offma freshfiles: on farm bakery

freshfiles… A series of practical farm management guides compiled by the Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association

On-Farm BAKERYOver the years, on-farm marketers have seen amazing

growth in the importance of baked goods in their on-farm market’s overall gross sales. One Farm Fresh survey of mem-bers found, on average, 33% of their gross sales were from bakery sales. It was down around 20% for the larger, more diverse markets, and up to 50+% for markets that were less diversified and had a scratch bakery.

This means that if you have a market with a bakery grossing $100,000 a year, approximately 33% or $33,300 of the market’s gross sales could be from the bakery. In other words, in theory, that market without a bakery would gross $66,700.

Another way to look at it is that if you had a market with $66,700 in gross sales without a bakery, you should be able to turn that market into one grossing $100,000 a year by adding a bakery. When you look at it that way, a bakery could increase your gross sales by 50%. There aren’t many product lines you can add to a market that will increase sales that dramatically. It won’t happen overnight, but if you have great quality baked goods — and the more unique products

905-841-9278 OntarioFarmFresh.com [email protected]

Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association (OFFMA) | 2002 Vandorf Sideroad | Aurora Ontario L4G 7B9 CANADATEL. 905-841-9278 | FAX 905-726-3369| E-MAIL [email protected]

the better — you should be able to see that 50% increase in gross sales within 3-5 years.

Notice quality and unique are in italics. Simply “throwing in” a bakery isn’t going to do it. You need to find someone who loves working in a bakery and is a stickler for detail, in order to produce a consistently high-quality, safe product. Unique-ness is that ‘special something’ you do that makes your product differ-ent from everyone else’s, so the customer has to come back to your farm if they want more. The other ingredient to success is consistency: the customer has to find the same great quality every time they buy your product.

PricingAn important part of the bakery decision to give thought to

is pricing. What is the best price? Do I have to be competitive with a neighbouring on-farm market? How do I decide on a price? To tackle this question, consider setting the retail price using margin rather than mark-up. Let’s start by defining margin vs. mark-up.

Continued on page 2…

You will often hear marketers say that they try to double their price on baked goods. What they are doing is putting a 100% mark-up over their cost on baked goods: for example, if they bought a frozen pie from a supplier for $3.50 and put a 100% mark-up over that cost, they would sell it for ($3.50 + $3.50 =) $7.00.

To arrive at the same retail price, but using the margin system, you would say that you want the pie to be 50% of the selling price and your margin to be the other 50%. So if the pie’s cost = $3.50 and that represents 50% (0.5) of the selling price, then the selling price is $3.50 ÷ 0.5 = $7.00 (50% margin + 50% cost = 100% of selling price). You always divide the cost of the pie ($3.50) by the amount that cost represents of the selling price.

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~ Material provided by Bob CobbledickBackground

… A series of practical farm management guides compiled by the Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association

On-Farm BAKERY page 2

EXAMPLE #2

What if you want your margin to be 60%? That means

the cost of the $3.50 pie represents only 40% of the selling

price. (60% + 40% = 100%). So to get a margin of 60%,

you divide $3.50 by 0.4 = $8.75

EXAMPLE #3

…And if you wanted a 70% margin, the $3.50 cost of

the pie only represents 30% of the selling price. So to arrive

at a margin of 70%, you divide $3.50 by 0.3 = $11.67

Thus, you always divide the cost of the pie ($3.50) by the percent of the retail price that the pie’s wholesale cost represents.

In our last example, the cost of the pie represented only

30% of the selling price:

Selling price = $11.67 (100%)

Cost of pie = - 3.50 (30%)

Margin = $ 8.17 (70% of the selling price)

It looks so much easier just to multiply your cost by 2

if you want to double your price (add 100% markup), but

the problem with using mark-up is that you can’t use that

100% mark-up to analyze how your bakery business is

doing.

But there are a number of things you can do if you set

your selling price using the margin method. If you know

that your margin is 50% of your selling price, then at the

end of the season, you can look back at your bakery sales

and review what happened:

Gross sales in bakery $33,300 (100%)

Cost of pies sold - 20,000

Gross Profit $13,300 (40%)

In a perfect world, your gross profit and margin should

be the same — but they never turn out that way. In this case,

you set a margin of 50% but the gross profit was only 40%

($13,300 ÷ $33,300 = 0.4 = 40%).

You think: “I priced the bakery to give me a margin of

50% — what happened to the other 10%?”

- Did you have to throw out any pies because they burned?

- Did you drop any trays of pies coming out of the oven?

- Did you give away any pies?

- Did you put pies on special over a couple of weekends?

- Did customers/employees filch any pies?

- Did an employee mistakenly punch in $0.70 rather than

$7.00 — possibly when selling pies to their friends?

- Did the company delivering the pies ‘short’ your order,

and no one counted the cases when they arrived?

- Do you have frozen uncooked pies still in the freezer

(inventory), at the end of the season)?

Unless you use the margin system, you wouldn’t be able to

examine any of these possibilities as to why you didn’t get your

50% margin.

Admittedly, calculating margin has one more step than

using the mark-up system (you have to figure out what % of the

selling price is the cost of the pie), and you divide rather than

multiply to calculate the retail price of the pie. But once you

establish the margin you want, you don’t have to calculate that

extra step again. More importantly, when it comes to analyzing

your business, it is well worth that one little added step.

To get full value out of the margin system, you should

calculate what it really costs you to operate the bakery (labour,

utilities, supplies, etc.). An easy place to start is to calculate the

cost of operating your total market (labour, utilities, loan

payments, repairs, and so on); then add them up at year-end and

calculate the percent of your expenses compared to your gross

sales. If your expenses total 40% of your gross sales, you will

quickly see that you will need a margin of more than 40% to

make a profit.

EXAMPLEGross sales in entire market $100,000Cost of goods sold $ 60,000

Gross Profit $ 40,000 ($40,000 ÷ $100,000 = 0.4 = 40%)

Overall Market Expenses:Labour $ 18,000Utilities $ 5,000Loan payment $ 7,000Supplies and repairs $ 5,000Insurance, taxes etc. etc. $ 5,000

Total expenses $ 40,000

Expenses as % gross sales 40% ($40,000 ÷ by $100,000 = 0.4 = 40%)

In the example above, the market only broke even, because

their expenses were 40% of gross sales and gross profit was only

large enough to cover expenses, leaving no profit. By using the

margin system to price their products, they would see that they

need to raise margin to possibly 50% to meet their profit goals.

