How to choose a bakery supplier: 5 questions to ask before you commit
Choose a bakery supplier on three things: delivery reliability, consistent quality, and products that fit your menu. Price matters — but bread that fails to arrive in the morning costs more than any discount saves.
Short answer: Check delivery days and times and the cutoff, and require a written spec for every product: weight, allergens and shelf life. Start with a two-week trial before a standing order.
5 questions for the supplier
- Which days and times do you deliver to my area?
- What is the cutoff for tomorrow's delivery?
- Is there a written spec for every product — weight, ingredients, allergens, shelf life?
- Which products are fresh and which are frozen?
- Can I change quantities day to day, and until when?
Signs you should keep looking
No written spec, or weights that change from one delivery to the next.
A delivery time of “sometime in the morning” with no defined window.
No one answers on delivery day when something is missing.
One supplier or several?
One supplier that covers most of what the business needs, in one order, saves a small business several phone calls a day and separate deliveries.