Who doesn’t love freshly baked bread or a sweet treat? The trend for sourdough baking at home during  lockdown shows just how we appreciate the comfort and warmth that a loaf just out of the oven can bring.

Bakeries and cake shops have a special place in our hearts, and we’ve all got our favourites.

But did you know some of the most iconic names in the bakery retail line-up are franchised? So you can indulge your passion for perfect pastry and make some dough at the same time.

What do you need to know?

Well, being a baker right now isn’t a requirement for these great businesses. The joy of a franchise is that the training you need to get you up and running – whether that’s brilliant bread making, guidance in food safety processes, or retailing techniques – are all on hand from a band of experts who know what works.

With tried and tested systems that direct your operations, marketing tools at your fingertips and access to an established supply chain, a franchise gives you a head start.

The Cheesecake Shop

The go-to for celebratory cakes The Cheesecake Shop has been established for 29 years, and has been franchising almost as long.

You’d expect a brand with the recall of The Cheesecake Shop to put top value on its franchise system. Franchisees need to invest a minimum of $200,000 – however it could be as much as $1.25 million depending on location, size of store and whether or not it’s existing or brand new.

In return, franchisees purchase a five or seven year franchise term and benefit from six weeks training – three at the Sydney training facility, three weeks in their store training part time.

There’s marketing support, established systems, and of course access to the loyal customers who are buying about 4 million cakes a year.

The Cheesecake Shop is a multi-award winning franchise with more than 200 outlets across Australia and New Zealand.

Bakers Delight

It’s an Aussie institution that’s been on our high streets and in shopping centres for 40 years. There are 600 bakeries across Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Franchisees can learn everything they need to know, from bread baking to business profitability, through training and ongoing support.

Bakers Delight prides itself on good quality – behind the counter it’s good service and great bread; at the back end it’s transparent systems and benchmarking that help franchisees maximise their business opportunities.

A franchise term is 10 years.

Banjo’s Bakery Cafe

Another stalwart of the Australian bakery scene, Banjo’s began way back in 1984 with franchising started nine years later.

Freshly baked goods including artisan breads, made from Australian ingredients where possible, keep customers coming back. And with the cafe element, breakfast, lunch or a snack and a coffee are all on the menu.

With 41 franchises established, Banjo’s has taken a measured approach to expansion. Now the Tasmanian-born business has its sights set on further expansion in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.

Franchisees can choose a 10 year or seven year term – each has one option to renew.

Expect to invest at least $250,000 for a franchise.

Ferguson Plarre

Now this is a heritage brand writ large, thanks to a family European baking tradition that spans more than a century. The two family firms Ferguson and Plarre merged into a super-bakery in 1980.

The Ferguson Plarre chain is a firm Victorian favourite and it’s still a family-run organisation.

So what can franchisees expect?

Site selection, business support, four weeks initial training and a 26 week follow-up and support program.

Ferguson Plarre takes the head lease on all sites, so it shares in the risk of each franchise.

It also operates a gross margin model. It’s royalty-free apart from a 3 per cent admin rate and an upfront $40,000 franchise fee. The franchisor makes its money from franchisees’ purchasing wholesale products.

The capital investment is between $250,000 and $350,000.