Bakery Equipment Cost Guide: How Much Does it Cost?

Why good quality equipment matters

It&#;s a no brainer. Choosing the right cost-effective equipment is crucial for the success of any small bakery, as it can directly impact the quality of your baked goods.

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Poor-quality equipment can lead to inconsistent results and frequent breakdowns, resulting in wasted ingredients and lost revenue. On the other hand, investing in high-quality equipment can lead to increased productivity, better quality baked goods, and ultimately, increased profitability. It can also be more cost-effective overall, despite the slightly higher initial price, given that many higher quality machines are energy efficient too.

Additionally, the right bakery equipment can help bakers keep up with demand. You will be able to provide consistent products to your customers, which is essential for building a loyal customer base in the highly competitive baking industry. Plus, good equipment means you can experiment with new products too. 

Therefore, understanding these bakery startup costs within your business plan and how to manage them effectively is a must to grow a successful bakery.

So, let's crack on breaking down the different factors when it comes to baking equipment.

Factors that affect the cost of bakery equipment

Several factors can affect the cost of your baking equipment. Let's begin by analyzing the most important factors that you should consider when buying equipment for your bakery, before we move onto the range of bakery equipment you should look to purchase. popular step by step, so you get an idea of the potential initial costs related to your bakery's equipment.

Quality of the equipment

Listen up, folks! It's true what they say - you get what you pay for. Investing in high quality equipment may burn a hole in your startup costs, but it'll pay dividends in the long haul. Your customers will be licking their plates clean when they're served baked goods made with top-notch gear.

And don't forget about brand reputation! The big dogs in the equipment game may charge a bit extra, but they're established for a reason - quality and reliability.! So, sometimes it's worth shelling out the extra dough to ensure your kitchen is equipped with only the best. Your taste buds (and wallet) will thank you later!

Size and capacity of the equipment

When it comes to equipment size and capacity, bigger ain't always better...for your wallet. The more capacity and power you need, the more materials are required to make it, and that means a heftier price tag. Plus, installation and setup may cost extra for larger equipment. 

In addition - you&#;ve really got to think about the space you&#;ve got to work with at your bakery. Get that tape measure out and work out exactly how much room you&#;ve got. You need ample space to work around your equipment (especially if you intend to have more than one employee), and if you&#;re having customer seating in your bakery, that&#;s even less room to use. Be reasonable with your expectations and find ways to maximize space - it may mean selecting a slightly smaller mixer for now.

No matter how grand your bakery dreams may be, finding the perfect fit is key to keeping those buns in the oven and customers happy. But don't just dive in and buy the biggest and baddest. You gotta find the sweet spot between size, capacity, and cost to keep things running smoothly. Take a minute to crunch the numbers and find the right match for your bakery team.

Technology and features

This innovative factor can also add to the cost, with more advanced and sophisticated equipment costing more than basic models.

The kitchen display system (KDS) is an excellent example of innovative bakery equipment with integrated technology that can improve speed and productivity. A KDS is like having a personal digital assistant that shows you the orders in real-time, helping you juggle your tasks with ease. Sure, this innovation comes at a cost, but it's worth it in the long run as it can save you time and prevent mistakes. Plus, who doesn't love a little bit of tech-savvy sophistication in their kitchen?

Therefore, while technology and advanced features can add to the cost of bakery equipment, they can also provide significant benefits, making them a worthwhile investment for any bakery looking to remain ahead of the game in today's market.

New vs. used equipment

Using new or second-hand equipment can significantly impact the cost of bakery equipment.

New equipment tends to be more pricey due to its quality, performance, and reliability. However, it also comes with the latest technology, features, and warranties, which may provide greater peace of mind to a bakery owner. Therefore, due to their high upfront costs, new bakery equipment may be more suitable for an existing bakery, rather than for those who are just starting up in the baking industry.

Second-hand bakery equipment may be more suitable for those starting their bakery journey. They&#;re certainly a more affordable option for those with a limited budget. However, it may also come with a greater risk of breakdowns, repairs, and maintenance, which could add to the overall cost of ownership over time.

To be new or not to be new, that is the question!

What you will be baking!

Of course, with a huge range of bakery items like cakes, bread or desserts, you will have to pick the equipment you need the most. For instance, if you&#;re going to be dedicated to cupcakes and run a home bakery, then you probably don&#;t need a bread slicer. Deciding what products your bakery will sell is an essential first step, and is crucial to figuring out how much you&#;re willing to spend on this specialist equipment.

