Bakery insights to help make this year’s Q4 your best yet
With Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve and more just around the corner, now is a busy—and challenging—time to be a bakery. Complete with family gatherings, parties and religious celebrations, the months of November and December bring a whirlwind of activity—as consumers seek the sweets and treats that will make their holidays more memorable.
For bakeries, preparing early is not just beneficial; it's essential. Planning ahead allows your bakery to meet this demand with ease and efficiency. In this article, Dawn Foods offers tips to help your operation better prepare for—and navigate through—the holiday season.
[Source: Dawn Foods]
Plan Out Fall and Holiday Menus Now
When preparing for holiday traffic and sales, it’s never too early to start the planning process—to help ensure the remainder of the year runs smoothly. Melissa Trimmer, CEPC®, AAC and Corporate Executive Chef & Senior Director of Culinary at Dawn Foods, recommends having your Fall and Holiday menus plotted out now, to capitalize on seasonal trends and tried-and-true holiday favorites.
“Use this time now to plan for fall and winter, because it’s the last time to breathe before the holidays,” says Trimmer. “Be sure to cost out your menu plans as well—to help make pricing decisions, manage your inventory and support overall profitability.”
[Source: Dawn Foods]
Showcase Your Skills
The holidays are a perfect time for creating desserts that look and taste special. Put your decorating skills front and center by showcasing products that reflect each holiday.
Think about themed desserts like Christmas cupcakes or Kwanzaa cookies—as well as seasonal showstoppers like Yule Logs and New Year’s Eve cakes that dial up the sparkle and serve a dual purpose as both decoration and dessert.
Create a Distinctive Menu with Variety Across Dayparts
When planning for the holidays, consider incorporating daypart variety into your offerings to help drive incremental sales. A diverse menu of holiday-inspired treats can attract a broader customer base during this busy season, and a little planning can help you maximize your goods.
Entice customers with a wide selection of delicious treats that embody the spirit of the season. A diverse array of flavors guarantees you can cater to multiple tastes and preferences, making it more likely that each customer will find something they love—or will love to share.
[Source: Dawn Foods]
Offer More Sizing Options
During the holidays, offering a variety of serving sizes is key, as bakery customers seek everything from individual, bite-sized desserts to large cakes that feed a crowd. Dawn Foods recommends adding to your typical order sizes so you can accommodate everything your customers need this season.
In addition, Dawn Foods offers the following recipes and inspiration to help you plan and create the unique items that add to the magic of the season for your customers.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Leftover Pie Cookies
Hanukkah
Christmas
Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake
[Source: Dawn Foods]
Optimize Operations for Peak Periods
Increased holiday season demand makes it essential to optimize your bakery's operations. Dawn Foods offers strategies to help you run a smooth and efficient operation during this time:
Issue work schedules early to help employees manage the season.
Creating and distributing work schedules as early as a month in advance can help your employees manage their busy work and life schedules. “It’s good for morale and can be the difference between an employee quitting or staying on come January,” says Trimmer.
Enhance Staff Training
Provide additional training for your staff to make sure they can handle the increased demand and maintain high-quality service. This includes specifics of your holiday menus, customer service best practices, and efficient order processing. Well-trained staff can help create a positive customer experience—and encourage repeat business.
Prepare for Bulk Orders
This busy season, it’s imperative to anticipate and prepare for bulk orders from customers looking for holiday event catering. Offer pre-order options and set up a system to manage these orders efficiently. Providing top-notch service for bulk orders can lead to higher sales—and positive word-of-mouth referrals.
By taking these steps, your bakery can seamlessly navigate the holiday season, offering exceptional service and quality products to your customers. For additional recipes, or to learn more about products and support for the holiday, contact Dawn Foods or your Dawn Foods sales representative today.
