In the retail world, niche speciality bakeries have been making waves over the past few years. Unique and creative concepts have been largely driven by the demand from consumers for new and unforgettable experiences.Boutique bakeries that focus on speciality items are well-adored by millennial shoppers (aged around 19-40 years) who are often on the lookout for ‘Instagrammable moments’ and the first to rush to share photos of exciting new shops. Previous research by Greater Group revealed that millennial shoppers are drawn to five key retail store design elements: personal touch, consistent branding, ease of navigation, multi-sensory experience, and shareable experience.But why is it important to consider millennials and their preference for experiential retail?From a social marketing perspective, photogenic spaces are highly valuable among digitally-focused audiences. More than half a million ‘influencers’ are currently active on Instagram — users with large followings and major power over their followers to influence purchase decisions. An Instagram user with an established and loyal social following is equipped with more commercial persuasive power than a person with years of industry knowledge but zero online presence. Millennials are therefore highly likely to invest in products or services promoted by someone with Instagram influence.In this article, we take a look at the emerging trend of retail bakeries that are focusing their efforts on enhancing the hospitality experience to capture millennial shoppers.A snapshot of the bakery industryAlthough the bakery industry’s profit decreased in 2020 due to the challenging operating conditions brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, IBISWorld reported that the market is well on its way to recovery with impressive growth projected over the next five years as the global economy increasingly recuperates.The evolution of the bakery industry is explained by rapidly changing consumer preferences that put a higher premium on convenience, quality, healthy items, and experiences. To respond to this demand and tap into the market, bakery operators are innovating new menus, launching niche concept bakeries, and investing in functional and visually enticing interiors.Innovation has been key to the industry’s growth. Consumer demand has led to a plethora of organic, plant-based and artisanal products. In order to keep up with the product innovation trajectory, bakery operators are seeing the value of investing in their interior and exterior designs as well. Several boutique bakeries have moved on from traditional, stale, and prototypical bakery interiors of old. Now, we increasingly see bakery interiors that are visually stunning, engaging, and worth the Instagram hype.If you are looking for experiential bakery design inspiration, feast your eyes on these store examples of some of the world’s most exquisite bakeries.Multi-sensory experience: Hotel Praktik BakeryThe Hotel Praktik Bakery in Barcelona, Spain, presents an innovative bakery design concept that incorporates a truly multi-sensory experience. Designed by Lazaro Rosa Violán, the magnificent interior is balanced by clean lines, minimalist colour schemes, and textured surfaces that further add life to the space.The true heart and soul of Hotel Praktik is its bakery, run by Anna Bellsolà, who comes from a family of artisanal bakers. Anchoring its draw on the full sensory experience starting with the olfactory, the aromatic scent of freshly baked bread wafts through the lobby to greet hotel patrons. Interestingly, baking takes place in full view of all the guests. For the full immersive experience, guests can also sign up for Hotel Praktik Bakery’s famed bread-baking workshop.Images: Hotel Praktik BakerySubtle, personal touches: Mintchi CroissantCreative, bold, and imaginative — some pastry shops encapsulate all that effortlessly. Take Mintchi Croissant in São Paulo, Brazil, as a solid example. The bakery’s interior was designed by Dezembro Arquitetos, who endeavoured to translate the abstract concept of being inside a croissant into a concrete visual experience. Arquitetos’s bizarre idea was successfully brought to life into a tangible space using lightweight elements.The interior of Mintchi Croissant, like a croissant, is demarcated by soft layers — from the flooring, countertop and benches made of perforated terracotta bricks infused with concrete, to the cardboard tubes in the ceiling that wraps up the ‘inside a croissant’ feel. Personal, subtle touches make the bakery ‘Instagrammable’ with fascinated customers poring over the smallest elements such as pendant lights and cardboard tubes accentuating the ceiling. Other interesting elements inside the bakery include a light board ceiling and furniture created with the use of an icing nozzle.Images: Carolina Lacaz via DezeenShareable experiences: VyTA Boulangerie ItalianaThe VyTA Boulangerie Italiana experience in Turin, Italy is too good not to be shared online or offline. Dramatic and undoubtedly Instagram-worthy, VyTA Boulangerie was