Stepping up to run your own business is a massive milestone – and it can be challenging. But in a competitive market, signing up with a franchise that delivers powerhouse support gives you a massive head start.

When you join the family-owned and operated Pinjarra Bakery, you aren’t just opening a store; you’re tapping into three decades of award-winning baking brilliance and a business model refined over 30 years.

The PB team ensures every franchisee will have the strategic scaffolding needed to turn passion into profitability.

Director Jodie Pantaleo says simple business principles apply to reaching and maintaining profitability: controlling costs, ensuring a consistent trade, educating and training staff to provide efficient and friendly service.

“We have decades of experience that we share openly with our partners. Our mission is to build the systems so our franchisees never feel they have to reinvent the wheel,” Jodie says.

Mastering the margins

Managing the cost of goods (COGs) is crucial to any food-based business.

“We’ve centralised the supply chain, so we set the bar,” Jodie explains. “The responsibility for COGs sits with us, and we take that responsibility seriously. We are constantly reviewing procurement, keeping a close eye on creeping costs so those small increases don’t erode margins over time.”

This centralised approach doesn’t just cover the ingredients for the brand’s famous pies and cakes; it extends to everything down to the packaging.

“We leverage longstanding supplier relationships to ensure our size and heritage translate into great deals for our franchisees,” Jodie points out. “If a supplier’s quality or cost doesn’t meet our gold standard, we find someone who does.”

With this centralised approach, franchisees not only benefit from a negotiated pricing structure, they are relieved of the burden of managing the supply chain.

A people-first approach helps build profits

For any bakery owner, staffing is often the biggest pressure point. At Pinjarra, help is always on hand to help master the roster process.

“We will spend time helping owners getting their rosters right, so they don’t over- or undercook the staffing. It’s important they get the right mix of junior and senior staff that makes sense for their business,” she adds.

Franchisees need to double-down at their busiest times, and pull their staffing back for quieter periods. Each store has its own individual requirements; a drive-thru for instance, has an early morning rush that’s more intense than the early hours in a high street bakery.

“A balancedroster can be the difference between a good business, and a pumping business,” Jodie says. 

“We always say we’re in the people business, not just the baking business. A well-trained team wastes less, makes fewer mistakes, and is far more efficient. Happy, engaged staff who know how to upsell or clear end-of-day stock are your most invaluable assets,” Jodie adds.

Community connection and loyalty

Pinjarra encourages transparency with staff, helping them understand in bite-sized pieces how utilities, wages, and COGs affect the bigger picture. When the team understands what’s at stake, they’re more inclined to save a dollar and drive the business forward.

It’s crucial for staff members to deliver an exceptional service and they can do this by engaging with customers and building loyalty. It is vital that franchisees connect with their local community to maximise their customer base and generate long term loyalty to ensure a consistent trade. 

As a heritage, family business, Pinjarra is well-versed in local area marketing, connecting with local clubs and schools, and can bring this expertise to help franchisees develop their own marketing plans. 

For Jodie, the ultimate goal is simple: keeping franchisees on the fast track to reach their financial goals.

“Regular check-ins, early intervention, and constant communication – these are areas where we can try to add value.

“Our job is to remove the friction where we can so franchisees have less guesswork, make fewer mistakes, and build confidence,” she says.

“Franchisees want to run a profitable business they can be proud of. At Pinjarra Bakery, we make it our mission to make that journey as smooth, and successful, as possible.”