Price-setting by margin is a very valuable tool for analyzing

your business. The same analysis can be done on any individual

department within your market (gifts, preserves, produce, etc.).

You just need to figure out your ‘cost of goods sold’ in that

department, and then estimate how much of the overall market

expenses should be allocated to that department.

Calculating the cost of a pie made from scratchYou might be saying, that’s fine if you are buying frozen

pies, but how do I figure out my cost if I’m making my pies from

scratch?


On-Farm BAKERY… A series of practical farm management guides compiled by the Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association

One practical approach is to get together your bakery

staff (even if they are family members) and spend two days

making pies. On the first day, you make sure everyone

knows what they are to do, how to do it efficiently, where

everything is stored, and in general, iron out any kinks.

Then do an inventory of all ingredients (weight of fruit to be

used, flour, sugar, shortening, etc.) and materials, such as

the number of pie plates, pie boxes and such.

The next day:

(1) Record the time your crew starts and finishes (including

clean-up time) = 8 hours

(2) Record the number of pies the crew made over the day =

175 pies

(3) Consult your inventory to establish what was used

(ingredients by weight; materials by number)

(4) Calculate the cost of the ingredients, pie plate and box =

$300

(5) Assume everyone was paid a wage (including family

members)

Therefore:

3 people x 8 hrs. x $14/hr. (includes benefits) = $336

You also should put in a value for the cost of the bakery

building itself:

(1) What did the building or renovation cost?

(2) What did the new or used equipment cost?

These two expenses should be amortized over 5 years. Take

total cost and go to this website to calculate payments:

http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/cgi-bin/personalloans/payment/calc.cgi/start

(3) Consider monthly payments = $500 x 12 months =

$6,000

(4) If you estimate that you can sell 6,000 pies, then add $1

to each pie to cover building and equipment.

In general, utility costs, repairs, supplies etc. are fairly

low compared to the other costs. You can calculate it or

simply add 10% onto the total pie cost.

EXAMPLELabour $336Ingredients $200

Subtotal $536

$536 ÷ 170 pies = $3.15/pieCost of loans $1.00/pie ($6,000 ÷ 6000 pies)

Subtotal $4.15Utilities, repairs, etc. $0.42 (10% of $4.15 = $0.42)

Total $4.57

If you want a margin of 60%, then $4.57 represents

40% of the selling price: selling price = $4.57 ÷ 0.4 =

$11.43. Suggested retail could therefore be $10.95, $11.50

or $11.95.

Important Regulations Affecting BakeriesThere are many applicable regulations, but those that most

directly affect your decision to set up a bakery are the five listed

below. If you choose to establish a bakery, you are moving into a

whole new area with its own set of rules. Investigate these: (1)

Food Premises Regulation (FPR), part of the Ontario Health Protec-tion and Promotion Act (HPPA); (2) Building Code/Inspection; (3)

Public Works Department; (4) Electrical Safety Authority; (5)

Labelling Requirements.

(1) Food Premises Regulation (FPR)

The Ontario Health Protection & Promotion Act (HPPA) is

the parent document, covering the ‘big picture’. It sets up the

game plan, gives inspectors the power to inspect, defines the

penalties and covers everything from meat packers to municipal

pools. Here is a link to the HPPA:

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90h07_e.htm

Within this overview, the government has established

regulations covering specific areas of concern. The regulation

covers, in great detail, what you must do to meet the legislation’s

intent or protect consumer health. For manufacturing and

selling food to the public, you must follow Food Premises R.R.O. 1990, Regulation 562 (FPR), which states the required number of

sinks, proper handling, food storage temperatures, hairnets,

washing and disinfection processes, etc. Here is a link to the FPR:

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_900562_e.htm

The focus of the summary below is to give you a general

understanding of what the FPR covers and the larger expenses

you might have in order to comply with the regulation.

A practical way to gain familiarity with health rules and

food safety would be to take a Food Handlers Course. Over the

years, the OFFMA has offered several courses for their members.

If one is not scheduled at a time that is convenient for you,

contact your local health unit as an alternate. You can often

download the course manual from your local health unit,

making it a home study course.

If you do take the course, you are required to write an exam

and achieve a minimum of 70% to get your Food Handlers

Certificate. Here is a sample manual from Niagara Region:

http://niagararegion.ca/living/health_wellness/inspection/food-handler-course-manual.aspx

The actual course work is in chapters 1-4. Chapter 5

answers questions, chapters 6-17 provide background on specific

topics. This material is fairly standard across Ontario (apart from

perhaps a few specific municipal by-laws). You can contact your

local health unit to see if they have their manual available online.

For Public Health Unit locations, see this website:

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/contact/phu/phuloc_mn.html




When you start up a bakery, you quickly realize that the

Public Health Inspector and you are going to become very

well-acquainted. Depending on the level of health risk

associated with your food products, the Public Health

Inspector will examine your facility at least once a year.

If you are not on municipal water, you also need to get

your water tested. The frequency of testing will depend on

the risk associated with your water: from once a month to

once every several months. Call your local health unit to

find out their procedure and they will decide on frequency.

Some on-farm marketers have said that they actually

don’t mind the inspection process, because although they

often remind their employees about proper food handling

procedures, their reminders are not always heeded. But a

Public Health Inspector carries more clout: they can close

your bakery and put employees out of work until the facility

meets the regulations. When an inspector informs staff that

something must be done, the message gets through.

It is interesting that Health Unit inspection reports for

restaurants and food establishments are increasingly being

made public. You can see these reports on many websites.

In the Niagara region, it is called Niagara Info-Dine; in

Toronto it’s called DineSafe. The inspection specifies the

infraction and also posts facilities which have been closed as

a result. Here is a website that gives you access to all the

health units that post their inspection reports all across

Canada:

http://www.healthinspections.ca/ontario.html

There are different levels of food safety concerns. You

are at less risk of jeopardizing a customer’s health when you

make jams, fruit pies, or breads (Non-Potentially Hazardous

Foods) than you are if you make products containing meat,

dairy or eggs, to which the Ministry of Health refers as

Potentially Hazardous Foods. The higher the risk, the more

critical the rules become. It might be a good idea to start

with food products that have less risk until your system is

working smoothly, then consider expanding your product

line.

