DOES YOUR BAKERY USE
PRODUCTION SCHEDULES?
By Paul Kyriakides
The intrinsic value of production sheets are not always realised
and not laying down accurate production schedules for the
making of various products will result in decreased productivity
and high wastage factors. Also not having known value items
available for the full duration of your trading period will result in
poor service delivery to your customers, something that should
be avoided in a competitive market.
A bakery is a manufacturing facility unlike other service departments that focus more on food processing and replenishment.
Remember a manufacturing facility can not run effectively
without a production schedule.
Production planning is a management tool for the control of
what range is required, when it is required and very importantly
how much is required. Every bakery needs to set up their own
production schedule based on customer profile & demand.
STEP 1:
Implement a system to monitor the rate of sales per product
like a bakery reporting system or production sheets if this is
not available.
STEP 2:
Establish what range to stock according to your L.S.M.
group and trading hours.
Each confectioner should get their own production schedule with relevant time allocations which must
be drawn up by a manager or departmental head. Whereas the bread team should get a combined
production sheet to be filled in for every single product line produced.
Remember special occasions like Easter, Mothers Day, Christmas etc. when planning volumes and
also increase volume sellers as weekends and public holidays approach.
When setting up production schedules establish which products have the same basic dough or batter,
for example when mixing enriched dough try to make all your requirements from one basic dough
i.e. doughnuts, cream buns, raisin bread, Chelsea buns etc. When you calculate initial quantities also
take into consideration the products shelf life and ensure you manufacture only enough to last for the
duration of that products shelf life.
After the bakers have completed a shift the production sheets must be handed back to the manager
who must check quantities and rate the quality of the product manufactured. The following morning
they must reference the previous day’s production sheets i.e. what was made versus stock on hand.
From this you can determine what must be manufactured for the new day. These production sheets
must be dated and filed for future reference.
Every day you will require a different production schedule. Make remarks on the completed sheets
for shortages, over manufacturing and even when the production works out perfectly. This whole
process normally takes ±3 months to perfect.
By implementing and maintaining accurate production schedules you will reap many benefits:
• A clean an organised production area
will always result in a neater looking
finished product.
• Monitor and control waste.
• Identify slow and dog lines.
• Identify till sales.
• Staff will have an increased sense
of direction.
• Identify shrinkage. (Production vs. sales.)
• Monitor stock/ ingredient control.
• Staff will take more pride in the product
they manufacture.
• Identify growth.
• Increased productivity.
• Establish sales patterns.
• Increased turnover.
• Most importantly you will deliver a better
service levels to all of your customers.
• Better profit margins.
SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
Below is an example of a production schedule:
DAY/DATE
NAME
PRODUCT
STOCK ON
HAND
QUANTITY
START TIME
END TIME
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
SCORE
QUALITY
1-10