Bakery investment costs can be high, particularly if you’re purchasing commercial real estate. You’re likely to need financing at some point in your business journey. Whether you’re starting a bakery business, opening a second shop, or just trying to cover some unexpected bakery expenses like replacement equipment, you have several bakery financing options to choose from. We’ll go over what to look for in a bakery loan, as well as some of the top lenders for every type of bakery business need.
Best Bakery Loans: Turn Your Dream Into Reality
Running a bakery starts with the perfect recipe, but it doesn’t end there. Bakery owners need funding for equipment, retail space, advertising, hiring employees, and more. Bakery loans can help provide bakery owners with the startup or expansion capital they need to be successful.
Written by:Lindsay Frankel
Our Top Picks for Best Bakery Loans
- Multiple loan types available
- Funding in 48h
- Soft credit pull
- Ideal for plenty of industries
- Approval not solely credit based
- Early payoff discounts
- Quick and simple application
- Competitive interest rates
- Available to customers with relatively low credit scores
How to Choose the Best Bakery Financing Option
When choosing a bakery loan, there are some factors you should consider. When choosing our top lenders, our experts evaluated the following:
- Loan Features: Pay attention to the loan amounts offered and don’t borrow more than you need. You should also ensure the lender offers a term with monthly payments you can afford.
- Application process: Decide if you need fast funding and choose a bakery loan accordingly. You should also aim for an easy application process that allows you to check your rate without hurting your credit.
- Interest rates and fees: Look for a loan with the lowest interest rate and the fewest fees that still fulfills the needs of your bakery.
- Qualification process: Many lenders have minimum requirements for your business age, annual revenue, and personal credit score. If you’re a new small business, go ahead and eliminate any options you don’t qualify for. If you have poor credit, pay attention to lenders that have looser credit requirements.
- Customer support: Ensure the lender offers customer support hours that are convenient for you. If your bakery is open during business hours, you might want a lender with extended hours or a live chat feature.
- Online user reviews: Read what other bakery owners have to say about each lender on independent review websites such as Trustpilot, ConsumerAffairs, and Credit Karma. If there are complaints that deter you, choose another lender.
- Perks and Bonuses: If your bakery has cash flow issues, consider a lender with payment flexibility. As a busy bakery owner, you’ll also want to look for online account management tools, and you may prefer a lender that offers mobile functionality.
Best Bakery Finance Options for 2022
1. Biz2Credit — Best for Commercial Real Estate
Bakery owners looking to invest in a retail space to expand their business will appreciate the large loan amounts and fast funding time that Biz2Credit offers through its lending partners. However, Biz2Credit isn’t an option for new business owners.
Pros
Cons
Biz2Credit offers commercial real estate loans to borrowers who typically have an existing property. You’ll need a minimum credit score of 660, 18 months in business, and over $250,000 in annual revenue to qualify. You can borrow between $250,000 and $6 million and repay your loan in 12 to 36 months. Rates start at 10%, and funding is available within 48 hours after approval.
Biz2Credit also offers working capital loans with varying terms and rates along with term loans. You can get a working capital loan with a 575 credit score and six months in business, but you’ll need a score of at least 660 and at least 18 months in business for a term loan. The minimum borrowing amount is $25,000, and you can take out a maximum of $500,000 for term loans and $2 million for working capital. Term loans have a term of 12 to 36 months and rates starting at 8.99%.
The Bottom Line
For bakery owners who need funding for a new property quickly or who can’t qualify for a traditional bank loan, Biz2Credit is a great alternative option with few fees and an easy application process.
Try Biz2CreditRead the full Biz2Credit review for more details
2. Fora Financial — Best for Short-Term Loans
Fora Financial offers small, short-term loans for small businesses that bakery owners might use to update equipment, deal with cash flow issues, or purchase inventory. Fora offers both small business loans and merchant cash advances, which can be helpful for business owners who plan to repay their loan from future bakery orders.
Pros
Cons
Fora Financial offers two products that would work well for bakery owners — a small business loan and a merchant cash advance. With a small business loan, you can borrow anywhere from $5,000 to $750,000 with term lengths between four and 15 months and factor rates between 1.1 and 1.3. Merchant cash advances are available in the same amounts but are repaid through remittance of a percentage of your bakery’s credit card earnings.
