Commercial bread equipment increases productivity, ensures consistent quality in bread products and helps to increase profits. Any commercial bakery that produces a significant amount of bread will benefit from the purchase of commercial bread equipment. Before making a big purchase, it's necessary to understand the type of equipment that will be most beneficial for your establishment. From mixers, proofing boxes and ovens, you will want the best equipment for your needs.

Commercial bread equipment can help your bakery save money. Energy-saving machinery cuts money spent on energy expenses. Purchasing used bread processing equipment is a great way to save money as well. In order to be making the most of bread equipment, consider the following points:

1. Schedule a consultation to help you determine your bread making equipment needs.

2. Purchase energy-saving bread making machinery to save on energy costs.

3. Look into purchasing used or refurbished bread baking equipment.

Action Steps
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Determine what bread making equipment you need

If you are just starting out in the bread baking business, understanding all of your equipment needs can be overwhelming. A good way to determine your bread equipment needs is to discuss your business model with an expert in the bakery equipment business. An expert will help you determine the extent of bakery equipment that you need in order to help your bread baking business flourish.

I recommend: Review success stories and contact the experts at Empire Bakery Equipment for helpful suggestions on which type of bread processing equipment will be best for your bakery. The Culinary Review has a helpful list of the basics you will need for baking bread.

Save money with energy-saving commercial bread equipment

The food service industry, including the baking sector, is one of the highest consumers of electricity in businesses. Purchasing energy-efficient bread baking machinery will not only help lower your utility bills, but it may qualify for a rebate from your utility company. Using energy-efficient industrial bread machinery will allow you market to potential clients who care about the environment.

I recommend: Stewart Systems is a manufacturer of commercial bread equipment cooling systems. It offers helpful information on energy-saving bakery cooling equipment. Central Restaurant Products is a provider of energy-saving commercial bread equipment. Find out the benefits of choosing energy-saving equipment and tips to help your bakery save more money at its website.

Purchase a used industrial bread machine

Purchasing used or refurbished industrial bread making equipment can be a way of saving money. Often times the only difference in new and used equipment is the price, and perhaps a few scratches and dings. Look for used equipment vendors that back up their products with a warranty.

I recommend: Food Engineering Unlimited provides a marketplace for selling and purchasing used bread baking machinery. Contact it if you don't see the equipment you are looking for on the website, some items may be available that it hasn't listed. Another vendor of used bakery equipment is Right Stuff Equipment Supply. It has an extensive inventory of used equipment and updates its inventory weekly.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Meet with owners of other bread bakeries to get tips and opinions on bread baking equipment. Ask for their recommendations on equipment.

Commercial bread equipment is necessary for any bakery that sells in bulk quantities. Not only can you make more bread with the proper bread equipment, you can keep the quality of your product consistent. While you may not need an industrial bread machine for a smaller operation, the right size bread baking equipment can go a long way toward improving your profits. No matter what kind of bread baking machinery you need, you can find a suitably-sized product.

There are many different components to bread processing. Mixing the dough, letting it rise or proof, shaping the dough into loaves, letting it rise again, baking and slicing the bread are the main steps. There is commercial bread equipment available for each part of the process. Additionally, it's possible to find used bread machinery and save money.

With all the individual steps of bread making, you can concentrate on three general categories of bread making equipment:

1. Bread processing equipment that prepares the dough

2. Bread baking equipment that proofs and bakes the bread

3. Bread making machinery that helps prepare the finished bread for sale

Action Steps
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Choose bread making equipment that makes mixing and preparing dough quick and easy

Select heavy-duty mixers to help you combine the bread ingredients quickly and efficiently. You may also need moulders and shapers to speed and standardize the process. While you can make bread without these items, they will cut back on labor costs.

I recommend: TMB Baking offers a wide range of industrial bread machine mixers. Bloemhof Inc. provides different models of bread shapers and moulders, so you can shape the bread into loaves and rolls. Food Engineering Unlimited, Inc. can help you find similar used bread making equipment.

Pick energy-efficient bread baking equipment

Whether you prefer gas or electric, industrial bread machinery takes a lot of energy to operate. Find equipment that has the Energy Star rating. Too keep your kitchen cool, look for well-insulated ovens as well.

I recommend: For proofing ovens that help your bread rise uniformly, look for products from Empire Bakery Equipment, Inc.. Gemini Bakery Equipment Company offers a wide range of bread ovens that allow you to bake multiple loaves of bread efficiently at one time.

Use commercial bread equipment to present your loaves attractively

Use bread slicers to uniformly slice your loaves. Bread slicers get the job done in a quick and sanitary manner so you can get your product to market.