The Ontario Ministry of Health wrote and got the

HPPA and the FPR passed in Ontario’s legislature, yet the

regulations are enforced by your local municipal/regional

Public Health Department, also called the local Health

Unit. It is also important to realize that each municipality or

region might interpret certain sections of these regulations

slightly differently; just because a farm business in another

part of Ontario has permission for a certain action, it doesn’t

mean that your Public Health Department will allow it.

Highlights of the Food Premises Regulation appear below.

It is the law that regulates all bakeries and food processing and

retailing bakery/restaurant facilities in Ontario.

This summary also contains two lists of ‘Potentially Hazard-

ous’ and ‘Potentially Non-Hazardous’ foods that were copied

from Common Approaches for Farmers’ Markets & Special Events: A Guide for Public Health Units. This document exempts farmers’

markets from several regulations within the FPR, if greater than

50% of the vendors in the farmers’ market are farmers selling

primarily products from their own farm. On-farm markets do not qualify for this exemption.

This summary is only highlights from the FPR, focusing on

aspects that have the greatest financial impact on your decision

to set up a bakery. The full document can be found online at:

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_900562_e.htm

Common Approaches for Farmers’ Markets & Special Events is on the Farmers’ Markets Ontario website at:

http://www.farmersmarketsontario.com/DocMgmt/Food%20Safety/Health%20Unit%20Guidelines/ASPHIO%20Guidelines%20Final%20Oct%2020%202006.pdf

You should read the entire Ontario Food Premises Regulation

before you meet with the Public Health Department. It will give

you a more complete picture of what you will need to do to meet

their requirements; you’ll also have a better idea of questions to

ask them.

Food Premises Regulation: SUMMARY

Explanations of Some Key TermsCorrosion-resistant materials — Sanitation is very impor-

tant, so surfaces that come into contact with food (pans, table

tops, equipment) must be made of a corrosion-resistant material.

In most cases, this means stainless steel, but in some cases, vinyl

and wood are permitted as cutting surfaces — but if they

develop grooves, disinfection is difficult. You are likely better off

finding a used stainless steel product than using a material that

can get scored by knives and then can’t pass inspection.

Organism — A general term that refers to any form of life

that is capable of eating, growing and usually reproducing.

Common examples of organisms of concern in food preparation

are: fungi, bacteria, viruses, yeasts and moulds.

Pathogenic organisms — are those that can cause disease.

The most dangerous group of pathogenic organisms are bacteria,

occasionally in the news, such as strains of Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, Staphylococcus, Clostridium and Bacillus.

Toxins — Some bacteria produce toxins (poisons) that can

cause sickness or death in humans, so it is not just the organism

that is of concern; it could be the toxin produced by the bacteria.

Most organisms can’t grow below 4°C, so refrigeration is critical

with some bakery products. Heat can usually kill an organism,Continued on page 5…


but it may have no effect on some toxins. Most bacteria are

primarily a problem with products that contain protein,

such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs. For a good summary of

Bacterial Food Poisoning, view:

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/poison.html

Hazardous Foods — Any food that is capable of

supporting the growth of pathogenic organisms or support-

ing toxin production. There are 2 categories:

(1) Potentially Hazardous Foods — Any food that

consists in whole or in part of milk or milk products, eggs,

meat, poultry, fish (including shellfish, mollusc, crustacean),

or any other ingredients, in a form capable of supporting

growth of infectious and/or toxin-producing micro-

organisms. This does not include foods with a pH level of

4.6 or below and foods which have a water activity of 0.85

or less.

EXAMPLESAntipasto

Beans (Processed: baked, refried, bean salad)

Cabbage rolls

Cakes or pastries (with whipped cream, cheese or cream

fillings)

Canned products (containing meat, vegetables, soups,

sauces, cheese)

Chop suey

Corn (creamed)

Dairy products (milk, cream cheese, yogurt, etc.)

Eggs (foods containing eggs as ingredients, e.g. custards,

salads)

*Eggs: fresh shell eggs (even if washed, graded, whole,

uncracked and refrigerated)

Fish & shellfish

Garlic spreads, oils

Guacamole

Herb oils and flavoured oils

Hummus

Juices (fruit, vegetable)

Meat (fresh or processed, including canned, cured and

sausages)

Perogies

Pesto

Salsa

Tofu

Vegetables: canned with low acid (pH 4.6 beans, asparagus,

beets, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, peas, etc.)

*NOTE — Eggs: You must not use ungraded, or Grade C eggs in food preparation. Using graded eggs is a require-

ment of egg marketing regulations.

Water activity is a term in both lists of foods, above and

below; it refers to the amount of water in a food that is ‘available’

to be used by microorganisms. Microorganisms need water to

grow. Water activity can be reduced by the addition of salt, sugar

and several other ingredients. Jam is a moist food but the large

amounts of sugar it contains means only a small amount of the

jam’s water can be used by microorganisms. Water activity is not something you can determine, but local health units have

equipment that can calculate water activity. If they are concerned

about the safety of any of your food products, they can take a

sample to determine water activity.

(2) Non-Potentially Hazardous Foods — Any food that

does not support the growth or production of disease causing

microorganisms or the production of toxins, including foods

with a pH level of 4.6 or below and water activity of 0.85 or less.

EXAMPLESApple sauce

Brownies

Bread and buns (no dairy or cheese fillings)

Butter tarts

Cakes (icing sugar only; no whipped cream)

Candy (hard)

Cereal products (dry)

Chocolate

Cinnamon buns

Cookies

Fruits (fresh or dried)

Fudge

Honey

Jams and jellies

Maple syrup

Muffins

Noodles (dry)

Pickles

Pies (fruit)

Pastry

Popcorn

Relish

Rice crispy cake

Toffee

Vegetables (fresh)

Vinegar (wine and herb)

Pre-Packaged Foods — Food that is packaged at an

inspected premise other than the premises at which it is offered

for sale. Refers to pop, bottled water, frozen confections that are

in their original wrapper.

Exempted from Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act are premises selling:




- Pre-packaged foods and or hot beverages (e.g. coffee, tea, mulled cider)- Popped corn, roasted nuts, french fries- Farmers selling their own honey, maple syrup, fresh fruits, vegetables, grains- Farmers’ market food vendors where 51% of the vendors are farmers.