If you know you’ll have orders coming in soon but need cash in the meantime for any reason, Fora Financial could be the perfect solution for your bakery. You’ll need six months in business and no open bankruptcies for either option, plus a minimum of $5,000 in credit card sales for a merchant cash advance or $12,000 in credit card sales for a small loan.
The Bottom Line
Fora Financial is a great fit for bakeries because of the availability of small loans and multiple options for repayment that work with bakery businesses. However, it’s not an option for startups.
Try Fora FinancialRead the full Fora Financial review for more details
3. BlueVine — Best for Line of Credit
Some bakery owners may have ongoing expenses or cash flow issues for which a line of credit would work perfectly. With BlueVine, you can borrow only what you need and pay it back at a low interest rate. Plus, you can get funding the same day. BlueVine also offers a business checking account.
Pros
Cons
You’ll need at least six months in business, $10,000 in monthly revenue, and a 600 FICO score to qualify for a line of credit from BlueVine. You can be approved for up to a $250,000 credit line, which you can draw as much as you need from and repay in fixed payments over six or twelve months. Interest rates start at just 4.8% and there are no prepayment penalties, but keep in mind only the most creditworthy customers will qualify for the lowest rates.
The Bottom Line
For bakery owners who need ongoing access to cash and want to pay lower rates than with a credit card, BlueVine is an ideal solution. It can specifically help smooth out bakery cash flow issues, and low rates are available to creditworthy customers.
Try BlueVineRead the full BlueVine review for more details
4.FundBox — Best for Quick Term Loans
For bakery owners who need a lump sum of cash quickly that they can use for any business purpose, FundBox is one of the best term loan providers. The lender offers transparent pricing with few fees and funding as soon as the next business day.
Pros
Cons
You can borrow up to $150,000 from FundBox, either as a term loan or a line of credit. For term loans, you can choose a 24-week repayment term with a starting rate of 8.33% or a 52-week repayment term with a starting rate of 18%. With a line of credit, you can borrow as needed and repay your draws over a 12-week term with a starting rate of 4.66% or a 24-week term with a starting rate of 8.99%. To qualify, you’ll need to be a U.S.-based business with at least $100,000 in annual revenue, a business bank account, and a 600+ personal FICO score. FundBox is also looking for applicants to have at least six months in business.
The Bottom Line
FundBox offers term loans that are quick, easy, convenient, and free of most fees that lenders commonly charge, making them a great choice for bakery owners who need fast cash and don’t want to worry about fees.
Try FundboxRead the full FundBox review for more details
5.Torro — Best for Startup Capital
Torro is one of the few online lending platforms that offers starting capital to new business owners. Torro can connect new bakery owners with a lender that can supply enough startup capital to rent a retail space and get the bakery up and running. Funding is fast and repayment terms are flexible.
Pros
Cons
Torro has two loan programs with different requirements and features. The SLOC program for new and existing business owners requires a credit score above 600 and fewer than 5 inquiries on your credit report in the past 90 days. You can borrow up to $150,000.
The BVR program is open to bakeries that have been in business for at least six months. You’ll also need at least $10,000 in monthly gross income, but a credit check may not be required. You can get access to up to $500,000. Terms for all products range from six months to ten years and APRs range from 5.99% to 12.99%.
The Bottom Line
Bakery owners who need startup capital will find Torro to be one of the few options with low rates, fast funding, and great customer service. The variety of funding options to choose from is also great for the varying needs of bakery owners.
Try TorroRead the full Torro review for more details
6. SmartBiz — Best for SBA Loans
SmartBiz is the top facilitator of SBA 7(a) loans less than $350,000. Loans backed by the Small Business Administration may appeal to bakery owners because they typically have lower rates and higher borrowing limits. SmartBiz offers both SBA loans and term loans, with a variety of options to suit the unique needs of your bakery.
