An artisan bakery produced in one part of London and sold from its shop in Soho. Each morning, bread, cakes and pastries had to travel from the ovens to the counter before the doors opened. A second batch followed later, once the next production window was complete.
A single daily collection would not have reflected how the bakery worked. Selena therefore designed a two-run operation around production times, shop opening, vehicle capacity and the return of empty crates.
This case study shows how we designed and operated that route: two runs a day, crates out and empties back, timed to the bakery’s production rather than the courier’s convenience. The bakery and the shop are not named. For the wider service, see our hospitality and bakery courier service.
At a Glance
- Client: an artisan bakery supplying its own Soho shop
- Route: two daily runs from the production site to Soho, on weekdays and at weekends
- What moved: crates of bread, plus fragile cake and pastry trays; empty crates came back
- Our approach: runs timed to production, a vehicle selected for the real load, crates and trays checked before departure, and seven-day cover
- Related services: regular delivery routes, hospitality and bakery deliveries
The Situation
The shop opened to customers who expected a full counter. Production did not finish all at once: there was an early bake and a later window for further products. A single morning delivery would either have left the shop short or kept finished products waiting.
Opening times also differed between weekdays and weekends, so one timetable could not serve the whole week.
The Operational Problem
- Two production windows. The first collection was at 06:45 to 07:00, for delivery before opening. A later-morning collection followed when the next batch was ready.
- Limited storage at the shop. There was little room for crates, so empty crates had to go back and the rotation had to keep working every day.
- Fragile products. Cake and pastry trays do not survive harsh braking or a careless load. They needed a clean vehicle, careful loading and smooth driving.
- More than driving. The work included loading, sorting, checking the collected crates and trays against the delivery information, and helping with the handover at the shop.
- Seven days a week. A route that depended on one person would have failed the first morning that person was unavailable.
What Was at Risk
If the first run was late, the shop might open without the full planned range on the counter. If crates did not come back, the next morning would start short. If a tray was damaged, carefully prepared products might no longer be suitable for sale or presentation.
How We Designed the Route
Two runs, timed to production
We set the two collections around when products were actually ready: an early run that reached Soho before opening, and a later-morning collection aligned with the bakery’s second production window. Weekday and weekend opening times had their own schedules.
We did not force the bakery into a standard courier timetable. We built the delivery timetable around the bakery’s production.
A vehicle selected for the real load
Historically, the first run carried around 15 to 20 crates and the second around 10 to 12. We selected the vehicle using the actual crate volume, load dimensions and weight rather than habit. As volumes changed, we reviewed whether a different vehicle or route structure could meet the requirement without compromising reliability.
Handling fragile trays
Cake and pastry trays travelled in a clean vehicle, loaded so that nothing shifted, and the route was driven smoothly. Crate and tray quantities were checked against the agreed delivery information before departure.
Crate rotation and returns
Because storage at the shop was limited, empty-crate collection was built into the service rather than treated as an afterthought. Empty crates were collected and returned as part of the planned route, maintaining the rotation between the production site and the shop.
Seven-day cover
The route was designed for seven-day coverage through planned rotation and backup, rather than dependence on a single courier. We planned the service around a small, stable group of suitable couriers, supported by backup cover. This preserved route knowledge without making the operation dependent on one person.
How Communication and Exceptions Were Controlled
Because the driver checked the collected crates and trays and helped with the handover, problems surfaced at the shop rather than later in the day.
Where disruption could be forecast, including transport strikes, road closures or major events, we reviewed the route and coverage in advance rather than waiting until the morning. As the route settled, we standardised the process around it, so that every run followed the same checks whoever was driving.
Operational Details at a Glance
- Two daily runs: first collection at 06:45 to 07:00, before opening, then a later-morning collection
- Historically around 15 to 20 crates on the first run and 10 to 12 on the second
- Separate weekday and weekend schedules
- Empty-crate collection built into the planned route
- Clean vehicle, careful loading and smooth driving for cake and pastry trays
- Collected crates and trays checked against the agreed delivery information before departure
- Vehicle selected from real volume, dimensions and weight, and reviewed as volumes changed
- Planned rotation and backup for seven-day coverage
Outcome and Continuing Value
During the service, the two-run delivery operation was reported by the client as running well. The first movement supported the shop’s opening, while the second followed the later production window. Empty-crate returns kept the rotation moving between the shop and production site.
As trading volumes changed, we reviewed the vehicle and route structure with the client. This demonstrated an important principle: a recurring route should not remain fixed simply because that is how it started. Its vehicle, timing and capacity should continue to reflect the real operation.
What This Means for Your Business
- Plan collections around when products are ready, not around a fixed courier slot.
- Count crates, measure the load and choose the vehicle from that, then review it when volumes change.
- Build empty-crate collection into the route plan, especially where storage is tight.
- Treat fragile trays as their own handling requirement.
- Base seven-day service on rotation and backup, never on one person.
Related Services
See how we moved another London bakery to a 6am bakery route, how we run regular delivery routes, and our hospitality and bakery courier service.
Running Production and a Shop on Different Sites?
Tell us when your products are ready, when your shops open and how much each run carries. We will design the route around it.
Discuss Regular Deliveries with our team.