Even though these are exempt, these people must only use single-service utensils and have packaged towelettes for staff hygiene.SANITATION

Sanitize — means using an antimicrobial disinfectant- Walls, floors, passageways must be made of a disinfectable material (tight, smooth, non-absorbent) and kept repaired.- Surfaces on which food is prepared, processed, displayed and stored must be made of a disinfectable material: usually stainless steel, but plastic and some kinds of wood are permitted if they are maintained smooth enough to avoid grooves that could hide micro-organisms.- Equipment and utensils that come in contact with food must be corrosion-resistant, non-toxic and easily cleaned and sanitized at the end of each day they are used- You need a commercial dishwasher or 3-compartment sink, [(1) wash (using detergent), (2) rinse - in 43°C water or higher, (3) rinse in a disinfectant. The third sink for disin-fecting must be big enough to submerge bakery utensils (e.g. cookie sheets) for 45 seconds in either hot water (77°C+) or a sanitizing agent (24°C+). Must have a test reagent to determine concentration of sanitizing agent and a thermometer to test the temperature in the third sink (with the sanitizing solution). - If equipment or utensils are too big to submerge; wash, rinse with water (82°C+) and use a sanitizing agent at double the strength on the product’s directions.- Drainage racks — not hand-drying.Minimum Requirements for a Bakery- Sufficient potable (drinkable, tested) water for all the bakery’s needs.- Hot and cold pressurized water.- 3 sinks (wash, rinse, disinfect) — possible exemption from third sink.- 4th sink, for staff use only, to wash hands (hot and cold water, soap, paper towels, etc.) in bakery’s preparation area.- Sufficient refrigeration space to store all perishable and hazardous foods. The food must be up off the floor.

- Leak-proof garbage containers with tight lids to keep out insects, rodents, animal pests.- Washroom(s) cleaned and sanitized daily and kept in good repair, with hot and cold running water, for staff use only. Staff must wash their hands after each visit.- Free of all animals (pets, rodents, birds, etc.).- Screened windows and doors, to prevent insects entering.- Wear headgear to confine hair; clean outer garments.- Staff should not work in the bakery if they have an infectious disease that could be spread to the food.Minimum Requirements for Display Area- Food must be protected from contamination (in a closed container or cabinet or shields or shelves).- Hazardous foods (e.g. containing meat, dairy, eggs) must be in an enclosed display case, held at 4°C or less.When Using MEAT in Baking:Sanitation, Temperatures & Records are VERY Critical- Link to Ministry of Health Internal Cooking Temperature chart: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/foodsafe/foodhandl.html#table

- Products containing hazardous foods, if frozen, must be frozen, held and displayed at -18°C or lower. - Products containing hazardous foods that are not frozen (e.g. meat), must be stored either below 4°C or above 60°C to prevent microbial growth.- Must maintain and store records of the kinds of meats, names and addresses of suppliers, weights and dates you received each one.- If someone else made (processed) the meat product for you, you must have a tag that identifies the processing plant.- Animals must be inspected and stamped by an authorized provincial or federal inspector before slaughter. There are excep-tions where uninspected meat can be used. See Sections 40-41 of the Act.- Animals must be slaughtered in a provincially or federally inspected abattoir.

Before you start construction/renovation, there are two government agencies you should talk to — because it is always easier, more efficient and less costly to do the job right the first time, rather than having to make major changes after you thought the job was completed.

In some cases, on-farm markets have had their bakeries shut down by the health inspector in mid-season, because the inspec-tor had no prior knowledge of their kitchen and upon first visit, discovered that the bakery did not meet the regulations. You don’t need that kind of stress — especially in mid-season!



You can do lots of research, but before you hammer in

that first nail, you need to talk to:

- Public Health Department (Local Health Unit)

- Municipal Building Inspector — found in the blue pages

of the Bell telephone book. Look up ‘Inspections’, then

under that heading: ‘Building Code Inspections’. You can

also call your local town administration office.

Potable WaterYour local Health Unit will also want to test the quality

of your water. Water quality is crucial. If you are using a

well, you will be required to take water samples and track

bacterial content of your water. It costs about $65/test if you

do it yourself. Some markets have a service collect and

submit the sample.

You can also get a water purification system installed.

The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care

offer background information, but they will then advise you

to contact your local Public Health Unit or a water treat-

ment professional.

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/pub/watersafe/watersafe_wellwater.html

(2) Building Code/InspectionThe Building Code consits of a two-volume binder, not

available online. One building inspector listed these main concerns:

- Permits — required to build or renovate for a bakery.

- Exhaust hoods — required over equipment that cooks meat or

deep-fried items, to collect grease vapours. Must include a fire

protection system installed in the hood.

- Gas-operated equipment (e.g. oven).

- Plumbing.

- Floor drains — with a grease/oil interceptor in the drain pipe

leading to the septic system.

(3) Public Works Department- Septic systems are the responsibility of the Public Works

Department, with authority over both holding tanks and septic

systems. A permit is required for either system.

(4) Electricity- Electrical inspection is the responsibility of the Electrical Safety

Authority, who issue the permit and conduct the required

inspection. Here is a link to their website:

http://www.esasafe.com/


BAKE-OFF VS. FROM-SCRATCH BAKERYWhat equipment you need depends on what you plan to offer.

The first question to answer is: Do I want a bake-off? or a from-scratch bakery? There are advantages to each.

BAKE-OFF BAKERY• Less labour and less skilled labour

• Easier to maintain consistent quality

• Easier and quicker to generate volume production

• Bakery requires less space (fewer jobs, less equipment)

• Easier to track profit margins

FROM-SCRATCH BAKERY• Able to produce unique products ~ your competition won’t have the same products

• Can choose to allow customers to view the ‘from-scratch’ preparation

• Able to charge a premium price

Some markets operate a combination of the two,

making a couple of signature products such as butter tarts

and apple loaf from scratch, and the rest of their products

are bake-off. There is no right or wrong to these two

systems: it is entirely a matter of personal preference based

on market competition, available space for a bakery and

available skilled or trainable labour.

Be advised, however, that if your goal is to operate a

from-scratch bakery, that is how you should start. It’s not

advisable to build up clientele with one type of product and

then switch. You would be better to start off small, with just

a couple of from-scratch products and then grow your offer-

ings, as your bakery team gets more comfortable with the

operation.

Which Products to OfferThe ‘typical’ on-farm market would offer pies, tarts,

cookies, muffins, squares and Danishes (listed in priority).

Fewer on-farm markets offer cakes and bread-type

products. Breads and rolls require special equipment if you

are making your own. Breads also need quick turnover: if

you conduct your business mostly on weekends, your waste

in bread products could be too high to make it profitable. If

you decide to go into breads from scratch, you will need a

prover/proofer. Some bakeries who buy frozen dough have a

‘retarder’ room in which to let the dough thaw overnight

before proofing. You can buy a commercial ‘Retarder

Prover’ (-5°C to +3°C retarding and 38°C to 40°C proofing).



