Many independent bakeries design their menus based on “what I want to make” or “what’s currently trendy.” This often leads to fully booked orders at the end of the month, but no actual profit in the bank.
To build a healthy business model, you need to learn classic “Menu Engineering.” A good menu must be composed of products with different strategic roles:
Role 1: Traffic Builder
These products feature affordable prices, high public acceptance, but lower profit margins.
- Examples: Plain sponge cake, classic scones, affordable chocolate chip cookies.
- Purpose: They act as bait to “attract new customers.” Because the price is accessible, consumers are willing to try them. They bring valuable foot traffic and initial purchasing experiences.
Role 2: Profit Generator
These products feature extremely high profit margins (usually > 70%) and are the real money-makers of the studio.
- Examples: Shaped madeleines, simply ingredient pound cakes with exquisite packaging, sparkling drinks.
- Purpose: Through excellent cost control and standardized batch production, these products create significant cash flow.
Role 3: Signature Star
These products feature high prices, strong visual impact, and premium ingredients, but are tedious to make with medium profit margins.
- Examples: Complex French mousse cakes, custom fondant cakes, seasonal gorgeous strawberry tarts.
- Purpose: They are your “storefront,” used to attract eyeballs on Instagram, showcase your skills, and elevate the brand’s overall positioning.
Review Your Menu Health
Now, open MyBakeCalc and calculate the profit margin for every product on your menu. A perfect menu ratio is usually: 20% Traffic Builders + 60% Profit Generators + 20% Signature Stars.