When we embarked on our chocolate journey as bakers a few years ago, we knew that only our oven and prover/ warming cabinet were common pieces of equipment between baking and chocolate, and that we'd need to add a few new pieces of dedicated kit to make chocolate.
We invested in some bits of lovely equipment that we could grow into, and made do with a few others that would (hopefully) only be suitable for a couple of years... Fast forward those few years and the "make do" equipment is really holding back our growth. To compensate, we're falling back into the old chef/ baker habits of working 6 days a week, 5am alarm calls, no family time, no gym . . . you get the idea.
Alongside this, when we moved to North Walsham a year ago, we held on to our pastry making equipment as a security-blanket measure. That way, if chocolate stalled and we had to eat humble buns and regroup a little, we had the option to restart bun / croissant/ cruffin production. As a small business, having options is always a good idea, but as chocolate and the cafe has kept us super busy, the kit has just been sitting there, slowly depreciating and looking unloved.
So we've decided that now is the time to let the pastry equipment go to someone who can do it justice, and invest the proceeds in upgrading the "make do" chocolate equipment to the same level as the "good" kit, effectively removing the bottleneck.
It's been a strangely tough decision as it bids a formal farewell to our pastry and sourdough days. Some of the kit has been with us for 12/13 years and is theoretically worth more to us than its second hand value. However, selling it means we have an exciting chance to push chocolate to the next level while still remaining independently funded. No brainer.
Anyway, the first piece of kit we've sold (our pastry sheeter) found its new home yesterday to Laura Goodall who is embarking on a new journey of her own, opening a sourdough and viennoiserie bakery in Bedfordshire. We wish her the best of luck !!
