Business Plan

Executive Summary 

I have created a self employed bakery business meaning I would be the sole owner of the business, called The Rolling Pin. The basic plan of this business is to create custom, homemade cakes for special events such as: birthdays, anniversaries, wedding's and engagements. Based in Portsmouth; The Rolling Pin is a local business and will only provide services locally. I have created this business with a keen interest in baking in mind, I have enjoyed baking from a young age with family members and would enjoy sharing creations with the community and giving them the best cakes they can get at different prices.

Cakes will increase in price according to size and shape; round and square are would have set prices according to their size; other shaped cakes such as numbers will have a starting cost of £45.

Round 

Square

There is no specific target market for this business; but is aimed more at people hosting events such as parties.
Cakes can be made in a range of flavours including chocolate, vanilla, lemon and carrot. Cakes are also decorated with buttercream.
Dairy-free and gluten free cakes would also be available. 

Cakes could also be sold in local bakery's and restaurants. Other things such as brownies and cookies would be sold in hairdressers with coffee and tea. 

Owners Background

Running my own business would give me a sense of independence and freedom in what I really love to do.  I could make my own decisions without anyone interfering so my views for my will come across fully.
I have previous work experience at a bowling ally, working as a party host with children. This has given me knowledge in what parents wants for there child. I also now have a further knowledge into what both girls and boys like.
At GCSE I gained 11 qualifications ranging from A-D. After this I went on to study at South Downs College where I started studying for my A-Levels; after the first year I decided to stop with A-Levels as they were not for me. I then carried on my studies at South Downs; doing a Media B-TEC. I am still currently studying on this course and I am expected to get my results in June.
Although I haven't had any professional training; I have been cooking with various family members since I was a child. I have always loved experimenting with different ingredients and recipes but I have always had more of an interest in baking than cooking. I think baking since I was young has helped me find my way around the kitchen and has given me more experience and has taught me more about patience.
I would like to take a short cookery course; to improve my skills further not only in the baking field but also the cooking field to give me a wider range of skills.
My main hobby/interest is baking; which is the main reason I want to start up this business. I like finding new recipes that interest me.

The Product

The product is custom, homemade cakes for special events such as: birthdays, anniversaries, wedding's and engagements. Based in Portsmouth; The Rolling Pin is a local business and will only provide services locally.

The Market

The business is aimed at serving individuals as well as businesses such as small cafes that perhaps don't make their own cakes. A typical individual customer is probably a mother; wanting a custom cake for her child; as the business makes custom cakes whoever is buying the cake(s) can come up whatever design they please. 

A typical business customer would be an individual cafe wanting small cakes to sell with drinks such as brownies, cookies and cupcakes. 

The customers are based locally as the business is a local bakery and only delivers to people in the Portsmouth area. I think this is something that I feel prompts my customers to buy my product; another thing that prompts them to buy my product is that they are custom cakes and the customer can buy any design they come up with. 

I think there is a gap in the market for this business as there are not a lot of custom cake makers that are a bakery too and which also sell to small cafes.

Marketing Strategy