and pies. Plus, they’re a great way to play with textures and flavours, allowing your bakery or patisserie to offer something different from the competition. It’s a great way to cater to those with egg allergies, too. It never hurts to make menus more inclusive. Of course, bakeries can also communicate openly with customers, letting them know that they’re low on eggs and talking them through the creative alternatives they’ve come up with instead. This can help to manage expectations – and if a customer’s not convinced, it’s always possible to give them a quick sample to let them know just how fluffy and tasty non-egg bakes can be. Perhaps even offer samples outside to create traction and draw people in. Temporary adjustments to the rest of your menu during core times are another route to go down, perhaps reducing the number of other egg-based items on offer when traditional dishes like hot cross buns for Easter, fruit cakes for Christmas and delicate sponges and pastries for summer picnics must take precedence. This way, the most meaningful bakes can remain firmly on the table at times when people want them the most. You never know, it could just unlock new levels of creativity in the kitchen, particularly if staff are trained to


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be creative with the ingredients and resources available. New techniques could well be the difference you need to stand out. Finally, implementing pre-ordering systems


for popular, egg-based dishes can help to manage demand, in addition to helping with ingredient forecasting and minimising any associated food waste in the future. A win-win for both people and the planet.


Laying down long-term solutions Whilst the above solutions are great for managing short-term issues – with the additional bonus of menu diversification – bakeries, boulangeries and dessert shops will naturally want to protect themselves over the longer term, as well. In essence, this means


taking a long, hard look at supply chains. Rather than relying on the big supermarkets and large-scale providers for their eggs, most of which will suffer greatly from supply fluctuations, bakery owners should look at collaborating with local suppliers for a solution. By collaborating with farms and establishing partnerships with local people, it’s possible to negotiate flexible contracts to ensure better adaptability when things get tough. Better still, such collaborations help to limit


the costs and carbon emissions associated with long-distance transportation, working wonders for your sustainability, as well. With 61% of UK consumers confessing that sustainability is a main priority in the latest NielsenIQ study, it’s a benefit many can’t afford to forgo. By diversifying egg supply chains in addition to going local, there’s even more benefit to be derived, as there’s still a reliable source to turn to if one supplier is down. It’s very much a case of not putting all your eggs in one basket.


The egg crisis, unscrambled Once supply-chain issues are sorted, bakeries large and small around the country can crack on with their many plans, further flipping the narrative from crisis to creativity with a series of mouthwatering menu adjustments.


Kennedy’s Bakery Production Feb/March 2024 9


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