designed by Rome-based architect, Daniela Colli. A stark contrast to the customary soft palettes of quaint traditional bakeries and pastry shops, VyTA Boulangerie is all about light oak and black polymer surfaces that are often associated with the world’s most luxurious boutiques. A stylised hood made of natural oak puts emphasis on the pastry displays, while the hexagonal beehive detailing adds a fascinating backdrop along the seating area. The L-shaped counter also allows for ease of navigation.Images: VyTA Boulangerie ItalianaStrong branding: Baker D. ChiricoUpon entry, you will immediately know what Baker D. Chirico is all about: bread. Located in Melbourne, Australia, the space designed by March Studio has no coffee machines, no other smells, and no other sensory distractions — an explicit testament that this retail bakery is serious about its famous bread. In keeping up with its brand, the store design was also kept simple and non-distracting. Curving wood slats in natural colours and minimal decors infuse warmth and light into the space, amplifying a welcoming, homey feel.Images: Baker D. ChiricoEase of navigation: Panscape BakeryIn Kyoto, Japan, the Panscape Bakery makes the most out of its small space. Despite its limited footprint of only 26 square metres, the bakery, designed by ninkipen!, maximises its spatial efficiency thanks to the designers’ perceptiveness to go for a minimalist, understated look. With this bakery design idea, everything was made for functionality, maximum visibility, and ease of movement. Sleek, clean, and sturdy, Panscape made use of grey cement, an aluminium counter, and a half-tonne log to support the front display. Splashes of gold accentuate the shop and break the neutral palette.Images: Hiroki Kawata via ArchDailyA final noteEach of these boutique bakeries has perfectly combined the art and science facets of store design. Among the common characteristics of these speciality bakeries are the following:A strong focus on positive associations between the brand and its customers.Design that facilitates unique in-store experiences to engage, entertain and retain customers.Spatial planning that ensures maximum efficiency on all fronts.Greater Group is a multi-disciplinary global retail design agency. We have been creating award-winning retail spaces, customer experiences and workplaces since 1989, utilising our combined expertise to deliver high-impact, high-return design, fit-out and manufacturing solutions and provide clients with one point of contact throughout.Share :
In the retail world, niche speciality bakeries have been making waves over the past few years. Unique and creative concepts have been largely driven by the demand from consumers for new and unforgettable experiences.Boutique bakeries that focus on speciality items are well-adored by millennial shoppers (aged around 19-40 years) who are often on the lookout for ‘Instagrammable moments’ and the first to rush to share photos of exciting new shops. Previous research by Greater Group revealed that millennial shoppers are drawn to five key retail store design elements: personal touch, consistent branding, ease of navigation, multi-sensory experience, and shareable experience.But why is it important to consider millennials and their preference for experiential retail?From a social marketing perspective, photogenic spaces are highly valuable among digitally-focused audiences. More than half a million ‘influencers’ are currently active on Instagram — users with large followings and major power over their followers to influence purchase decisions. An Instagram user with an established and loyal social following is equipped with more commercial persuasive power than a person with years of industry knowledge but zero online presence. Millennials are therefore highly likely to invest in products or services promoted by someone with Instagram influence.In this article, we take a look at the emerging trend of retail bakeries that are focusing their efforts on enhancing the hospitality experience to capture millennial shoppers.A snapshot of the bakery industryAlthough the bakery industry’s profit decreased in 2020 due to the challenging operating conditions brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, IBISWorld reported that the market is well on its way to recovery with impressive growth projected over the next five years as the global economy increasingly recuperates.The evolution of the bakery industry is explained by rapidly changing consumer preferences that put a higher premium on convenience, quality, healthy items, and experiences. To respond to this demand and tap into the market, bakery operators are innovating new menus, launching niche concept bakeries, and investing in functional and visually enticing interiors.Innovation has been key to the industry’s growth. Consumer demand has led to a plethora of organic, plant-based and artisanal products. In order to keep up with the product innovation trajectory, bakery operators are seeing the value of investing in their interior and exterior designs