Advertiser Disclosure
When you’re starting a bakery, one of the most important steps you’ll need to complete is coming up with a business name. But for many small business owners, creating a name is a monumental task; if you’re struggling, you’re in good company.
Thankfully, help is on the way: we’ve compiled a list of over 600 bakery name ideas to inspire your business name. Whether you use one of these names as-is or tweak one into a personalized moniker, you’ll be well on your way to naming your bakery.
One quick note before we go further: just because we’ve included a particular name on this list doesn’t mean that it’s available in your state. It’s your responsibility to check that your desired business name isn’t infringing on any protected names, so please do your homework.
You came here for bakery names, so let’s start off with some names. Whether you’re looking for a cute name to fit your shop’s darling aesthetic, a funny name to make people smile when they walk past, or a perfect name to suit your shop’s niche, you’re sure to find a perfect bakery name idea.
Maybe your shop has delicate, sweet vibes (no pun intended) or your treats just look downright cute. If that’s the case, you might want a cute bakery name. Here are some of our favorites:
Sweet Humble Pie | Cakes in a Hurry | The Baker’s Heart |
Sweet Exchange | Bake Me Home Tonight | Sweet Wave |
Mr. Sugarcakes | Mrs. Sugarcakes | Sweet Dough Desserts |
Pies and Dreams Bakery | Office Sweet | Sweetly Sugared |
Sprinkle Sweet Cakes | Krumb-Krushers | My Soul To Bake |
Flour Babies Bakery | Sweet Butter Cupcakes | The Sugarbun Sisters |
Sweeter Side | A Bun in the Oven Bakery | Grandma’s Bakery |
Buns of Steel Bakery | Holy Cannoli | Cake My Day Bakery |
Pretty Baked | Do You Know the Muffin Man? | Sweet Cheeks Cakes |
Easy as Cake | Top of the Muffin To Ya | Flour Power Bakery |
Torte Reform | For Goodness Cakes | Wake and Bake Bakery |
Everybody likes to laugh, and everybody likes sweets — so why not combine the two in a fun business name? Here are some funny name ideas to get you started.
Cake Me Proud | Pie or Die | Cake My Day |
Making Dough | Cake Me Home Tonight | Cake District |
My Soul To Cake | Bake That | Bake On Me |
Bake-Up Artist | Cake Me Out | Bake My Breath Away |
Pie Whole | Mouthfuls | Sweet Salvation |
Kneads Bakery | Buns and Roses Bakery | Butter the Bread |
Sugarboo Bakery | American Cream | Live Free or Pie |
Good Food Mood | Baking Love | Sweet Smiles |
Baking Bad | Baking the Dead | Baking Out |
Baking Up Early | Heartbreak Cake | Ache for Cake |
Brake for Cake | Sweet Cheat Cake Bakers | Meet for Sweets Café |
Sweet Greets Bakery |
If you want a memorable business name, you might try for something catchy — a name that sticks in someone’s head long after they hear it. Here are some of our top picks for catchy bakery names.
Tout de Sweet Cakes | Bake Love, Not War | Bake It to the Limit |
Bake It Stop | Golden Toast Bakeshop | Cinnamint Bakery |
Soulzz Pies | Flour Power Bakery | Sweet It |
The Bakery Box | Bread Binge | Daily Fix Bakery |
Frosted Bakery | Hotcake Bake Shop | Cocoa Corner |
Baked Off Bakers | Nutty Baker | The Butterfingers |
Sweetway Bakery |
Maybe your target market is a young, hip crowd, or you just want a name that sounds modern. Here are a few fantastic modern bakery name ideas to choose from.
Confect | Minima Bakery | Chic Treats |
Gossamer Cakes | Future Favorites | Petite Baker |
Le Mode Bakery | Chic Sweets | Todays’ Delights |
On Trend Treats | Sweet Grace | Elegant Tarts |
Sweet Art | Tasteful | Pie Chic |
Sweet Style | Fresh Bake | New Tastes |
Delicious Chic | On Point Pies | Fresh Cream |
Modern names aren’t for everyone. Maybe your shop exudes 70s vibes, or you just want to give a nod to your customers’ favorite nostalgic era. If that’s you, a vintage name might be more your speed. Here are some great vintage bakery name ideas.
