Nov 5, 2025
Hugo Walker
As we head towards 2026, bakeries face a familiar challenge: demand is high, but time is short. Whether you're a small craft bakery with a loyal local following or a national manufacturer supplying retailers across the country, the pressure to deliver efficiently and consistently has never been greater.
And yet, many bakeries still rely on phone calls, emails, WhatsApp messages and handwritten order forms to manage trade sales.
It's a system that works… until it doesn't.
When customers expect instant ordering, accurate stock information and clear communication, traditional methods start to slow you down. The bakeries that are getting ahead today are the ones that are embracing technology to automate admin and free up their teams.
1. Manual ordering is costing you more than time
Every phone call or spreadsheet entry adds friction to your operation. Multiply that across dozens (or hundreds) of customers, and the hidden costs become clear: errors, missed orders, last-minute changes and frustrated staff.
With mezzeIQ, orders are captured instantly and accurately; no chasing, no confusion, no re-keying. For your team, that means fewer distractions. For your customers, it means a seamless experience they'll actually enjoy.
2. It works for bakeries of every size
A key misconception is that ordering systems are only for large, complex operations. In reality, they're a game-changer for any bakery that wants to grow sustainably.
Take Taylors of Bruton, a family-run bakery in Somerset known for its craft and quality. Since partnering with mezzeIQ, Taylors has transformed how it manages trade orders, saving up to two hours every morning that was once spent fielding calls and emails.
Those hours now go back into what matters most: producing exceptional baked goods.
At the other end of the scale, national producers use mezzeIQ to coordinate thousands of daily orders with complete visibility across customers, products and delivery routes. The system flexes to fit, whether you're baking 200 loaves a day or 20,000.
3. Your customers expect digital convenience
Buyers now expect the same seamless experience in B2B that they enjoy as consumers. If your customers can order their groceries online from Tesco or Sainsbury's with just a few clicks, why shouldn't they enjoy that same simplicity when ordering from you?
If you make it easy for them to place orders anytime, on any device, you'll win loyalty (and repeat business).
With mezzeIQ, customers can browse your full range, see live availability and order in seconds, without waiting for the phone to be picked up or an email to be responded to.
When you make ordering simple, customers come back for more.
"It's very easy for customers to use... if you can use Tesco.com then there's no reason why you can't use the mezzeIQ platform."
— Simon Bailey, Supply Chain Manager, Samworth Brothers - Food For Now
4. Production and planning become smarter
With all your orders in one place, mezzeIQ gives you a real-time view of what's coming in, helping you plan production more accurately and reduce waste.
You can see trends, forecast demand and make adjustments before the dough is even mixed. That’s how bakeries stay agile in a market that moves fast.
5. It's not about replacing people, it's about empowering them
Digital ordering doesn't take away the personal touch; it enhances it. By automating repetitive admin, your sales and customer service teams can spend more time strengthening relationships, supporting customers and driving growth.
Even better, freeing your customer service team from manual order entry unlocks their potential and boosts job satisfaction.
Technology should never replace craft; it should protect it. And that's exactly what mezzeIQ was built to do.
"We're moving from an order processing department to a customer experience department."
— Sam Page, Managing Director, Simply Lunch
Ready to modernise your bakery's trade ordering?
From artisan producers like Taylors of Bruton to some of the UK's largest food manufacturers, bakeries are already using mezzeIQ to streamline ordering, cut errors and delight customers.
If you're still juggling calls, emails and order forms, now is the time to rethink how your bakery works.
Book a short demo and see how mezzeIQ can help your bakery get ahead.
