All posts by Joel

The Importance of Specialty Food Lighting in Your Bakery Store’s Presentation

For more information on Promolux bakery display case lighting or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

The words “shopping experience” have become in many shopping circles, a stock phrase. However, for the consumer, it relates to the primary differences between the ultra-convenience of online shopping and the personalized visits to a local store. But, the question must still be asked as to what, in fact, is a real shopping experience and how can bakery owners and managers improve it.

When relating a shopping experience to the retail environment, it revolves around the presentation of your products in the most enhanced and visible way. This is generally achieved; for example, by premium bakery display cases and their positioning, as well as well-designed lighting effects, optimized to produce the ideal product presentation.

Every bakery owner is conscious of the need to be ahead in the retail marketing and promotion game. To maintain a leading store position and those ever demanding and increasing bottom line results; it is crucial that a store creates the best possible shopping experience for its customers, in which a complete bakery display case lighting system plays a prominent role.

Professional lighting specialists, such as Promolux, have in-depth experience regarding how lighting influences consumers perception of various products. Detailed research information has been gathered and assessed related to how consumers react to certain lighting environments and the atmosphere they generate. This includes making comparisons between a cold blue light-emitting diode (LED) and a warm yellow LED.

If this factor is related to, for instance, bakery display case lighting it would be seen that regardless of the presented packaging color or the gender of the consumer; food products were appraised on a more negative basis in the cold blue light than in the warm yellow light. These reactions were associated with product quality, attraction, and the surmised taste, showing that lighting can influence the overall evaluations of products by consumers. At the same time, it is valuable research that emphasizes the challenges confronting store owners.

It is a fact that many retailers fail to take into consideration the crucial influences of effectively designed in-store lighting related to the creation of a brand identity. In certain cases, only the technical aspects of lighting are taken into account, whereas, with some specialized planning, an in-store environment can be designed to provide greater interaction with customers.

With the advantages offered by innovative lighting for overall store lighting enhancement, any retail outlet, irrespective of size, can become an attractive and enjoyable shopping experience for consumers. With the influence of designed lighting, the in-store environment, and displayed products can be enhanced, which in turn motivates customers to stay longer and buy more products in greater quantities.

Lighting is a critical factor in providing an identity to space. It has the ability to create an environment and atmosphere that will appeal to a particular and desired segment of consumers. This can be related to a sense of opulence, such as in boutiques stores, or generate a sensation of product bargain values. It could be a question for store owners and consumers’ of just seeing the light.

Why to Have a Great Strategy for Retail Display Lighting in your Bakery

For more information on Promolux bakery display case lighting or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

As with any other aspect of marketing and promotions, a lighting strategy for a retail outlet such as a bakery also requires some careful consideration and a degree of experienced planning. One particular factor associated with it is that electing to take the cheapest route, while initially tempting, will not be cost effective in the long term. Always keep the factors of energy and overall cost effectiveness in mind during the planning stages. Another warning signal that you may see could relate to the latest store lighting craze, but don’t be tempted just because it’s currently in vogue.

Although it is recognized by many and is drawing significant attention, don’t simply follow the LED trend with blinkers on. It is essential that you determine your exact needs regarding key areas of your bakery such as the display cases. Therefore, conduct some research and ensure you seek expert advice from established lighting specialists, such as Promolux. Keep in mind that you will be making decisions that will affect not only consumers but also your brand image.

Your objective should be aimed at enhancing your retail outlet and the products you sell to the best possible advantage and utilizing only one type of lighting for your entire store will not be the best presentation. It is generally accepted that the product should have the greatest attention and, for this, you should use specialty bakery lighting. To achieve this, you need more than a general lighting plan, which is basically known as “ambient” lighting.

To gain the maximum advantage for your outlet and products, in addition to general lighting, accent illumination from the ceiling and high end specialty lighting for bakery display cases help in making displays more attractive and interesting, thereby arousing customer curiosity. Keep in mind at all times that the lighting in your bakery must complement the overall appearance. At the same time, as an owner, you should be susceptible to change. Consumers do not want the same old and worn shopping experience; therefore, make their journey through your store and interesting one for them and a profitable one for you.