Retro Pies | Good Old-Fashioned Cookies | Grandma’s Secret Recipes Bakery |
The Nostalgic Cake Boutique | Old School Bread Bakery | Classic Pastries |
Mama’s Best Bakery | Days Gone By Sweetshop | Treats Of Bygone Times |
Amazin’ Glazin’ Wedding Cakes | Angel’s Delights Cakes Bakery | Anytime is a Good Time for Cake! |
Artsy Tartsy – French Bakery Bake Away Cafe | Bake Off Cake Winners | Bakeology |
Bread and Butter Bakery | Cherry-Topped Sweets Bakery | As The Cookie Crumbles |
Cookie Machine Bakery | Creamy Creations | Creative Sweets & Cakes |
Cupcake Nation | Dessertopia Bakery | Disco Danish Bakery |
Dreamy Pies Bakery | Flour Shower of Cakes Bakery | Frosted Bliss Bakers |
Grandma’s Recipes Only Bakehouse |
If you want a unique business name, then you might want something clever — something that makes someone wonder, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Here are some clever and catchy bakery names.
Hole in One Donuts | Holy Cannoli Bakery | Hot Crossed Buns Sweet Shop |
Jake’s Cakes Bakery | Layers of Cake | Marnie’s Sweets Bakery |
Nutty Creations Bakery | Pastry Emporium | Patty Cakes Bakery Bagels & More |
Pie in the Sky Bakery | Praise Pastries Bakery | Rolls that Rock! |
Skippity Scones | Snickerdoodles Bakery | Sugar Pies Bakery |
Sweet Cake Indulgences Bakery | Queen of Tarts Bakery | Red Velvet Bakery |
Sweetie Pies | Baker’s Basket | Bakers Room |
Mom’s Bread Basket | The Bread Box | The Cake Corner Bakery |
The Chocolate Chippers Bakery | The CinnaMan Bakery | Doughy Knots |
Danish Dreams | Santa’s Gingerbread Houses | The Big Mix-Up |
The Muffin Man | The Muffin Ma’am | Nutty Bakers |
The Pi Chart Geeky Bakers | Upper Crust | Warm Delights |
Yum! I Love Cake! |
If you plan to have a retail location that sells desserts of all kinds, you’ll need a name that’s general enough to reflect your variety, but unique enough to stand out to customers. Here are some fantastic dessert shop name ideas.
Yummy Tummy Bakery | Italian Dolce Vita | Simply Sweet |
Heavenly Desserts Bakery Cafe | Gingerbread House Bakery | Cakealicous Bakery Cafe |
Sweet Endings Bakery | Double Dip Desserts | Sweeter |
Dessert Passion | Dutch Sweets Bakery Cafe |
If you’re operating a home-based bakery, you might decide to highlight your independence and homemade priorities in your business name. Here are some great options for home bakery names.
