Starting a commercial bakery in Scotland: the equipment you’ll need
The problem
“I know what I want to bake. I just don’t know which machines I need, what size, or whether they’ll fit.”
Buy too small and you outgrow it in a year. Buy too big and money sits idle. And the questions that catch people out aren’t about machines at all: is there three-phase power, will the floor take a heavy mixer, where does the water drain?
If you’re working out how to start a commercial bakery, or moving from a home or shared kitchen into your own unit, we help you get the core equipment right first time.
How we approach it
Start with the product
We begin with what you’ll make and how much a day. Bread, pastry and cakes need very different kit.
Survey the unit
We visit and check the space, the route in for deliveries, the power supply, water and drainage. Finding a missing three-phase supply now is far cheaper than finding it on delivery day.
Specify the core machines
We recommend the essentials for your product, sized for your opening volumes with headroom to grow, and tell you what can wait until later.
Install and commission
We deliver, install and run in each machine on your floor.
Train your first team
Your bakers learn to run, clean and look after every machine before opening day. After that we service and maintain everything we supplied, with genuine parts from Italy and Spain.
Equipment involved
Mixers
The first machine in almost every bakery. Size it to your biggest single batch: a Tekno Stamap Helix mixes 30 to 200 kg of dough, depending on the model.
Dough sheeters
For pastry, croissant or pizza. A manual sheeter such as the Tekno Stamap EASY suits opening volumes; its table-top version folds away in a small unit.
Retarder provers
Hold shaped dough cold overnight and prove it on a timer, so a small team can bake first thing without starting in the middle of the night.
Cooling and water control
Chilled dough water keeps dough temperature steady from the first week, and a blast chiller lets you make ahead and freeze.
For the full list by production stage, read our commercial bakery equipment list.
Launching a new product?
We worked with Scotsman Group’s food development team on the production approach for a new pizza concept, taking it from development kitchen to commercial production ahead of its launch in St Andrews. Read the Scotsman Group story.
FAQs
What equipment do I need to start a commercial bakery?
It depends on your product. Most bread bakeries start with a spiral mixer, a way to prove and retard dough, and an oven. Pastry adds a dough sheeter. Cakes add a planetary mixer and often a depositor. We’ll give you a core list for your menu and tell you what can wait.
How much does it cost to equip a commercial bakery?
It depends on what you make, the models and options you choose, and what installation your unit needs. We don’t publish prices, because no two bakeries need the same set-up. Tell us your product and volumes and we’ll quote for your bakery.
Do I need three-phase power?
For most production machines, yes. Every Tekno Stamap Helix mixer and automatic sheeter runs on three-phase, and larger blast chillers need 400 V. We check your supply during the site survey, before you commit to a unit or a machine.
Should I buy for the volume I have now or the volume I want?
Buy the mixer and oven for where you expect to be in a few years, because they’re hardest to swap. Machines like sheeters and depositors can start small and be upgraded as orders grow.
Make the right start
Tell us what you’ll bake, roughly how much, and where your unit is. We’ll come back to you within 48 hours.