Baking up a storm – slow & steady growth

Baking up a storm – slow & steady growth

In 2009 I established Sky Ranch Bakehouse to provide fresh, locally baked bread to the coeliac population in Tasmania. At the time gluten-free bread was delivered from mainland bakeries on Sunday nights. I knew through conversations that a large population of others were craving another line of gluten-free bread products.

Slow & steady growth

Growth has been slow and steady, which is how I planned it. No move is taken without looking in all directions, plus the timing has to ‘feel’ right. Tasmanian retail outlets now number 40 and these include cafes, restaurants, hospitals and caterers. Mainland customers order premixes directly from the Sky Ranch online shop.

My carpenter husband built the commercial kitchen on our property, ‘Sky Ranch’, ensuring I could work from home. He now works with me from when we start, between 3am and 5am, and leaves for his day job at 7.30am. Start time depends on how many runs of the ovens are required for loaves.

The baking routine

Each oven bakes 14 to 16 loaves and the longest baking time is 76 minutes. Once the loaves are baked we move on to Bunsky buns, focaccias, wraps and sometimes biscuits.

If we have, say, 42 loaves there’s three ovens taken, which to us means a 5.30am start. Another run for loaves is a 3am start. All products need to be baked and cooled enough for packaging by 10am as I need to leave on the delivery run at 10.30am. Thankfully we have two reliable couriers who collect boxes from our door for the northwest coast deliveries and the Hobart delivery.

Time shortage

Time was short during last baking year – changes need to be implemented to return to a better work-life balance. As my working life was all office administration, this has enabled me to run my office knowing the requirements of taxation, employment and so on.

However, once the kitchenwork is done there are fresh-bread bags to label and premixes to weigh, heat-seal, package and label then box up for mainland shipment. Then there are emails, research, meeting with customers, providoring – endless tasks! At the end of each week’s last bake, various flour mixtures for our product range need to be weighed and packaged ready for the next week – generally 60 to 70 kilos of different flours. This year, employing a delivery driver or a person to work in the office will give us more time to regroup.

Secrets of success

The most obvious reason for our success is that there still is no other exclusively gluten-free bakery operating in Tasmania. Unforeseen during research was specialist catering for further intolerances – we were shocked by the number of people requiring a more stringent diet. We provide support and tailor their products by removing and/or replacing offending ingredients – the most common are seeds or grains, milk, eggs, yeast and flours.

The most obvious reason for our success is that there still is no other exclusively gluten-free bakery operating in Tasmania.

Baking classes are popular, especially with children, and result in a generous take-home bounty of fresh goods.

This year we are introducing a several new products under ‘Sky Ranch Rustic Range’. These new breads look and taste as though they are wheat bread, straight out of a wood-fired oven, heavy with super high-protein flours such as quinoa, teff, amaranth, millet, buckwheat and cornmeal, and dusted with poppy seeds. Gluten-free products, by their unusual ingredients, are expensive so the size we’re aiming for is small, two-meal cob loaves and baguettes to reduce the end retail price.

Help from BEC

Being in business opened up a new world of networking with other business operators. Launceston Business Enterprise Centre’s networking breakfasts and business events have offered me the opportunity to meet like-minded entrepreneurs, exchange ideas and offer encouragement to others in the early stages.

Enterprise Centres Tasmania was recommended. Initially I was pleased to find a consultant interested in my proposal and eager to provide assistance with even the smallest query. Four subsequent meetings were an enlightening education into becoming a small-business operator. My second mentor offered information including pamphlets, free Taxation Officer software program, and general advice. I have always felt supported by BEC and appreciate the work they have invested in assisting our venture to successfully grow.

Successes

Recently Sky Ranch was a finalist in two categories of the Telstra Business Awards. The lengthy and detailed assessment process provided us with greater insights to better business practices and future direction. Sky Ranch also entered three products into the Hobart Fine Food Awards – and won two gold and one bronze! And thanks to our dedicated Launceston BEC team, Sky Ranch has won the national award for best home-based business. I think we’re on the right track…

Robin Ellenberger