Running a bakery is both a fun and challenging experience. If you are considering opening a bakery, you will need both a knack for business and cooking. Once you’ve gotten your skills honed, a place picked out, and a business plan in place, there are still a few common questions that remain.
Do I Need to Refrigerate My Baked Goods?
All in all, it depends on what kinds of baked goods you are making. Some baked goods can manage totally fine without needing to be refrigerated (most cookies, muffins, rice crispies, etc.). However, other things do work better in the fridge, or at least in climate-controlled food display cases These usually include cakes, anything with frosting, and anything with a high amount of dairy in it (pudding, cheesecake, etc.). When in doubt, go to your local grocery store and check out their bakery section. That can give you a pretty good idea of what needs to be refrigerated and what does not.
Can I Sell Day-Old Goods?
It is totally legal to sell day-old baked goods. In fact, most bakeries do! In the end, it depends on what type of baked goods you are working with. While a cake isn’t going to go bad in a day, there are other foods that might. If the food no longer looks good or is starting to get hard, then it is best to toss it or repurpose it. For example, day-old cake can be crumbled and used to make cake pops. Loaves of bread can be destroyed and the crumbs can be used in a variety of recipes. Of course, always make sure that you are not using moldy bread or anything else that could make customers ill.
When selling day-old goods, it is common, and even expected by customers, for the goods to be on sale. It is always up to the business owner as to how much of a discount to give. A 50% discount is customary, though. At the very least, bakery owners should put up a sign or otherwise separate day-old goods from fresh goods. This shows business transparency, which customers are sure to appreciate.
Knowing what to refrigerate or not can help to keep baked goods looking better for longer. The more appealing something looks, the more likely a customer is to buy it. If food items do get hard or are leftover from the day before, they can be repurposed or sold at a lower price.