Boulangerie Levain
“Wholesale croissants for six cafés are 30% of revenue and zero queue.”
CRCamille Roux · Boulangerie Levain · Since 2017
12-mo revenue$628,290+6% vs last yearSumUp + Open Banking
!Your budget is under half the typical cost to start ($96.6k). Businesses that started this under-funded closed far more often, unless they bought used equipment or started smaller.
Based on 96 real bakeries in the UK, including 41 that closed.
!Your budget is about $99.9k short.
Bills run about $6,250 a month (fuel, insurance, rent, phone). Most owners make a profit after about 11 months. Keep this much aside to pay bills until then.
Free, with your council, at least 28 days before you open.
Level 2 or 3 food hygiene course.
A written plan of how you keep food safe. Inspectors ask to see it.
Fire risk check and the right planning use for the shop.
Sole trader with HMRC (free) or a limited company at Companies House (about £50).
Free with most online banks. Keeps business money apart from yours.
Before costs. December peak.
| Slow | Typical | Strong | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $6.9k | $12.2k | $21.7k |
| Year 3 | $18.1k | $29.1k | $46.6k |
| Year 5 | $22.8k | $37.8k | $62.7k |
Slow: 1 in 4 make less than this. Typical: half make more, half make less. Strong: 1 in 4 make more than this.
“Wholesale croissants for six cafés are 30% of revenue and zero queue.”
Dough & Co's first bakery was profitable. The second, opened in 2023 on borrowed money, never covered its rent, and its losses drained the cash the first shop needed. Nina Russo closed both in March 2025.
Sets up your books and files your first tax return.
$125k
about $166k
Starting costs about $41.1k less. Buying costs more, but you earn from the first month and skip the risky early years.