and of course; the
products you would specifically like to have in your menu. We explain more on this in our
Bakery Business Startup Book.
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| Nairobi |
Tip No. 2: - Get the required equipment:
Make a list of the basic equipment you will need to get started. You can read all our posts on
Baking Equipment in Kenya to get an idea of the required:
Pans,
Ovens,
Mixing equipment,
Measuring equipment and
Cake decorating equipment.
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| Muffin pan |
Tip No. 3: - Buy in Bulk:
For all your required raw materials such as flour, sugar, eggs etc. Make sure you buy in wholesale shops; they are sold at a cheaper price than in retail stores. Make sure you get price quotations from wholesale shops nearby to get the best bargain for all your purchases.
For more information on ingredients used in commercial baking, visit our
Baking For Business Page.
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| Buy flour in bales |
Tip No.4: - Have Consistent Recipes:
When you decide what kind of products you will sell in your menu, try out all your recipes and taste test them. When you have the desired results, record all your recipes and keep them standard for consistency throughout the menu.
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| Amari line of Coconut products |
Tip No.5: - Get Business Permits and Licenses:
When you are fully prepared and want to start your business; get the required licenses and permits.
You should make sure your business has a name and it's registered.
There are two ways of doing it: you can simply start by registering your
business name, it's a simpler more economical procedure. Just go to
the Huduma centre in your area and first do a name search for at least 3
names; it costs Kshs.100 for each name. Then about five days later it
should be ready, you then pay to register the name that passed, it
should cost around Kshs. 850. You wait about one week and your
registered business name certificate will be ready for collection.
The second option is to register as a company, for that you will
require the services of a lawyer. It costs from Kshs. 25,000 to 50,000;
depending on the lawyer or advocates firm you use. They do all the
required activities to ensure registration of your company and you get a
certificate of incorporation after completion of the process.
You
will need an annual business license to run a bakery which starts at
around Kshs. 8,000 per year for a bakery from the City Council (Depends
on size of your bakery). You also require Food Handlers' Certificates
for yourself (If you're baking) and any other employees, they are Kshs.
1,000 for every six months. You will also require a Food & Health
Certificate for your kitchen; your kitchen gets inspected by a city
council officer and approved, about Kshs. 7,000. You will also need a
Fire Certificate for your premise, find out from your area city council
officer how much it will cost per year.
For any more information you
should visit your area City council office and find an officer to
explain all the necessary licenses and permits required for your
business.
Tip No.6: - Marketing is Important:
Make sure you have a great
marketing plan in place.
Get a website for your bakery to put all your products, prices and any other information on any services you offer. It is also advisable to get a blog and post frequently.
You should also create at least two social media pages in order to connect with your customers and potential customers and keep in touch with them, keep them updated on any new products or sale as well as for customer service purposes.
Make sure you are
constantly marketing your business to keep customers coming.
Tip No.7: - Have a passion for Baking and for Business:
If you would like to start your own business, make sure you have a passion for baking and for business. Passion is necessary because it will keep you going and no matter how bad things are, you will never give up. It keeps you courageous when things are very tough and don't seem to be going your way. Make sure to be open-minded and always willing to learn.
If you would love to learn how to bake, especially with a charcoal oven,
sign-up for any of our Baking classes or even to refresh yourself on
baking. Visit our
Baking Classes Page for more information on currently scheduled classes.
Click here for a list of all our available Baking short Courses.
If you would like to book for our
next bakery business training workshop, go to our
Workshops page and find out the date, cost and topics being covered to get the business training you require to start your bakery business.
We also have a book: "How to startup a small baking business successfully" -
Click here to find out where it is stocked and pricing details. This will help you on your journey to starting a baking business.
You can also e-mail us at: amaribreads@gmail.com
Call/text/whatsapp - Maureen at: 0701796688
If you still want to start your home-baking business in Kenya, make sure you are fully prepared. Good luck with your baking business and all the best ^_^