I recommend: BigTray, Inc. and pro BAKE Inc. both offer a large selection of bread slicers that not only slice the bread, but also put the loaf into a plastic bag or paper sack.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You must precisely control temperature and environment to get the best rise from your bread. Bread baking equipment, like proofing ovens, should provide an even, low temperature so the yeast ferments uniformly. With temperature and humidity control, you're more likely to produce a consistent product.

Commercial bread equipment is the cornerstone of any good bakery, but learning to use the equipment properly can take time and is critical to your success. As the owner/operator of a successful baking business, it's important to educate your staff in the proper operations of your bread machinery. Proper training can be anything from reading owner's manuals to taking courses on proper equipment handling.

The variations in bread processing equipment make individual training essential. Your equipment is no doubt set up differently than the bakery down the street, so individual training and education for each employee using the equipment needs to be tailored to the equipment and each individual’s level of involvement with the baking process. Find helpful training aids by:

1. Joining a professional baking association that provides educational materials.

2. Asking industrial bread machines manufacturers for their assistance.

3. Setting your employees up with some online training resources for bread equipment education and training.

Action Steps
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Join an organization that offers commercial bread equipment educational materials

There are many national and international baking and bread making organizations that allow bakers to network and stay up to date with the latest trends. Find an organization that has training and education materials available to members that is specific to the type of bread baking machinery you own.

I recommend: Join the Bread Bakers Guild of America to get access to industry newsletters, information on classes and workshops and instant connections to other bread makers. Join the American Society of Baking to network with other members. Find many educational videos, resources and training designed to help you keep your equipment meeting its potential.

Get bread baking equipment training from the manufacturer

Sometimes the best advice about a specific piece of equipment comes directly from the company that designed it. Read and follow the owner's manuals and get training and educational updates from the manufacturers of your bread making equipment.

I recommend: For help with an industrial bread machine from Ordan Thermal Products, use the company's online database of articles and reports. Empire Bakery Equipment offers a full library of instructional videos to show their products in action. If you have questions or experience a problem with your equipment, try filling out a question form at the Independent Bakery Equipment Company. They promise a response within 24 hours.

Get online training, education and help with your bread making machine

The fastest and easiest way to train yourself or your employees is to find a program that offers training on the equipment you use. Look for certification programs, but make sure the program addresses your bread equipment before choosing one. Look for downloadable educational material you can share with your staff, or find an online course they can take at their own pace.

I recommend: Learn proper equipment use along with the art of bread making at the Retail Bakers of America. Find a wide range of courses at the American Institute of Baking with both online and correspondence courses available.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are in the process of buying new bread processing equipment, find a manufacturer that offers on-site training and technical support as a part of the purchase. This will save you time and money when it comes to educating your employees.

Bread can be a temperamental thing to make. Bakers study, train and practice the art at length to obtain remarkable outcomes. The invention of various bread equipment helps to make the process to bread perfection easier and more obtainable. With large scale production, bread equipment is necessary for speed and consistency. What are some of these helpful pieces of equipment? To get you started, check out some bread equipment key terms.

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Banneton, proofing basket

A banneton, also called a proofing basket, is often made of wicker or plastic and lined with cloth, that aids in shaping and pattern-marking a loaf of bread while providing a stable environment for the dough to rise.

I recommend: For a more detailed description of the banneton and how it is used, visit Slashfood. To see a picture and information, go to the end of the Mixing, Rising, and Kneading section on Recipetips.com. Recipetips.com displays other equipment for use in a small bakery.

Dough hoist

A dough hoist is used to tilt and dump dough from a bowl to another station. Being automated, this machine speeds up production and decreases the need for excessive human handling of bread dough.

I recommend: To see a dough hoist and for a definition, go to Sembhi Engineering Works. For an example of a dough hoist for larger applications, visit The Peerless Group.

Dough moulder

A dough moulder takes the dough and forms it into desired shapes. Intended for uniform production, these machines are used for making bread loaves and sandwich rolls.

I recommend: Bakers searching for information on commercial dough moulders can visit Baker Enterprises. Check out several different kinds of dough moulders at BakeMax.

Proof box

A proof box is an enclosed space used for proofing or rising bread where the temperature and humidity can be controlled for optimum yeast performance.

I recommend: Practically Edible gives a thorough definition of the proof box. For photo examples and information on the proof box, see the Kansas State University agriculture extension web page.

Silpain

A silpain is a silicon coated mat used for making breads. The mat's versatility travels from the freezer to the oven while providing the layment for perfect bread baking.

I recommend: See the manufacturer of silpain, Demarle, for product descriptions or visit Kitchen Universe for a quick reference to some of the more technical details of the silpain.

Wicket bag

A wicket bag has two small holes at the opening. The bags are held together through the holes with a wicket, ring or clip, to allow for easy and fast filling.

I recommend: To see information on wicket bags, go to the bottom of the BaggingGuys.com terminology page. Terms are listed here in alphabetical order.