Ladurée, Lenôtre, or more recently La Pâtisserie des Rêves, the most prominent window displays in the capital, make your mouth water. And make the most ambitious budding pastry chefs dream.
But it's not Pierre Hermé who wants to, and before mastering the highly-prized art of the macaron to perfection and opening a pastry shop, there's a long way to go. So instead, many more confidential brands rub shoulders with the biggest names in pastry, trying to find a place for themselves in this attractive and competitive market.
Do you want to get started in the very popular pastry sector?
Winning the television contest "The Best Pastry Chef" will not be enough for you. The only solution to emerge unscathed from this fight with a blowtorch and a piping bag: prepare a concrete pastry business plan!
Consumption on the spot or sale to take away artisanal or industrial pastries: think carefully about your business model.
1st step: study the pastry market
If your aspirations and skills are necessarily considered when developing your pastry business plan, you should not neglect the essential market research stage.
Quite the contrary. Passionate job, okay, but a profitable job above all.
Studying the figures must therefore be the priority before opening your pastry shop.
With nearly 1.5 billion euros in global turnover distributed among more than 4,500 pastry companies, the figures speak for themselves: you are not alone in the market ( Confederation of Pastry Chocolate Makers Confectioners Ice Cream Makers and Caterers ).
Similarly, industrial pastry constantly renews its offer, and the biggest brands compete in a very tight market today. For proof, browse the pastry departments of supermarkets, the temple of gourmet consumption par excellence!
But there is no need to discourage you. These high figures are compensated for by growing consumer demand: between 2003 and 2007, more than a quarter of pastry establishments went out of business ( source Insee ). The sector displayed a 2.9% increase in turnover in 2011, the strongest growth in the retail food market.
Do you dream of a course à la Michel et Augustin? Opening a pastry shop is still possible.
2nd step: confirm your choices
Market figures illustrate the main constraints of the pastry profession. Once these constraints have been well assimilated, all you have to do to open your pastry shop is choose your side: industrial pastry or artisanal pastry.
On the industrial pastry side, note that madeleines and filled cakes are rising. Do you side with artisanal pastry? You should know that sales of fresh pastries greatly exceed those of confectionery, ice cream, and chocolate.
You have understood that the choice of your pastry products should not be guided solely by your tastes but first and foremost by those of your future customers.
Similarly, take into account the financial aspects related to the different sales patterns: a take-out counter requires less commercial space - and even lower costs - than a tea room with consumption of pastries on-site, for example.
Once your pastry market study has been carried out, and your choices have been validated, you can easily integrate these different elements into your business plan.
Opening a pastry shop: beware of legal and regulatory constraints!
Undoubtedly the most austere part of the development of your company: the legal and the administrative.
The constraints of the corporate form, accounting obligations, security standards, and traceability are numerous and sometimes quite nebulous. However, these different aspects of your pastry business represent an essential preliminary step to study carefully to prepare for any "bad surprises" in advance.
You should also know that the pastry chef profession falls into the regulated professions category. Therefore, you, your spouse, or an employee must hold the appropriate diploma or adequate professional experience.
Another issue specific to the food trade is well aware of the health obligations related to the exercise of your profession.
Choose the most appropriate legal structure and obtain all the advice on regulatory and legal matters when creating your pastry.
Pastry business plan, instructions for use
Your pastry business plan is probably the most important element in the preparatory phase for launching your business.
The business plan is not only the tool that will guide you when starting your pastry business but also the document on which investors (and banks) will base themselves to decide whether or not to support your project.
Suppose your pastry business plan must be unique and adapted to its recipients. In that case, it must nevertheless systematically provide answers to the following points: who you are, what you sell, who your customers and competitors are, how you plan to market your pastries, what are the key stages in the development of your business, and what manufacturing process you plan to put in place.
In addition to these contextual and operational points, you will integrate into your business plan all the financial elements relating to the creation and performance of your pastry. This is called the financial plan.
Are you lost? Please feel free to look over our business plan framework.
Between the lines, keep in mind that your business plan must address the following difficulties unique to the pastry industry:
- Classic pastry or specialties, exclusive or diversified offer: how do you position yourself on the market to gain in return?
- Traditional or trendy products (gluten-free, organic, light, etc.): what type of customers are you targeting?
- Visual identity and digital tools: how do you make a difference in communication?
- Payroll: how do you optimize your costs so as not to weigh down your pastry business?
See also on The Business Plan Shop
- Bakery business plan template
- Restaurant business plan template
- Cafe business plan
- Write a bakery business plan
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