Locally Baked Home-Baked Happiness | Hearth Home Bakery | Hometown Desserts |
Loving Home Cakes | Precious Pies | Cottage Baked |
Neighborhood Sweet Treats | Sweet Family Treats | Homestead Bakery |
Fireside Bread Bakers | Down Home Bakery |
If you sell sweets through an online storefront, you’ll need a name that can stand out on the World Wide Web. Here are some of our top picks:
Cookie Network | Cakes Wired | One Click Treats |
Mobile Pies | Sweet Links Bakery | Desserts Delivered |
Plugged-In Baked Goods | Connected To Cream Sweet Site Bakery | Cake and Crumb Bakery |
Cake Couture Bakery | Cake for All Bakery | Cake Lake Bakery |
Cake Me Up Before You Go-Go | Cake Shop | Cake Momma Cake Shop |
Cake n Bake Shop | Cake Pops – Cake Shop | Cake Superior Cake Shop |
Cake, Battle and Roll | Cakes and Happiness Bakery | Cakewalkers Bakery |
Coffee Break Cakes | Confection Connection | Couple o’ Cakes |
Crumbs Cake Shop | Crummiest Cakes | Doughy Delights |
Earth Quake Cakes | Fluffy Buns Bakery | Have Your Cake & Eat it Too! |
Cake Culture Bakery | House of Cakes | Icing on the Cake Bakery |
In Your Face Cakes | Joyful Cakes Cake Shop | Just Cakes Bakery |
Led Zeppoli Bakery | Let Them Eat Cake | Mr. Cake |
Muffin Top Bakery | Not Just Cakes Bakery | Nothing Batter Cakes |
Nutty Cakes Bakery | Patty-Cake Bakery | Piece of Cake |
Plentiful Pastries | Snack Rack | Sweet Sprinkles |
Sticky Buns Sticky Fingers | Who’s Your Sugar Daddy? | Sugar Sweet Bakery |
Sweet Pea Cakes | Sweet Surrender | Sweetie Pies Bakery |
Sweets Bakery | Take the Cake | The Cake Gallery |
The Cake Lair | The Cake Whisperer | The Cakery Bakery |
The Cakesmith | The Family Cake Company | The Great EsCake |
The Rolling Scones Bakery | The Sweet Spot Cake Shop | The Vanilla Bean Cake Shop |
Little Tiers of Joy Cake Shop | United Cakes of America Bakery | Wake & Bake |
You Knead This Cake Bakery |
Will you specialize in a specific sweet treat? You might decide to have your business name reflect that specialty. Whether you’ll serve pies, donuts, cheesecake, or anything in between, you’ll find a great name idea here.
360 Smiles Donut | 8th Street Donuts | Ace’s Donuts |
All About The Glaze | All Good Donuts | Amazing Glaze Doughnut Shop |
Around The Block Donuts | Bear Claw Bakery | Bella’s Beignets |
Chocolate Sprinkles | Crazy Doughnuts | Cute as a Button Donuts |
Darling Doughnuts | Dawn of the Doughnuts | Dirty Dozen Donuts |
Donut Baby | Donut Delight | Donut Empire |
Donut Fantasy | Donut Queen | Donut Temptation |
Donut Time! | Donuts Ahoy! | DoubleDough Doughnuts |
Doughbie Brothers Doughnuts | DownHome Doughnuts | Dream It Donuts |
Drunkin’ Donuts | Dunkin’ Pumpkin Donuts | Dynamite Donuts |
Fairfield Donut Holes | Fairytale Donuts | Fantastic Donuts |
Fat Bottom Donuts | Fried and Frosted | Frosted Fritters |
Get Baked Gourmet Doughnuts | Glazers Bakery | Guilty Pleasures Donuts |
Happy Doughnut Holes | Happy Time | Heavenly Donuts |
Hole-in-One Donuts | Holey Moley Donuts | HoneyNuts |
Hot Nuts Donuts | House of Dough | Inferno Donuts |
Jellys | Joe-Nuts Coffee Shop | Jolly Jelly Doughnuts |
Knock-Knock Donuts | Master Donuts | Mrs. D’s Donuts |
Mt. Donut | No-Nuts Donuts | Nuts for Donuts |
Oh Nuts! Donuts | Ringer’s Donuts | Rotten Sprinkles Donut Holes |
San Diego Dough | Sensational Donuts | Simply Donuts |
Slam Dunk Doughnuts | Smile Maker Donut Baker | Speedway Donuts |
Stairs To Heaven Donuts | Sugar Addicts Doughnuts | Sugar N’ Spice Donuts |
Sweet Ginger Doughnuts | Sweet Pecan’s Doughnuts & Pastries | Tap Dance Donuts |
Taste of Heaven Donuts | Temptations Donuts | The Baker’s Dozen |
