Menu Development Tips

Menu Development Tips — How to Add New Items for a Sales Boost

Menu development is one of the toughest jobs for any new bakery. You want to serve your customers items they will love, but you must determine what will have the widest appeal. It’s vital to reserve your creative ideas and your physical resources for items that will stand out and give sales a boost.

Make Your Menu Stand Out

It’s easy to recreate what other bakeries in the area are doing, but it might be harder to do it better than they can. It’s difficult to stand out from the crowd, but that’s exactly what thoughtful menu development helps you do. By rethinking old favorites or reworking traditional ideas with a modern take, you’re more likely to tempt your customers into taking a bite. Still, you need balance. It’s good to be unique, but it’s also good to offer your customers comforting favorites they know and love.

It’s All in the Presentation

From how you describe your item to what you name it to the font you print it in on your menu —all these factors affect its presentation and your customer’s perception of the product. If you’re working on menu development, why not take a step back and look at your entire physical menu? Could you improve your printed materials? Could you enhance your descriptions of all your items? Presentation is key to successful selling, and no menu development strategy will work without a thoughtful approach to this.

Professional Photos Are a Must

Will you include photos of your new item in your marketing materials? Don’t settle for subpar! Invest in professional food photography and put your bakery’s best impression forward. Skip the smartphone camera pictures — they don’t show the delectable details, the ones that will truly sell your products.

Accurately Estimate Your Menu Price Range

Part of menu development is figuring out an accurate price tag for your new product. Once you assess all your overhead, you’ll be able to find your “break-even” point. Then consider how much you think your customers will be willing to pay. This is your menu price range, and it’s smart to stick within this dollar amount so you can make sales while still making a profit.

Coordinate the Release of New Items with Your Marketing Strategy

If you’re sending out free coupons as part of a direct mail marketing strategy, coordinate the release of your newest product so first-time visitors get the full experience of everything you can do with your culinary skillset. It will keep them coming back for more! Stratton Sales provides a wide range of commercial-grade equipment for bakeries of all sizes. You focus on menu development — we’ll focus on outfitting your kitchen with the machines you need to succeed!