Also consider a bread slicer: http://www.aaacommercialproducts.com/breadslicers.html#anchor1

Once you have a bakery/kitchen, you will soon look for other ways to utilize it. Some suggestions are:- Jams and jellies- Fudge - Pickles, relishes, chutneys- Food service — If you bake pies, some marketers say, “Why not offer a slice of pie and ice cream?” Just keep in mind that if you have seating, you must provide public washrooms, separate from the bakery staff washroom(s).

Here are three sites offering an overview of the different kinds of equipment available for your bakery kitchen: http://www.aaacommercialproducts.com/Home.html (Ohio)http://www.bid-on-equipment.com/5200.htm (Illinois) http://www.doyon.qc.ca/index.php (Québec)Types of Ovens

There are several different types of ovens to choose from. Some farm-markets start out with used kitchen stoves, but these have their limitations; most soon advance to a convection oven — or multiple convection ovens — before moving to a deck oven or rack oven.


COMPARISON OF OVEN TYPES

OVENKitchen stove

Convection oven (electrical)

Convection (gas or propane)

Pizza oven

Deck oven

Rack oven

ADVANTAGES• Inexpensive

• No. of racks (levels in oven) – 2, 3, 4 or 5 • Capacity - 4 pies/rack• Doesn’t require exhaust hood• Available in double-decker (2 ovens, 1 above the other); efficient space• Some used units available

• Same advantages as with electrical, but gas is better if you have limited electricity• More even heat• Cheaper to operate than electrical• Many used units available

• Bakes from the bottom• Inexpensive • Capacity – 16 pies (on 4 trays)• Many used units available

• Much greater capacity: 100+ pies at a time in some• Can easily add or remove product by halting rotating deck• Some have steam attachment for breads

• Ideal for large-volume markets• Some have steam attachment for breads

DISADVANTAGES• Uneven heat• Limited capacity• Slower cooking

• More expensive to operate than gas• Can have electrical surges• More difficult to have even heat

• Requires an exhaust hood

• Can’t see into oven when in use

• Cooks so many at a time that many cooling racks are needed • Slower than convection oven• May have hot spots that cook pies faster in one area than another

• Designed to work with a whole rack of the same product



CHEST FREEZER VS. WALK-IN FREEZER

CHEST FREEZERS• Cheaper in the beginning, but they take up a lot of floor space as the need for more freezers increases

• Much more expensive to operate (each has a compressor)

• Rotation of product is more difficult

• Inconvenient when the product you want is on the bottom

• Hard on staffs’ backs

WALK-IN FREEZERS• Easier to find things; easier product rotation

• Only one compressor, so you need to have fast, reliable repair service

• More expensive to purchase

• Some prefab modular units enable you to enlarge the freezer as your business grows

• Better air circulation; products freeze faster

• If space is limited, some units can be placed outside

There are a number of markets that have a row of chest freezers lined up against a wall. That may be the easiest and cheapest way to start, but you should design your bakery with a walk-in freezer in mind, because if your business builds successfully, you will find that a walk-in freezer is very handy. Several farm-market operations have improved energy-efficiency by positioning their freezer inside their cooler; you can use the heat from the compressors to help heat your building.

and 3-phase. (Some farms do not have access to 3-phase power.) Three-phase motors have advantages over single-phase motors: efficiency, reliability, simplicity, lighter weight and lower cost. Since commercial equipment is often designed assuming access to 3-phase power, do check what electrical service is available to you at your farm and what it would cost if you chose to upgrade to 3-phase power.

There is also the option of changing to a single-phase motor on some equipment, but this isn’t always possible. To learn more about equipment that converts single-phase power to 3-phase power, here is an informative article about three different converters:http://www.finewoodworking.com/pages/w00126.asp

For more detail, check this link:http://www.3phasepower.org/3phaseloadson1phasepower.htm

There is a newer, fourth option called Digital Phase converters, whose base model is currently around $3,000:http://www.phaseperfect.com/

EquipmentThe list below focuses on the equipment that a typical

on-farm market would have. Equipment comes in so many sizes. Many on-farm marketers, being eternal optimists, say to buy bigger than you think you’ll need, so you have room for growth in demand — but don’t go crazy: there is so much used equipment out there that you can usually find a larger size as your business grows.

In a from-scratch bakery, make sure you have lots of counter space. The most common countertop is stainless steel; for rolling dough, some prefer a wood surface because the dough doesn’t stick. Wood surfaces can support bacterial growth, therefore they must be kept smooth, for effective cleaning and disinfection.

Another issue to consider before you go shopping is electricity. It was mentioned earlier that one advantage of using gas or propane is that gas frees up some electrical demand, if you have limited electricity. It should also be said that there are two common kinds of motors: single-phase

FROM-SCRATCH & BAKE-OFF EQUIPMENT• Cooling Racks — Used to cool product after it is removed from the oven. You may want covers to prevent drying of some products.

• Dishwasher — This can be a labour-saver, plus it can also disinfect everything it cleans.

• Microwave — Handy for small jobs such as melting butter, etc.

• Overwrap Machine — Speeds up wrapping of muffins, cookies, etc. on disposable trays.

• Printer for Labels — Refer to Label Regulations for specific label requirement.

• Scale — For measuring recipe ingredients rather than using volume recipes. For weighing ingredients for CFIA label requirements (list ingredients on your label in descending order by weight). Needed for ‘Net Quantity’ on label.

• Trays, Muffin Tins, Cake Pans, Loaf Pans — Traditionally metal, but now available in silicone which doesn’t stick; easier to clean.




FROM-SCRATCH (only) BAKERY EQUIPMENT• Mixer — 20-30-quart is usual size; do not buy a mixer with maximum 16-quart capacity (or less). A new Health & Safety regulation states that you must not buy/use an older model that does not include a guard. Utensil options: pastry knife (for crumble toppings, pastry, biscuit mixes); dough hook (for breads); beater bar (for cake batters); whipper(for pumpkin and pecan pie fillings). Mixers can also be used to prepare cookie dough, custards, meringues, butter tart filling, muffin mix, etc.