When it comes to baking equipment, it all comes down to your bakery's budget and preferences for risk-taking. You need to scrutinize the advantages and disadvantages of both options and make a smart call that syncs with your budget and requirements. 

Don't rush this decision; it's like baking a delicate soufflé, a lot of thought goes into it to get it just right.

Top tip: It's important for new bakery businesses to hire the right baking staff who can treat the equipment with care and respect. Proper training and education can go a long way in ensuring that bakery equipment is used correctly and maintained properly. This means your equipment stays functional for longer, and reduces the chance of needing to pay for repair costs from inattentive employees. By investing in the right team of bakers, and training them on appropriate ways to use and maintain your bakery equipment, bakery owners can improve their bottom line and better set their business up for long-term success.

Cost breakdown of bakery equipment

There are various types of equipment that you need to set up your commercial kitchen and open a bakery business, ranging from large-scale industrial ovens to small hand tools. 

Using a range of equipment can be essential to creating new tasty treats or recreating the classics. And you&#;ll want to ensure the production of high-quality baked goods and ways to manage the bakery's workflow efficiently too.

We&#;ve highlighted some of the most popular bakery equipment and a rough idea of the cost for your business. In effect, most bakery items, such as ovens, mixers, and pans, can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $20,000! It all depends on the type of equipment you need, the quantity and, if you want to buy it all immediately or if you want to pay less now and expand as your business grows.

So, let's have a look at the must-have essentials in the bakery industry:

Bakery ovens

Bakery ovens are an essential piece of equipment for any baking business, as they are the primary means of baking goods. Ovens allow bakers to transform dough and other ingredients into a wide variety of baked goods, such as bread, cakes, cookies, and pastries, to name a few.

When looking for your perfect commercial bakery oven, on top of the costs, you will want to consider:

• Oven type (standard ovens, convection ovens,deck ovens, conveyor ovens and steam ovens are just a few!)

• Power type (gas or electric) and ease of installation

• Size (full size, size when doors are open, the number of racks)

• Cooking speed

• Ease of use

• Ventilation

• Energy efficiency

• Extras (such as timers)

Ovens are also a significant investment to start a bakery, with costs varying depending on the size, type, and features of the oven. However, the cost of a high-quality oven is often a worthwhile investment. It is the backbone of all the established bakeries and will be a deciding factor in the quality of the baked goods you produce. You may even require multiple ovens, depending on the size of your business and the type of products you make.

Expected costs range: $400 - $15,000 (Not including labor and installation charges) [1]

Dough makers

Also known as dough mixers or kneading machines, these machines take the tedious task of mixing and kneading dough off your hands and ensure consistent results time after time. Think of them as your own personal sous pastry chefs, available in all sizes from small and compact to industrial-sized.

Customize your machine with options like variable speed control or different attachments to tackle any mixing job. While investing in a quality dough maker may seem pricey initially, think of it as an investment in your bakery's efficiency and consistency in the long run. Say goodbye to manual labor and hello to perfectly mixed dough every single time!

Expected new cost range: $100 - $2,500 [1]

Dough sheeter

Listen up aspiring bakers! Want to save time and effort when rolling out your dough? Get your hands on this baking tool. These nifty machines will help you flatten your dough with precision and ease, so you can whip up some seriously delicious baked goods.

Plus, they are totally adjustable, meaning you can create varying thicknesses and sizes of dough. Some even come with extra features like flour dusters and safety measures. While they may come with a hefty price tag, a dough sheeter is a wise investment for any bakery looking to streamline its production process and produce top-quality items.

Expected new cost range: $2,200 - $4,000 [1]

Bread slicer

If you're opening a bakery, you &#;knead&#; a bread slicer in your life. No more unevenly sliced bread or aching arms from manual slicing. This type of equipment can cut those loaves with consistent ease. They come in all shapes and sizes too, from cute little countertop models to larger-than-life, industrial-sized slicers that can handle bread by the batch. Want versatility? You got it! With adjustable slicing thickness or multiple blade options, each slice will be perfect, no matter the bread.

While it may cost some dough, investing in one of these will save you time and effort, improve production, and produce consistent results every time. Trust us, the long-term benefits are worth the bread tossed. Just be wary - the cheapest bread slicers are made of plastic and aren&#;t always guaranteed to cut the best slice every time.

Expected new cost range: $20 - $150 (depending if you buy a commercial model) [1]

Other baking supplies and tools

Here are some additional, but important, equipment that might be helpful for bakery owners to run a successful bakery:

• Chiller and freezer

  The size of your chiller and freezer will depend on how many goods you need to store in it. 