Lighting for your retail outlet should be considered as an investment and therefore, before making a commitment, be aware of any potential complications, which could affect your lighting design, such as applicable restrictions on maximum wattage per square foot. This is where lighting design specialists like Promolux can be of great assistance in saving you time, money, and frustration. As with the rest of your store, the lighting facilities you install will require a certain degree of maintenance; for example, cleaning bakery display cases and replacing globes.

Your bakery display lighting plan is an integral and critical component of your business. It makes that all important difference to consumers and their shopping experience by creating an atmosphere and environment that enhances the quality of your products and brand image. By consulting lighting specialists, significant cost savings can be achieved as well as energy-efficient improvements. A further benefit is that because of continually improving equipment, your lighting facilities generally offer the highest return-on-investment related to major upgrading.

Why You Must Use the Best Lighting for your Bakery Display Cases

For more information on Promolux bakery display case lighting or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

Designing your baked goods retail outlet could be compared to managing a stage production; it may sound strange but in effect you want to present the best possible scenario to get the attention of an audience; your customers! Like a poorly stage-managed show, if you don’t create the right ambiance, atmosphere and environment, consumers will choose another show to visit. As you are aware, there are many competitors in town who would welcome the extra business.

Therefore, use and stage your bakery display lighting to present your store to the customers in the best possible light. Direct their attention to entire areas, not forgetting those frequently ignored tall shelves, back corners, complete display fixtures and every other promotional and selling space. Floor, shelf and any other space in your store are valuable commodities and if you are ignoring, or not fully utilizing them, it could be hurting that crucial bottom line.

There are different types of lighting and specialists like Promolux have the expertise to determine how to get the most and the best consumer reactions to your bakery and its products. The term “ambient lighting” refers to the overall illumination of your store and is achieved by appropriate lighting; for example, bakery display cases or prominent light fixtures in strategic positions.

You are not only seeking to attract the attention of your customers for one or two shopping excursions; you want them to make a habit of visiting your store. For it to be their first shopping choice, and to capture their attention and their business, you must make their shopping experience something to remember and, most importantly, do not take any consumer for granted. The quality of your bakery display case lighting will determine the impact on consumers; therefore, ensure that it doesn’t change the color of a product and that it enhances its appeal.

For many consumers, who are seeking a convenient and enjoyable shopping experience, struggling to see what product is inside a food display case can be an exercise in frustration. Time is a valuable commodity and spending it in a seemingly fruitless search for hidden products is one way of supporting your competition. All products should be visible in well designed and professionally illuminated bakery display cases. Safety should also be a primary consideration, with the assurance that any lighting is not exposed to customers leaning against it or able to touch it accidentally.

Change can be innovative and progressive if it is conducted appropriately and this particularly applies to upgrading your bakery outlet. Whether you intend a major upgrade or even minor alterations to your store make sure that any changes in the floor plan and merchandising are supported with high quality lighting to complement it. The visual and emotional impact that specialty retail lighting can project into your store is as critical to its success as all the other factors needed to operate a successful retail business. In these days of extreme competitiveness, it is essential to regularly review any retail business and make changes to meet the demands of increasingly aware consumers.

Why Specialty Food Case Lighting Means a Better Consumer Experience for Your Bakery

For more information on Promolux bakery display case lighting or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

The influence of lighting cannot be underestimated, as it can impact on every aspect of a consumer retail experience. It can affect a customer’s perception of a brand and product as well as their direct purchasing decisions and personal mood when in the store. There is, accordingly, a strong indication that the factors related to overall in-store and bakery display cases lighting need to be taken into account at every stage of an upgrade or new construction process.

Specialist designers’ such as Promolux have the experience and awareness necessary in strategic and integrated design features, with the ability to co-operate with globally recognized brands. It is an essential criterion in the creation of not only consumer-friendly environments but, ensuring that brand identities and digital communications are all supported with technical expertise and designed strategy. Bakery lighting is one aspect that requires careful and knowledgeable planning, as its impact on your consumers and their reactions can have a positive or negative influence on your bottom line.