• Peelers (Apple) — These save time and labour, and there are many to choose from: some hand-crank, others mechanized. As your production increases, labour-saving peelers offer speed and efficiency. Some different makes and models:

(1)Paderno peeler — http://www.cookware.com/Paderno-World-Cuisine-49834-00-WCS1975.html

(2) Pease apple peelers — http://www.fbpease.net/products.cfm

(3) Kronen peeler — http://www.kronen.eu/product_browser.php?g=1041&ID-APP=6153c606f00b6eb6bf174ffbd2384ac3&ID-APP= 6153c606f00b6eb6bf174ffbd2384ac3&ID-APP=6153c606f00b6eb6bf174ffbd2384ac3

(4) Feuma peeler (go to minute 3:15 on video) — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHOt9x6lF5U&NR=1

(5) Nextag compares a variety of apple peelers — http://www.nextag.com/apple-peeler/products-html

• Sheeter — A labour-saving device for rolling out top and bottom pie crusts; 20 - 30 qt. is common. Makes pastry thickness consistent. (Some people feel hand-rolled is better, but try a few pies from different markets made with a sheeter before you dismiss them.) Sheeters can also be used for rolling cookie dough, gingerbread, shortbread, dumplings, pizza dough, etc.

(1) Quebec source — http://www.doyon.qc.ca/index.php

• Pie Press — Rather than a sheeter, some prefer a pie press, which presses a measured volume of dough and forms it into a pie crust, right in the aluminum pie plate. Comtec pie press videos showing how different models work: http://www.comtecindustriesltd.com/VideoDemo.html

• Proofer — Required if you make bread products from scratch.

(1) Overview of types available in the U.S. — http://www.aaacommercialproducts.com/proofers.html

(2) Québec — http://www.doyon.qc.ca/html/en/products/index.php

• Steam Jacketed Kettle — These can be handy for making sauces, pie fillings, chutneys, fudge, red candy coating for candy apples, caramel apple coating, soups — but their major use at farm markets is for making preserves. If you plan to expand your operation to offer preserves, consider a steam jacketed kettle:

(1) http://www.ehow.com/about_5809974_history-steam_jacketed-kettle.html

(2) Good site to compare used prices — http://www.bid-on-equipment.com/6520.htm

(3) Calico-source of everything ‘fudge’ — http://calicofudge.com/makingfudge.html

NOTE: The preceding lists do not include display cases, but when you are out looking at equipment keep an eye out for attractive — preferably lighted — display cases. It’s important to produce a great product, but just as importantly, you must protect it, and display it attractively and effectively.

• Butcher and Restaurant Equipment and Supplies (most often mentioned by on-farm marketers) — Full line of new

and used equipment and refrigeration. Martin, Theresa &

Michael Van Sloun, 60 Prince Charles Rd., R.R.#8, Brant-

ford, Ont. N3T 5M1; tel. 519-759-8175, 800-667-0515;

fax 519-759-5785; e-mail [email protected]

Web: http://www.butcherandrestaurant.com/products.asp?CID=50

• Canada Food Equipment — Reportedly the largest

showroom in Canada, 150,000 sq. ft. selling new and refur-

bished equipment. Showroom at 45 Vansco Rd., Etobicoke,

Ont. M8Z 5Z8; tel. 416-253-5100, 800-263-0920

Web: http://www.canadafood.ca/

• Cinelli Esperia — Bakery equipment, proofers, manufac-

ture ovens. 380 Chrislea Rd., Woodbridge, Ont. Tel. 905-

850-1800 Web: www.gcinelli-esperia.com

Sources of Bakery EquipmentWhen starting out, consider used equipment sources to

save on start-up costs. Here are sources of new and used

equipment frequently used by on-farm marketers, and there

are many more sources to be found on the Internet. It is said

that 80% of restaurants fail; if that is true, that means there

is a lot of used equipment out there.

• Bakery Machinery.net — Full line of new and used

equipment. P.O. Box 78011, Taunton Postal Outlet, 784

Taunton Rd. East, Oshawa, Ont. L1H 7K5; tel. 416-848-

7292. Website: http://bakerymachinery.net

• Benaco Auctions — Auction every two weeks on Thurs-

days. 100 Ashwarren Rd., North York, Ont. M3J 2S6; tel.

416-667-0712; e-mail: [email protected], sales@benaco

sales.com Web: http://benacosales.com/Auctions.htm



• Toronto Bakery & Food Equipment — Buy and sell

used bakery equipment such as mixers, ovens, proofers,

sheeters, dividers and other items used by small-to-large

bakeries. 112 Snidercroft Rd., Unit 1, Concord, Ont. L4K

2K1; tel. 905-660-5319; fax 905-660-4537; e-mail

[email protected] Web: http://torontobakery.com/

…Other Sources of Bakery Equipment

• Bakers Journal — Check out their buyer’s guide and

classifieds: http://www.bakersjournal.com/

• Baking Association of Canada — Hosting large trade

show of 200 exhibitors: meet equipment and food product

suppliers servicing the bakery industry. 7895 Tranmere Dr.,

Suite 202, Mississauga, Ont. L5S 1V9; e-mail [email protected]

Web: http://www.bakingassoccanada.com/bakeryshowcase/bakeryshowcase.html

…Unique Sources of Equipment

• Nextag — a price comparison website where shoppers find

side-by-side comparisons of the latest prices on new equip-

ment, including tax and shipping, from a wide variety of

sellers. They also provide information about sellers to help

shoppers decide where to order from. Nextag does not sell

anything directly; they simply provide a service for equip-

ment merchants to list their products for sale on the website.

If you decide to purchase a product, you contact the

merchant directly by clicking on the merchant’s logo or the

‘Go to Store’ button. A link one bakery equipment list:http://www.nextag.com/Bakery-equipment/products-html

• http://kijiji.ca — a website that allows people to list items

or services to buy or sell. Select your closest city from the

‘My Location’ drop-down menu in the upper right corner.

Type ‘Bakery Equipment’ on the search line or click ‘Busi-

ness, Industrial’ in the ‘Buy and Sell’ section.

• DBE Food Equipment Inc. — Manufacture and sale of

used ovens, proofers, mixers, etc. 310 Rayette Rd., Con-

cord, Ont. L4K 2G5; tel. 905-738-0353; fax 905-738-7585

Web: http://www.dbe-vsi.com (second location in Montréal)• Global Bakery and Food Equipment Co. — Suppliers of

spiral mixers, deck ovens, mobile bakeries, custom-designed

production equipment for buns, rolls, bagels, pitas, tortillas

and specialty breads. 249 Watline Ave., Mississauga, Ont.