The Coconut Donut | The Crusty Cruller | The Delicious Dozen |
The Digital Donut Cafe | The Donut Chef | The Donut Fairy |
The Donut Hole & Bakery | The Donut Sweetheart | The Donut Toss |
The Donutery | The Duke of Dough | The Golden Ring |
The Gourmet Doughnut | The Happy Baker | The Hollow Baked |
The King’s Donuts | The O-Zone Donut | The Smell Around The Corner |
The Toasted Coconut Donut | Vanilla Vegan Doughnut Shop | We Knead Doughnuts X’s and O’s Donuts |
Zombie Donuts |
Baker’s Dozen | Cookie Beast Bakes | Cookieland Bakery |
Milk and Cookies Shop | Monster Cookies | Sweet Desires Bakery |
The Cookie Jar Bakery | A Cookie a Day | Chic Cookies Inc |
Company of Cookies | Cookie Addicts Bakery | Cookie Art Creations |
Cookie Bar Bakers | Cookie Bliss | Cookie Chippers |
Cookie Crafters | Cookie Cutters | Cookie Happiness |
Cookie Love Bakery | Cookie Maniac | Cookie Spa |
Cookies and Milk | Coolest Cookies | Crafty Cookies |
Crisp & Chewy Bakery | Grammie’s Cookie Recipes | Kiss My Cookie |
Lust for Cookies | Sugar Rushes Bakery | Sweetie Cookies |
Warm Cookies |
3-D Cakes | Absolutely Muffin | All For Your Cakes |
Baby Cakes Bakery | Better Batter Baking | Buns & Things Bakery |
Buttercup Cake Shop | Cake a Diem Bakery |
Apple Orchard Pie Shop | Bakes-A-Pie | Berry Pie Bakes |
Cherry Pie Bakery | Crusty Crust Bakery | Flaky Layers Pies |
From Slice to Slice Pie | From Slice to Slice Pie | Fruitful Pie Shop |
Fruity Fun Pies | I Dream of Pies | Mom’s Homemade Pie Co |
Pi Pies | Pie & Co | Pie Alley |
Pie Crazy | Pie Everyday | Pie Foolish |
Pie Maestro Bakery | Pie Stuff | Pieces of Peace Pie Shop |
Pie-Rx | Pies and Friends | Pies Pies Pies |
Piesaurus | Piewise | Plum Crazy for Pies |
Pretty Pie Ladies | Rover’s Rolling Pies | The Flaky Pie Company |
The Wonder Pie | Tickle Me Sweet Pies |
Berry Good Cheesecakes | Bite of Bliss | Cakeshire |
Charmed Cheesecakes | Cheesecake Gal | Cheesy Cakes |
Cheezecake Cafe | Craveable Cheesecake Shop | Creamy Cow Cheesecakes |
Creamy Delights Cheesecakes | Decadent Cheesecakes | Elegant Licks Cheesecake |
Enchanted Cheesecakes | Fancy Cheesecakes | Good Cheesecake Bakers |
Gooey and Creamy Cheesecakes | Indulgent Cheesecakes | Joyful Bites |
Live it Up! Cheesecakes | Luxe Cheesecake | Madame Cheesecake |
Mamma’s Recipe Cheesecake | Mr. Cheesecake | One Sweet Slice |
Privileged Cheesecakes | Pure Cakery | Richly Delicious Cheesecake |
Sweetest Cheesecake Bakery | Velvety Cheesecakes |
Beyond Bread Born and Bread | Born and Bread in (city name) | Bread & Butter Bakery |
Bread Bazar | Breaking Bread | Chief Bread Maker |
Flour Box | Grateful Bread | I Bake It You Take It |
Knead Bread? | Knead to Know Bread | Knead the Dough Bakery |
Loaf Oaf | Love + Flour | Simply Bread |
Stop and Smell the Flours | The Bread Basket |
Addicted to Macarons | Bake Off! Macarons | Bebe Macarons |
Bonjour! Macarons | Dreaming of Macarons | Feather Macarons |
French Kiss Macarons | I Love Macarons | Les Filles Macarons |
Macaron Named | Macaron Nation, Inc. | Macrons Circled |
Mad for Macarons | Madame Macarons | Mademoiselle Macarons |
Macarons Forever | Meringue Magique | Monsieur Macarons |
None Better Macarons | Nutty for Macarons | Pleasantly Macarons |
Sugar Party Macarons | Sweet Discs Macarons | Sweet Heaven Macarons |
Sweet Macaron Chicks | Sweet Paris Macarons | The Mad Macaron! |
Viva Macarons | Yummy Macarons |
Do you create treats that cater to specific dietary restrictions? Or do you focus on creating guilt-free goodies? Here are some of our favorite diet-friendly name ideas.