  If you are looking for more details, kindly visit QinLi.

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  Sheet pan racks

  The racks are designed to hold sheet pans or baking trays, allowing bakers to store baked goods in an organized and efficient manner. Sheet pan racks can also be made from different materials, such as stainless steel or aluminum, depending on the bakery's needs and preferences.

• Bakery boxes
  These are containers used to package and transport baked goods. If you are looking to run an online bakery, make sure your boxes are customized with your business logo to promote the bakery, while also keeping the baked goods fresh and protected. If you&#;re looking to keep costs low here, you could look at adding stickers (rather than branded boxes), and eco-friendly options are available too.

• Cake decorating supplies
  Decorating supplies can be used to add personalized messages, colors, and designs that reflect your customer's preferences and needs. These include various types of frosting, fondant, edible glitter, food coloring, piping bags and more to create specialty items, such as couture cakes or seasonal cupcakes.

• Display cases
  These cases are typically designed with glass panels that allow customers to see the menu items on display without having to open the case. They are usually refrigerated to keep perishable products, such as cakes and pastries, fresh and chilled.

• Mixing bowls, measuring cups, whisks, and spoons
  Essential for measuring ingredients and mixing batter or dough.

• Rubber spatulas
  These are excellent for scraping down bowls, ensuring you get every last spec!

• Rolling pins
  Mostly used for thinning out pastry dough

• Flour sieves
  Used to sift dry ingredients

• Wire rack
  Used for cooling your baked goods when they&#;ve come out the oven

• Temperature probe
  Used to check if goods are properly cooked

• Baking tins
  These come in all different shapes and sizes - from the traditional round cake tin, to load tins or square baking tins.

Of course, on top of this, you also need to think about health and safety equipment, such as microfibre cloths and cleaning supplies to wipe down surfaces, and aprons or hairnets to prevent food contamination. Find out the full list of equipment you may need to start a bakery in our blog.

Top tip: Whether you already own a franchise bakery or are planning on starting a new small bakery, discover how to achieve a successful bakery advertising strategy for your own business with all the tricks about branding.

As bakers, we work in a highly competitive market.  Accounts are won or lost on pennies and this only underscores the reality that the business side of baking is hard work.  Within this series of articles, I intend to highlight different methods bakers use to automate dough production.  By providing the pros, cons, and everything in between I ultimately hope you will walk away informed.  As a disclaimer and to be transparent I want to inform you that I am a proud principle of Dough Tech and will use the products I represent as the comparison and basis for my evaluations.

In today&#;s world if you are asked to scale, it will mean different things to different people.  For example, you will get a completely different answer from a fisherman than you will from a mountaineer,  which is entirely different from someone who aims to grow their business.  One act of scaling that all bakeries are familiar with is to scale ingredients, but unlike fish this type of scaling is more like mountains and business than at first glance.  The act of weighing and combining ingredients at the right time, in the proper proportion according to plan is exactly how to scale your bakery.   As bakery opportunities grow, we usually feel the growing pains first in dough production and then our wallet, especially if you intend to finance your growth through cash flow.   In this segment I will discuss flour silos, how to know if you&#;re ready for a silo, which silo is right for you and how to maintain your investment as you continue to grow.

When is the right time?

Timing is everything, we have all heard that before, but how do you know if you are ready to stop buying bagged flour and begin to buy in bulk?  Fortunately, this is easier to answer than you may think.  The answer is in the math.  How many pounds of flour do I need to buy?  How many pounds of flour do I use in 21 days and how much money will I save buy buying in bulk?

Some flour mills may offer partial loads but typically a bulk flour truck will hold 47,000 lbs. of flour.  This amount is important because buying in full truck loads you will maximize bulk dollar savings.

Why 21 days?  Wheat is a favorite grain for weevil and it&#;s not uncommon for weevil to be attracted to milled flour.  A female weevil can lay as many as 250 eggs during her lifespan of 2-3 months.  Within 14 days weevil larvae will hatch and begin to grow.  Within 21 days weevil will mature and begin the reproductive cycle again.  So, if you can consume 47,000 lbs. of flour every 21 days, weevil eggs will not have time to hatch.  Then with a proper cleaning schedule your bakery can remain weevil free.

