Bakeries and patisseries for sale

A bakery starts before everyone else. Ask who bakes today, whether trained bakers and pastry chefs are employed and whether they will stay after the sale. If the owner is the master baker and holds the recipes, much of the value is tied to that person. Agree a transition period in which the seller takes you through production, and get recipes and routines written down.

Ovens, dough mixers, proofers, freezers and cold rooms are a bakery’s biggest assets and the most expensive to replace. Get an equipment list with age, condition and service history, and check what is leased. Look at the premises as well: is night-time production allowed, are there conditions from the landlord or neighbours, and do ventilation and drainage suit the production? As the new owner you must register the bakery with the Danish food authority yourself, and you should read the latest inspection reports.

Many bakeries also supply canteens, cafés, hotels or grocery stores. Ask whether those agreements are in writing, when they expire and whether customers may terminate on a change of owner. If the bakery has branches, ask for figures for each shop separately. Look at waste as well: bread that does not sell today is lost margin.

• Bakers and pastry chefs: training, terms and plans after the sale.
• Equipment list with condition, service history and leases.
• Wholesale agreements: term, prices and termination.
• Revenue per shop and daily waste.
• The lease, night-time production and the latest smiley report.

See valuation and handover under restaurants and cafés for sale. If the bakery mainly supplies other businesses, see also manufacturing businesses.