Dream Bakers | Green Valley Bakery | Home Recipe Bakery |
LaDinette | Nature Fresh | Stone Oven Bake House |
Sweet Aroma Bakery | The Twisted Churro | Uprising Bakery |
Wooden Spoon Bakery | Yummy Baked Goods |
GreenLeaf Patisserie | Earthly Bites Bakehouse | Vegan Visions Bakery |
PureHarvest Confections | PlantPowered Pastries | Blissful Bites Bakery |
EcoDelights Bakery | Wholesome Wheat Vegan Bakery | Eden’s Oven |
Blossom Bakery | Vegan Crave Bakery | Pure Pantry Pastries |
KindKrusts | VeggieVale Bakery | Sprout & Sweets |
Leaf & Loaf | NatureNook Bakery | Sweet Serenity Vegan Bakery |
Harmony Bakes | Flourish Vegan Bakery | GreenGlow Bakery |
Earth Essence Bakery | Compassionate Crumbs | Botanic Bakes |
Creative Treats Bakery | Forgot the Flour Bakery | Gluten-Free Gluttony |
Gluteus Minimus | Happy Treats Bakery No-Wheat Treats | Off The Wheaten Path |
Outside the Bread Box | The Wheatless Wonder Bakery | Waive the Grain Bake Shop |
Do you love a specific region’s cuisine, such as French goodies or Italian sweets? Or will you cater to your city’s unique treats? Here are some of our favorite regionally-inspired bakery names.
Biscotto Bakery | Crema Cakes | Sweet Italy |
Pane Breads | Dolce Desserts | Forno Bakery |
Frutta Tarts | Anise Bakery | Buono Bakery |
Belle Gateau Bakery Cafe | Bon Appetit Sweets | Cannelle Bakery Cafe |
Cerise Crumbs of Paris | Délicieux | Éclair de Genie |
Eiffel of Cakes Bakery | Fait Maison | Framboise Bakery Cafe |
French Kisses Bakery | Gourmandise Pastry Shoppe | La Boulangere |
La Crème de la Crème | La Vie En Rose Bakery | Le Gâteau d’Amour |
Le Grande Boulangerie | Le Meilleur Cake Shop | Liberte Patisserie |
Mon Petit Chou | Noisette | Oh La La Bakery |
Patisserie Possibilities | Salon Glace | Tout de Sweet Vanille |
Des Gateaux Delicieux (delicious cakes) | Chocolat (chocolate) | Lait au Sucre (milk and sugar) |
Le Painer (the cart) | Vanille de Francais (French vanilla) | Creme au Chocolate (Chocolate Mousse) |
La Petite Palmiers (small pastries) | Petite Four (small square cakes) | Liberte Patisserie |
Thé Patisserie Des Tuileries | Des Gateaux et Du Pain (the cake and the bread) | Éclair de Genie (the eclair genius) |
Paris Baked Bakery | Crumbs of Paris | Boulangerie Boutique |
Corner Confiserie | Vanille (vanilla) | Noisette (hazelnut) |
Délicieux! (delicious) | Cannelle (cinnamon) | Framboise (raspberry) |
Cerise (Cherry) | French Kisses Patisserie |
Sweet Home Goodness | Maple Branch Bakery | Home on the Prairie Pies |
Homestead Baking | Breezy Farmhouse Baked Goods | Sweet Provençal Pastries |
Homey Bakery | Farmhouse Kitchens | Hearth Share Bakers |
Farmfield Bakery & Bake Shop | Backcountry Bakehouse | The Sweet Woman’s Bakery |
Hillbilly Bakers | Fields of Cozy Cookies | Hearth & Sol |
Pristine Meadows Bakery | Country Pie House |
If you have not found your just-right bakery business name from the list above try using naming tools like generators. Here are tips for your best results from business name generators.
To name your bakery, start by researching and brainstorming a list of keywords related to your niche. These are the terms you’ll enter into the tool to generate names. In general, the more focused and creative your keywords are, the better your results will be.
