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BROUGHT TO YOU BY MODERN BAKING
Ten tips to draw more customers
With more than 35 years in the food business, Chris Pasciuto knows a thing or two about merchandising bakery products for optimal sales. As corporate chef of national accounts for CSM Bakery Products, Pasciuto travels the country helping bakeries and restaurants implement new products into their operations. A successful product launch begins with bakery production, but thoughtful product lines and presentation seal the deal and encourage repeat business.
Whether plating a dessert or packaging pastry for retail sale, Pasciuto says bakery products need to be "romanced" to boost sales and portray a quality image for your bakery business. "Presentation is absolutely everything," Pasciuto says. "Gone are the days of just putting products out on a sheet tray and expecting them to sell."
Bakeries need to develop solid sales and merchandising strategies to compete in today's highly competitive marketplace. To kick start your program, Pasciuto offers 10 tips for bringing more customers to your bakery:
Identify local flavor:
What aspects of your bakery, neighborhood or region appeal to the locals? If it appeals to the locals, then it has a wide-ranging draw. Consumers today want something special, something they can't find in their own neighborhood or chain store. "Local flavor is back," Pasciuto says. "Here in New England, for example, cranberries and blueberries are big." He suggests bakeries get creative with fruits, vegetables and other foods native to their area.
Bakeries can develop their own local flavor by promoting their specialty products in distinctive packaging. An independent retail bakery in Amesbury, Mass. packages its pastries in bright purple bakery boxes. "People want to support local businesses," Pasciuto says. "That bakery has lines out the door. Everyone leaves with a purple box, and everyone knows where it's from." Page 2
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