Concepts for Success: Eight easy ways to merchandise your bakery products

Food merchandising is a powerful way for bakery stores to attract more customers, increase sales and create a unique and dynamic experience.

The spring season is a golden opportunity to revitalize your operation and maximize your revenue. Compelling food and beverage merchandising is critical to grabbing new shoppers’ attention. 

To market your bakery products effectively, you must keep them super fresh, visually appealing, merchandise them consistently and price them competitively. 

Here are eight easy ways to merchandise your bakery products for increased sales.

Go big in spring 

Highlight spring seasonal products and consider merchandising with bakery presentations of freshly baked products made with local spring fruits and vegetables. Offering these relevant products during this time of the year will set you apart and build loyalty. 

People want to know where their food is grown. Draw attention to your Canadian growing regions and mention their reputations for particular fruits and vegetables. Entice customers with special promotions and discounts tailored to the spring season. 

Activate all senses at the door

Displays can be more effective if they stimulate more than just the eyes. Consider not only what your bakery looks like but also the smells coming from the kitchen, the sound and the different flavours and textures to experience. By activating these senses, you heighten their experience and help build enthusiasm for what your customers are about to taste.

Embrace fresh spring design

Refresh your bakery’s atmosphere with vibrant colours that match your décor and brand. Use cheerful decorations and attractive displays like fresh flowers, pastel hues and natural textures to create an inviting and sophisticated ambiance that will convey the essence of spring.

Highlight seasonal products

By offering uniquely fresh seasonal products, your bakery operation can position itself as a go-to destination for customers looking for a unique experience and set you apart from competitors. Seasonal merchandising is a powerful tool for bakery operators to boost sales, engage customers and stay competitive. By delivering exceptional experiences, you can build stronger connections with your customers and encourage repeat business. Use signage and displays to draw attention to freshly baked products and create thematic sections within your bakery.

Increase impulse purchases

Well-executed seasonal displays can lead to a surge in impulse buys. Did you know that more than 50 per cent of purchases are made on impulse? Experiment with unique window displays, table arrangements and floor layouts that tell a story about your bakery and spark curiosity. While keeping your food displays fully stocked is important, be mindful of possible overstocking. Everything from bakery items, jars, cans, and boxes should be well-merchandised, neat and orderly. Don’t forget to keep your display cases, shelves and bins super clean and fresh, and rotate them regularly. Choose display cases that match your décor, brand and budget. Use bulbs that cast a warm light on your products to make them look as good as they taste. Make sure your displays look full and your products super fresh to convey a healthy abundance in your bakery.

Provide demos and samples

It’s no secret that in-store food demos directly correlate to increased sales. When deciding on a merchandising strategy or store layout, consider leaving plenty of room for customers to taste free samples. Demonstrations are one of the most cost-effective ways to show customers your food tastes great and how easily they can order your products.

Menu as merchandising tool

Your menu is your greatest marketing tool and should be used beyond simply listing the products you serve and their prices. The average customer will spend two to three minutes looking at your menu, so it must entice them to order your most profitable items and to order more than one. Better, your menu should entice your customers to return to try other products.

Use your menu as a marketing tool by strategically designing and presenting your products on the menu. Highlight specific items with enticing descriptions, visuals and proper placement to influence customer choices and maximize sales.

Use online, offline channels

Have a cohesive approach that integrates both online and offline channels. Maximize your marketing efforts by using both websites and social media platforms alongside traditional marketing methods like print ads and in-person events to reach a wider audience and create a consistent brand experience.

Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 35 years by providing innovative and revenue-increasing food service and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns. Contact her at 416-926-1338, send her an email at chiasson@chiassonconsultlants.com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com