You probably already know a few keywords off hand, but if you’re looking for more, searching your business type (like dessert shop, cake bakery, etc.) can show you some related words other businesses are using. For example, you might find words like these:
Another source of creative keywords to use in the name tool is a glossary of baking terms. For example, you might use keywords like baker’s dozen, caramel, confectioners, cream, glaze, knead, whisk, zest, or something else.
Armed with your list of keywords, it’s time to experiment by entering your keywords into the generator. For each entry you make, the generator will suggest new names. So, it’s good to play around a bit. Input different combos: a keyword at a time, a couple at once, and so on. By the end, you’ll have a wide variety of name ideas.
Now let’s take those names you generated and customize them. You can sometimes use the generated names as-is, but often, a little personal touch goes a long way. Even just adding your personal name or a nickname can really make your name stand out. You can also integrate your city name or some regional flair with your city name or a cultural reference local customers might understand.
By now, you should have a shortlist of names you like. We’ll narrow it down to “the one” in the next step.
As part of picking your business name, you’ll need to do a little “legal homework.” But don’t worry; it’s not too tedious! However, it is your responsibility to ensure that your bakery business name doesn’t infringe on a protected business name. States protect the names of registered businesses (LLCs, corporations, etc.), preventing other businesses from using the same name. And some businesses have their names protected by trademarks.
To check that your name is available, you should run a business name search on your state’s website and a trademark search with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the office in your state that oversees state trademarks. Generally speaking, if you search your name against these databases and no matches pop up, then your name is probably available to use. Still, you’ll also want to do Internet searches to make sure no one else is using your desired name.
If your name matches one of these searches, you’ll need to make some changes.
After you’ve ensured that your desired names are available, you might want to “focus group” your name ideas. Ask friends, family, and potential customers what they think. Would they tweak the name somehow? Do they have other ideas? Are there any unintended negative connotations that your name evokes?
Even just a few casual conversations can help you decide if your name is perfect or needs a little more work. You might even find that a potential customer suggests the perfect name for you!
Once you’ve decided on the perfect name, you’ve done a lot of hard work; it’s time to ensure that work doesn’t go to waste by protecting your name.
The easiest (but most temporary) method is to file a name reservation in your state. This process is designed to keep your name protected, or reserved, until you have the opportunity to file your state’s formation documents. In many states, a name reservation lasts for roughly 120 days. During that time, no other businesses can register under your reserved name.
There are more permanent ways to protect your name, however: registering under the name and registering a trademark.
If you plan to operate as an LLC or corporation, filing your Articles of Organization or Articles of Incorporation will add your name to the state’s records. Afterward, no other business in your state will be allowed to register with the same name.
The exact process of registering an LLC or corporation varies from state to state. It’s also important to note that this process doesn’t work for unincorporated businesses or sole proprietorships. It also doesn’t prevent businesses in other states from using your name. That’s where a trademark comes in.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office offers the most robust protection for business names: a federal trademark. If you hold a federal trademark of your name, no other business in the country will be allowed to infringe on your name — and you’ll have the opportunity to take legal action if they do.
Registering a trademark is a complicated, lengthy, and expensive process, but you might find it worth the effort. If you do decide to go this route, it’s highly recommended to consult with a trademark attorney for professional, customized guidance through the process.
Another option is to register for a state trademark. State trademarks are easier and less expensive to obtain, but they only apply within the borders of your state. Search your state website for the office that oversees state trademarks. They should have instructions for the process there. Usually, it involves simply completing a form and paying a small fee. In most states, you’ll have to periodically renew the trademark.
When you’re coming up with a business name, it can be helpful to look to the greats for inspiration. What are the successful bakery businesses choosing for names these days?
When you read the names listed below, what do you think about each brand? Why does each name work? Some are catchy, and others are minimalistic or elegant.
And this is just a short list of successful bakeries. You can probably also think of some names for the top shops in your area.
Inspired by these bakery names, how can you make your name a success, too?