Pros
Cons
To qualify for a loan from SmartBiz, you’ll need to have been in business for at least two years. A 650 minimum credit score is required for SBA loans and a 660 minimum credit score is required for term loans. SmartBiz SBA loans come in amounts between $30,000 and $5 million with repayment terms ranging from 10 to 25 years. Interest rates start at 4.75% and you’ll also pay closing costs, an application fee, and possibly an SBA guarantee fee. SmartBiz term loans also come in amounts between $30,000 and $5 million, but repayment terms are between two and five years. Rates start at 6.99%.
The Bottom Line
Busy bakery owners will enjoy the convenience of SmartBiz’s application process when compared to getting a loan from a bank and will appreciate the low rates and high limits that SmartBiz offers.
Try SmartBizRead the full SmartBiz review for more details
Best Bakery Financing Options — Feature Comparison
|
Company |
Min. Credit Score |
Min. Time in Business |
Min. Annual Revenue |
Loan Amount |
Interest Rate |
|
Biz2Credit |
575 |
6 months |
$250,000 |
$25,000 to $2 million |
7.99% and up |
|
Fora Financial |
None |
6 months |
$144,000 |
$5,000 to $750,000 |
1.1 to 1.3 factor rates |
|
BlueVine |
600 |
6 months |
$120,000 |
Up to $250,000 |
4.8% and up |
|
FundBox |
600 |
6 months |
$100,000 |
Up to $150,000 |
4.66% to 18% |
|
Torro |
600 for new businesses |
None |
None |
Up to $500,000 ($150,000 for new businesses) |
5.99% to 12.99% |
|
SmartBiz |
650 |
2 years |
Sufficient cash flow |
$30,000 to $5 million |
4.75% and up |
What Are the Costs of Running a Bakery?
The average startup investment for a bakery is between $10,000 and $50,000, according to restaurant software company Toast. The costs will depend on the size of your bakery, but here are some estimates, according to ZenBusiness:
How to Use Bakery Financing
You can use bakery financing for almost any business need. That includes things like:
How to Qualify for Bakery Financing
To improve your odds of getting approved, take the following steps:
How to Apply for a Bakery Business Loan
- First, decide what type of bakery financing will be best for your business. Determine whether you’d like a line of credit, secured equipment financing, funding for commercial real estate, or something else.
- Gather the necessary documents, including your business plan, income tax returns, financial statements, accounts receivable and accounts payable, and any legal documents that may be required.
- Check your rate with two to three lenders that offer a product you can qualify for.
- Submit a formal application with the lender of your choice.
- Read the fine print and make sure you understand the full cost of borrowing and the terms of your agreement with the lender. If you’re happy with your offer, go ahead and sign and accept.
- Wait for the funds to be deposited into your business bank account.
Financial Growth Tips for a Bakery
- Offer more product choices: Provide your customers with a range of portion sizes to choose from, and consider offering healthy, gluten-free, or vegan treats to reach more customers.
- Offer more services: Consider offering custom baked goods or delivery to reach more customers.
- Differentiate your bakery: Ensure your bakery stands out from the competition. Whether that’s having a theme, offering nostalgic products, or doing something different with the decor, give your customers something unique to talk about.
- Invest in new marketing strategies: Send coupons via direct mail or try social media advertising. Reach out to media outlets if you’re hosting an event or offering a promotion. Vary your strategy to reach the most people.
- Cut costs: Find ways to cut costs, whether that’s buying in bulk, investing in efficient energy solutions, or something else.
- Encourage customer reviews: Make sure your bakery has a presence on Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor. Encourage happy customers to leave a review.
Conclusion
It’s possible to generate a lot of revenue from a bakery, but most bakery business owners will need some help with financing along the way. Bank business loans are always an option, but for those who can’t qualify or want funding faster, the options on this list provide a great alternative. Some are better for new business owners or those with poor credit than others. It’s a good idea to compare two or three lenders before formally applying. Aim for the least costly loan that you can qualify for and that meets your repayment needs. And make sure the application and repayment process is convenient. That way, you can focus on what you do best — baking sweet treats for others to enjoy.
Related Loan Picks
About the Author
Lindsay Frankel
Personal finance expert with 3 years experience specializing in researching, writing, and editing insurance, loans, and credit cards content.
More about me