Cost savings will result from bulk flour purchasing by eliminating bags, less handling at the mill and distribution centers.  It only makes sense that there is a cost for each flour bag that is thrown away.  Cost saving will vary from mill to mill, but it&#;s not uncommon that savings range from $1.00 &#; $3.00 per hundred weight.  There are also hidden savings that don&#;t show up directly on your financials, like the reduction in trash pick-ups, less chance of adding the wrong flour weight at the mixer and less likelihood of workers comp claims from lifting thousands of pounds of flour sacks.  And then there&#;s improved employee morale and finally more warehouse space.

So, if your bakery consumes at least 47,000 lbs. of flour every 21 days you can expect to save between $156.66 &#; $469.98 per week.  With this minimum savings amount you can easily determine what your savings and ROI will be.

Which silo is right for you?

Now that you have determined a silo is the right move, the next logical question is which one.  Will my silo be indoors or outdoors and what material is best? To answer these questions, it&#;s best to understand the pros and cons of each style.

Either indoor or outdoor silos will perform the same and both will have the same features of flour sifters, and weigh hoppers, programmable control panels and dust collection systems.  So the important determining factors will be how much room do you have, how tall are your ceilings and where will the delivery truck load flour into the silos.

Indoor Silos

Indoor silos are available in stainless steel or flexible fabric construction.  These silos are dimensionally square or rectangular, and the size is easily customized to fit in any available area.  Ceiling height can be a concern, so I recommend the ceiling has at least 16&#; of clearance.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel silos are rigid, and the silo tank will last for generations.  They typically cost more, and the manufacturing lead time is longer than flexible fabric silos.  Stainless steel silos also operate by &#;fluidizing&#; the flour inside the silo each time there is a flour draw.  By injecting air into the tank, the flour is lifted as it begins to flow through the delivery tubes into the weighing hopper.  Aerating the flour will eliminate any clumping or silo bridging issues that may arise.

Pros: Durable, long-lasting material

Cons: More expensive to purchase and install

Flexible fabric

Flexible fabric flour silos are the most cost-effective way to get into a silo system.  Reinforced fabric bags are designed for the weight and material they will hold.  Fabric silos are also less expensive to have custom dimensions or heights.  Fabric bags are reinforced with anti-static stainless-steel wires that add strength and dissipate static electricity as flour moves through the silo.  Fabric silos are installed with a stainless-steel bottom that uses a vibrating motor to prevent clumping. Within 12-16 years the silo bag may need to be replaced, but this expense is minimal compared to the cost savings of the system.

Pros: less expensive to purchase and install.  Easier to scale with the bakery.

Cons: The bag may need to be replaced over time.

Outdoor silos

Fiberglass

If you have limited space indoors or your flour storage needs are greater than 100,000 lbs. you could consider outdoor silos.  Outdoor silos are made from fiberglass with a food safe gelcote® interior coating.  They can handle greater weight capacities and their heights can exceed 40&#;.  Outdoor silos require cranes during the assembly process, so installation cost is typically more expensive and require more time to build, but not consuming valuable interior floor space is a great tradeoff.  By moving flour storage from indoors to outdoors you can expand your production without adding onto your building.

Pros:      Greater storage capacity.  Free up indoor storage.

Cons:     Longer and more expensive installation process.

Silo Maintenance

Just as with anything there is maintenance to your silo.  Maintenance routines require annual emptying of the silo and the interior silo walls cleaned and sanitized.  This is done by entering the silo and with an industrial vacuum with a brush attached to a long tube vacuuming the side walls and the ceiling filtering fabric. Once it has been vacuumed then sanitize the interior walls by wiping the walls with towel soaked in sanitizing solution.  You must use caution not to damage the floor of the silo and it is necessary to follow OSHA confined space requirements while inside the silo tank.

Weekly, the outside of indoor silos should be dusted, and integrated dust collectors emptied.

Daily flour sifter collection trays should be inspected and emptied.

Conclusion

Flour silos can be expensive, and the initial price can seem like an unscalable mountain to climb, but it&#;s been my experience that when a bakery meets the minimum threshold that I&#;ve explained, you can finance your silo with no out of pocket expense.  In fact, with most installations, it becomes a profit center right from the beginning.  From the hard and soft cost savings, bulk flour silos are a great investment that will make your bakery competitive today and continue for decades into the future.  Dough Tech can help you determine if a silo is right for you.  When the time is right, we can offer financing information to purchase silos when your bulk flour savings will exceed any loan payment.  You can find more information about silos at https://www.doughtech.com/intech-silos/

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Dough Divider Factory.