Launching a business is an exciting but stressful endeavor, but you don’t have to do everything alone. Here at ZenBusiness, we specialize in cutting down red tape and paperwork. Whether you need help building a business website, forming a limited liability company (LLC) or corporation, or anything in between, we’ll handle it. With our help, you’ll be free to focus on launching your bakery business.
Try creating a unique bakery name by combining words from two different sources: your personality (fun, quirky, loud) and the ingredients that you use (vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon).
For example, if you’re really outgoing and like to bake pies, then “Pie-licious Pies” would be a good choice! Or, if you’re a hippy chick and bake bread, consider naming your bakery Love+Flour. You get the idea — add your personality for unique and memorable name ideas.
If you want to come up with more unique bakery name ideas, why don’t you pick out something that represents your business? Maybe you could use the location of your shop (downtown, riverside, farm) or maybe even just a word that evokes emotion (and a pang of hunger for baked goods) such as savor, scrumptious, satisfy, or cherish.
Bakery is a great business because it’s typically recession-resistant — people don’t stop wanting baked goods. As a result, customer demand is strong, consistent, and year-round.
Bread, cakes, and cookies are usually substantially cheaper to produce than fresh foods (such as burgers and salads). Thus, bakeries have more potential for high margins in lean economic times.
Baked goods are one of the major drivers of retail food sales globally. Custom cake decoration has remained strong due to people looking for easy yet elegant ways to personalize their cakes.
Bakers can choose to work with a large or small variety of baked goods or specialize in just one product line: bread, pies, cheesecake, or cupcakes. This type of industry flexibility allows bakers to indulge their passions, practice their talents, and expand as the market and their desires lead.
I’ve consulted for many bakeries over the years. In my experience, most bakery owners make between $50k and $80k per year. According to ZipRecruiter, top earners (very few) earn over $135,000, and the lowest (small shops or part-time bakers) make approximately $25,500.
Your baker’s salary will be affected by your sales volume, pricing minus expenses, and overhead.
Bakeries can be rather profitable, depending on several factors. The type of bakery and size all play a part in how reliably profitable they are from year to year. The location of your bakery will also have an impact, and customer loyalty has to be considered.
According to Resourceful CEO, the average bakery profit margin is 4-6%, with the highest margin bakeries making a gross profit margin of 9-20%.
The real key to profiting from a bakery is based on how much turnover you have to be baked regularly and sold at the full retail price before going stale (which varies by type of product, too).
Bakery stores have the advantage of longer refrigerated shelf life and higher retail prices. Wholesale bakeries typically turn inventory more quickly, but this can be a disadvantage since they don’t get to take as much profit from each item sold.
Know that the best way to create a sustainable business is by charging enough for your products so that you can at least cover all of your bakery costs and make a small profit.
The industry-standard formula to calculate COGS (cost of goods sold) is per serving + labor costs per item + Variable overhead costs.
A great resource is the Book of Yields, which will help you find average weights and calculate your recipes by weight to determine your costs per ounce or gram. Then you can more accurately price your baked goods to cover your expenses and make a profit also.
Here is advice from a professional bakery owner on Reddit — once you find the cost per dozen cupcakes (or a different item) divide that by 12 to determine the cost of 1 cupcake. Most restaurants want a food cost between 20-30%, so you can divide the price of 1 cupcake by 0.20 or 0.30 to find the ideal sale cost. For example, let’s say it costs $12 to produce a dozen cupcakes, so it costs $1 to make each cupcake. So with a food cost of 20%, the selling price should be around $5 per cupcake. But that’s a pretty simplistic example.
Your bakery licensing requirement will vary depending on what type of bakery you plan to open, wholesale, retail, mail-order, or online, and your particular city and U.S. state of operations. However, listed below are the licenses typically required to sell your baked goods.
To find out exactly which licenses are required by your state for bakeries, search using our business license lookup service.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
You will break even after
selling
0 units for
$
Compare LLC Packages
Identify the package that’s right for your business and then get started
$0
DOES NOT RENEW*
plus state filing fees
File in 2 to 3 weeks **
Top Features
$199
BILLED ANNUALLY
plus state filing fees
File in 1 to 5 days **
Top Features
$349
BILLED ANNUALLY
plus state filing fees
File in 1 to 5 days **
Top Features