L4Z 1P3; tel. 888-925-6644; fax 905-568-2024 Web: http://www.globalbakery.com

• National Equipment Liquidators — Wide variety of

bakery equipment. 467 Speers Rd., Unit 10-11 Oakville,

Ont. L6K 3S4; tel. 905-978-2063; fax 905-815-8246 Web:http://www.neliquidators.ca/product_list.php?category=1

• New World Panel — Manufacture painted steel insulated

panels with a smooth disinfectable surface. Panels used by

on-farm marketers who build or reline their own cooler or

freezer. 59 Hillyard St., Hamilton, Ont. L8L 6B3; tel. 289-

286-1732; fax 289-286-1734 Sales: Shelley Colonna, e-mail

[email protected]; cell 905-512-3107 Web: http://newworldpanel.com/

• Papa’s New & Used Food Equipment — Restaurant

equipment and supplies. 2867 Dundas St., London, Ont.

N5V 5B5; tel. 519-659-4644

• QBD Cooling Systems — Manufacture and sell refrigera-

tion equipment (prefabricated coolers, freezers, refrigerated

display cases) and components. 31 Bramsteele Rd., Bramp-

ton, Ont. L6W 3K6; tel. 905-459-0709, 800-663-3005

Web: http://www.qbd.com/

• Surplus Refrigeration — Buy, sell and trade refrigeration,

air conditioning, food store equipment, bakery, butcher,

deli, restaurants, compressors, chillers, condensers, HVAC.

1469 Taunton Rd. West, Pickering, Ont. L1V 2P8; tel.

905-686-3411, 800-563-7684; fax 905-428-1969; e-mail

[email protected] Web: http://www.surplus.on.ca/main.htm

Chef Pierre pies. They have 3 distribution locations listed on

their website: Kitchener, Owen Sound, Sudbury. Web: http://www.flanagan.ca/home/

• Lockwood Manufacturing — Baking pans, trays, racks;

also clean and recoat baking pans, etc. 84 Easton Rd.,

Brantford, Ont. N3P 1J5; tel. 519-756-2800, 800-265-

8445; fax 519-756-1541; e-mail [email protected] Web: www.lockwoodmfg.ca

• Rich Products Corporation Canada (also called Rich’s) —

Full line of bakery products, some basic ingredients, many

finished products and several stages of breads from frozen

Sources of Bakery Supplies

• Flanagan Food Service Inc. — There are similar compa-

nies, but many marketers deal with Flanagan’s who offer

customers and potential customers a choice of three annual

food shows to attend each spring. Supplier of almost anything

a bakery needs; at their show, you can meet suppliers, taste

products, view bakery equipment. From-scratch bakery

ingredients, bake-off products (frozen dough, pre-proofer,

par-baked), mixes, packaging (pie boxes), foil items (pie

plates), cleaning/disinfecting products, bakery equipment,

etc. Distributers for Chudleigh’s, Apple Valley, Sarsfield and



Kenway Dr., Mississauga, Ont. L5T 2N3; tel. 800-265-9267; fax 519-453-5148 (same as above) (3) 100 Legacy Rd., Ottawa, Ont. K1G 5T8; tel. 800-267-9610; fax 613-737-4678 Web: http://www.summitfoods.com/home.html

• Dawn Food Products — 75 Vickers Rd., Etobicoke, Ont. M9B 6B6; tel. 416-297-2697 Web: www.dawnfoods.com

• Ontario Farm Source of Partially Processed Fruit for Baking - Cherry Lane — Offer frozen fruit, mostly IQF, some frozen in sugar syrup. (1) Ontario: apricots, cherries (sweet, tart), peaches (freestone, clingstone); (2) Nova Scotia: blueberries; (3) Outside Canada: blackberries, cran-berries, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries

dough to fully baked. 12 Hagey Ave., Fort Erie, Ont. L2A 1W3; tel. 905-871-2605• Stonetown Supply Services — Bakery supplies, pie boxes, foils, liners, plastic clam shells, bags, coffee cups, cleaning supplies. Locations:(1) St. Marys - tel.519-284-4141; fax 519-284-0303 (2) Ingersoll - tel. 519-485-1815; fax 519-485-1084; e-mail [email protected] Web: http://stonetownsupply.ca/products.html#food

• Summit Food Service Distributors — (Similar to Flanagan’s, but their website does not list their product lines) Locations: (1) head office, 580 Industrial Rd. London, Ont. N5V 1V1; tel. 800-265-9267; fax 519-453-5148 (2) 6270


inside the bakery; http://www.micetoronto.com/ shows some of the products available in Ontario.• Flying Insects — house flies, fruit flies and yellowjackets are frequent pests.

Most flying insects are attracted to light or bait (food). Bug zappers can be used in a bakery, but they cannot be above food preparation areas. Some people use banana, vinegar or ripe melon pieces to attract fruit flies into a jar covered with cellophane that has holes poked into it. A site with other suggestions:http://www.creativehomemaking.com/cleaning/fruit-flies.shtml

There are bait traps for yellowjackets at most hardware stores.Keep the bait traps outside, but near the bakery (you don’t want the bait to spill into food or onto preparation surfaces).

Some marketers hire a pest control company to take care of all their pest problems. If you choose this option, here is an association of pest control companies that should be able to help. Just click on a city and a list of pest control member companies that service your area will appear. http://www.spmao.ca/findadealer/citylist.php

Pest ControlPest control is very critical in a bakery. Often the most

common pest to control is mice, but three others that can be a nuisance are flies, fruit flies and yellowjackets.

With all four pests, eliminating entry points, prevent-ing access to their food source and trapping are all elements of good control; this includes storing products (the pests’ food source) in enclosed locations; storing some products in the fridge and others in cupboards. Another very important goal is to keep the bakery itself very clean.

Keep garbage in tight containers; empty and clean these containers often. In all cases with pests, it is important to be diligent. A good general website for background infor-mation is: http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/info.htm

• Mice — Populations can get out of hand very quickly. You need only imagine what the Health Inspector will do if mouse droppings are found in your bakery.