as well. Several boutique bakeries have moved on from traditional, stale, and prototypical bakery interiors of old. Now, we increasingly see bakery interiors that are visually stunning, engaging, and worth the Instagram hype.If you are looking for experiential bakery design inspiration, feast your eyes on these store examples of some of the world’s most exquisite bakeries.Multi-sensory experience: Hotel Praktik BakeryThe Hotel Praktik Bakery in Barcelona, Spain, presents an innovative bakery design concept that incorporates a truly multi-sensory experience. Designed by Lazaro Rosa Violán, the magnificent interior is balanced by clean lines, minimalist colour schemes, and textured surfaces that further add life to the space.The true heart and soul of Hotel Praktik is its bakery, run by Anna Bellsolà, who comes from a family of artisanal bakers. Anchoring its draw on the full sensory experience starting with the olfactory, the aromatic scent of freshly baked bread wafts through the lobby to greet hotel patrons. Interestingly, baking takes place in full view of all the guests. For the full immersive experience, guests can also sign up for Hotel Praktik Bakery’s famed bread-baking workshop.Images: Hotel Praktik BakerySubtle, personal touches: Mintchi CroissantCreative, bold, and imaginative — some pastry shops encapsulate all that effortlessly. Take Mintchi Croissant in São Paulo, Brazil, as a solid example. The bakery’s interior was designed by Dezembro Arquitetos, who endeavoured to translate the abstract concept of being inside a croissant into a concrete visual experience. Arquitetos’s bizarre idea was successfully brought to life into a tangible space using lightweight elements.The interior of Mintchi Croissant, like a croissant, is demarcated by soft layers — from the flooring, countertop and benches made of perforated terracotta bricks infused with concrete, to the cardboard tubes in the ceiling that wraps up the ‘inside a croissant’ feel. Personal, subtle touches make the bakery ‘Instagrammable’ with fascinated customers poring over the smallest elements such as pendant lights and cardboard tubes accentuating the ceiling. Other interesting elements inside the bakery include a light board ceiling and furniture created with the use of an icing nozzle.Images: Carolina Lacaz via DezeenShareable experiences: VyTA Boulangerie ItalianaThe VyTA Boulangerie Italiana experience in Turin, Italy is too good not to be shared online or offline. Dramatic and undoubtedly Instagram-worthy, VyTA Boulangerie was designed by Rome-based architect, Daniela Colli. A stark contrast to the customary soft palettes of quaint traditional bakeries and pastry shops, VyTA Boulangerie is all about light oak and black polymer surfaces that are often associated with the world’s most luxurious boutiques. A stylised hood made of natural oak puts emphasis on the pastry displays, while the hexagonal beehive detailing adds a fascinating backdrop along the seating area. The L-shaped counter also allows for ease of navigation.Images: VyTA Boulangerie ItalianaStrong branding: Baker D. ChiricoUpon entry, you will immediately know what Baker D. Chirico is all about: bread. Located in Melbourne, Australia, the space designed by March Studio has no coffee machines, no other smells, and no other sensory distractions — an explicit testament that this retail bakery is serious about its famous bread. In keeping up with its brand, the store design was also kept simple and non-distracting. Curving wood slats in natural colours and minimal decors infuse warmth and light into the space, amplifying a welcoming, homey feel.Images: Baker D. ChiricoEase of navigation: Panscape BakeryIn Kyoto, Japan, the Panscape Bakery makes the most out of its small space. Despite its limited footprint of only 26 square metres, the bakery, designed by ninkipen!, maximises its spatial efficiency thanks to the designers’ perceptiveness to go for a minimalist, understated look. With this bakery design idea, everything was made for functionality, maximum visibility, and ease of movement. Sleek, clean, and sturdy, Panscape made use of grey cement, an aluminium counter, and a half-tonne log to support the front display. Splashes of gold accentuate the shop and break the neutral palette.Images: Hiroki Kawata via ArchDailyA final noteEach of these boutique bakeries has perfectly combined the art and science facets of store design. Among the common characteristics of these speciality bakeries are the following:A strong focus on positive associations between the brand and its customers.Design that facilitates unique in-store experiences to engage, entertain and retain customers.Spatial planning that ensures maximum efficiency on all fronts.Greater Group is a multi-disciplinary global retail design agency. We have been creating award-winning retail spaces, customer experiences and workplaces since 1989, utilising our combined expertise to deliver high-impact, high-return design, fit-out and manufacturing solutions and provide clients with one point of contact throughout.Share :