The first step is to build the bakery tight enough so rodents can’t get in; make sure that doors and windows fit tightly: mice only need a 3/8” hole to get in. Reportedly, they are able to walk up an 8-ft. high panel wall, can jump one foot in the air and down six feet without hurting them-selves. They also don’t move far from their nest (if there’s enough food in that range), so it is important to have lots of traps in place. It is important to control — and prevent — mice on the premises, as one pair of mice can multiply to a population of 500 within a year.

http://www.pestcontrol-products.com/rodent/index.html is a good source of basic knowledge on rodents and how they live within a building, which is helpful in deciding where to place traps. The company doesn’t ship to Canada, but their information is good. In Ontario, you can use bait traps, mouse stations and sticky traps, but you cannot use poisons

Material provided by Bob Cobbledick with special thanks for their generous help in thepreparation of this FRESHfile:

Sharon & Ernie Muzylowsky, Apple Land Country, Thorndale

Doug Dinley, Harvest Barn, Niagara-on-the-Lake

Dave Inksetter, Inksetter Farms, Ancaster

Colleen & Walter Pingle, Pingle’s Farm Market, Hampton

Laura Hughes & Jesse Lauzon, Springridge Farm, Milton


BAKERY LAYOUTHere are a few layouts from the internet:

• TMB Baking — is a company out of San Francisco,

California. This link is an interesting bakery diagram. Click

on any of the items in the diagram and the site will display

several different kinds of ovens or mixers or other equip-

ment, describing the different types and benefits of each.http://www.tmbbaking.com/bakerydesign.html

• ‘All About Bakery Equipment’ — is a company in

Australia. Its ‘Floor Plan Example 1’ is marked with areas A,

B and C on the diagram; below ‘Floor Plan Example 1’ are

three more pictures showing what A, B and C look like from

a different angle.http://allaboutbakery.com.au/Floor-Plan-Design-pg7681.htmlhttp://allaboutbakery.com.au/Floor-Plan-Design-pg7681.html

• EV Studio — has a bakery with a sit-down eating area:http://evstudio.info/new-floor-plan-for-bakery/

Here is some explanation of the diagram of a bakery layout on the following page:

This is for a from-scratch bakery. If you are planning on

a bake-off bakery, you can eliminate some equipment and

its corresponding space; but even a bake-off bakery may

eventually want to make a couple of signature products.

Make sure you leave room for expansion.

The floor plan has a walk-in freezer, inside the cold

storage. You could use chest freezers in the cooler or in the

prep area, but it is advisable to leave room to add a walk-in

freezer at your next expansion. The cooler can be accessed

from both the prep area and the bakery.

The room beside the freezer is for storage of cleaning

products and cases of products (jam jars, etc.). Note that the

washroom does not open into the bakery; check your local

building code for requirements. The Ontario Food Premises Regulation requires separate washrooms for men and

women, but if your bakery size is small, they may permit a

single washroom.

This room could also house refrigeration compressors

from the cooler and freezer: advantageous because waste

heat from the compressors could be used to heat the bakery.

(This would be beneficial only if you operate in the cooler

months of the year.)

There is also a door leading from the receiving/prep

area into the bakery for bringing in jars, ingredients, etc. It

would be helpful to make the aisle inside the bakery wide

enough to handle a pallet jack with a skid on it, to reduce

handling of large deliveries when your business expands.

This is one approach to creating a bakery layout:

• Decide what baked goods you want to offer.

• Go and look at the equipment you would need to make

those products; take measurements.

• Using graph paper (with scale marked on it), cut out paper

replicas of the ‘footprint’ of each piece of equipment (mixer,

oven, 4 sinks, hot water heater, cooling racks, etc.), using

the same scale as the graph paper. This way, you can try

different locations for the equipment, moving the replica

pieces to find the best arrangement. Keep in mind that

many pieces of equipment — such as ovens — don’t fit right

up flush with the wall; leave a reasonable distance for air

movement and gas/electrical service.

• Consider the work flow, from basic ingredients (flour,

fruit) through preparation, to oven, to cooling racks to

packaging to display. Aim to minimize traffic congestion

(staff crossing paths with other staff). Provide for aisles of a

generous size, remembering that staff might be working in

the same aisle as the one in which you need to convey a

cooling rack. In the floor plan on the following page, main

aisles are 5 feet wide to handle high traffic; 4 feet wide in

lower-traffic areas. If you expect to handle ingredients and

canning jars on skids, leave room for a pallet jack to

manoeuvre.

• For efficiency of movement, in small kitchens where only

one or two staff members do everything, remember the

‘kitchen triangle’, keeping the fridge (cold room/freezer),

oven and sink in close proximity; this arrangement is not as

critical when your operation expands to larger capacity.

• Once you settle on a design, allow for adequate counter

space and storage; leave room for expansion. In future, you

may need more than one oven, or you may get a mixer,

commercial dishwasher, sheeter or steam-jacketed kettle.

• Incorporate an island into your kitchen design; because it

can be accessed from all sides, it adds considerable workspace.

• Leave room for a walk-in cooler/freezer that can also be

accessed from the prep area for ingredient deliveries. You

may decide that chest freezers are more economical to start

with, but create a floor plan that allows for future installa-

tion of a walk-in freezer.

• You will need a lot of storage (ingredients, pie boxes, uten-

sils, pots and pans, cleaning products, etc.) NOTE: in the

bakery floor plan below, cleaning products are not stored in

the bakery. They must be stored outside the bakery.

• Include plenty of electrical outlets.Continued on page 14…



Storage space is always at a premium, so consider having storage shelves above and below all counters.

Most from-scratch bakeries don’t start with a sheeter; some may opt for a pastry press, or roll all dough by hand — but before you dismiss sheeters because you think they make pastry too tough, be sure to visit a couple of farm marketers who use them; also test their product. Sheeters can produce good pastry and they save a lot of labour. In the diagram, the sheeter is at one end of a long table. You could have the table on lockable casters, for easy relocation against the wall when not in use.

Inside measurements of the bakery illustrated below (not including the cold storage and freezer) are 38 ft. x 29 ft.

Note that there are four sinks: three for cleaning bakery utensils, trays and pans, plus a separate one for staff to wash their hands.

There is a separate room for bulk storage of ingredients such as flour. One market provided such a room in their bakery and said it made it much easier to reduce flour dust in their bakery which, in turn, made clean-up faster.

Having windows enables customers to see into the bakery, adding credibility that you are involved in prepara-tion — but people don’t need to see the clean-up area, so it is recommended a solid wall be erected between the long counter with the 3 sinks and 2 ovens and the cooling racks, to effectively block the clean-up area from view.

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offma freshfiles: on farm bakery

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