The aspect of lighting, whether you are illuminating an entrance or your bakery display cases, can have a highly significant influence in showcasing your store merchandise. In addition to enhancing determined points-of-sale, it contributes extensively to the overall store design. How, where and why you utilize the influences of specialty display lighting will help determine the difference between a successful store plan and layout, as opposed to one that is lacking consumer appeal and ineffective.

There are various factors to consider when planning for your bakery lighting. Specifically, the lighting in your bakery should:

  • Contribute to overall store enhancement and perception
  • Help attract customers into the store
  • Highlight your products, their color and overall visual attractiveness
  • Increase consumers purchasing desires with product enhancement
  • Provide for a more exciting and enjoyable consumer shopping experience

Although it is impossible to determine one particular factor in a single and successful store lighting formula that you as a retailer can follow, the guidelines stated above can form the foundation. However, to compete with or get ahead of the competition, there are various and associated aspects to consider.

Accent or emphasized lighting is an advantage that should be utilized to support your overall store product selection, such as assortment. If you wish to promote or offer special discounts on certain products, it would be market-wise to strategically use specialty accent lighting to showcase them. This type of emphasizing can be utilized with a significant effect for new products or those you believe need to be projected for special attention. The aim of accent lighting is to draw customer attention to a few products, as opposed to everything else in the store. It should, however, be used as necessary and to a degree that makes a consumer impact on products you have determined warrant this attention.

In a high traffic volume store selling many and varied products, specialty bakery display case lighting can attract attention to particular store areas, or product selection. A particular example of this strategy could be a relatively isolated section without appropriate or adequate lighting, but, it logically deserves as much attention as the remainder of your store.

Why Bakeries Must Use Specialty LED Lighting for Their Retail Displays

For more information on Promolux LED bakery display case lighting or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

What entices customers to enter a bakery is the aroma of freshly baked cakes, cookies and breads. For a bakery, the taste and smell of their products is vital. However, the visual presentation and physical environment should get almost equal emphasis. This is because consumer buying behavior is heavily influenced by the visual appeal of food. Especially for bakery items, it is essential to pay attention to how the food looks.

Bakers and bake shop owners will make sure the frosting sits right and the bread is smooth and soft but an equally important factor is to ensure consistent and high quality lighting in the bakery. There is no strict rule regarding what kind of light bakeries should install. However, Promolux specialty LED lighting for bakeries is the best option as it helps to maintain a clean look to the outlet.

In addition to bakery display cases being well-lit and nicely decorated to make the products look more attractive. While this is an important part of business, it is also critical to install high quality LED lighting in the outlet and kitchen.

First, spend some time on choosing an attractive display case with proper display lighting. Then, the installation of lighting in the other places of the bakery should be carefully planned. The intention is to make the customers feel that it is a comfortable and happy environment.

After realizing the importance of illuminating different sections of the bakery store, you have to choose a type of light. Even though it is a little more expensive than regular lighting, specialty LED lighting for bakery displays is the best way to go. Below is a list of why Promolux LEDs are winning over everyone’s heart:

  • True color of product is visible
  • The lights have a long-life.
  • Replacement is quite easy.
  • The return on investment is great
  • It functions great in cold temperature and releases less heat
  • It does not emit UV rays
  • They are dimmable and allow perfect color-matching

In terms of bakery display case lighting, color, intensity and the overall environment created are very important.

As previously stated, Promolux LED lighting provides a clean look. It is advisable to use the same kind of bulbs in the bakery display case as it ensures consistency and helps reach full visual potential. These LEDs are known to reveal true color of items. Therefore, customers will view your cakes, cupcakes, cookies, buns and breads under the best quality light available on the market. Intensity is another great feature as the lights are dimmable. So, you can reduce and increase the intensity depending on your demand.

Finally, you must create an environment using good LED lighting so that your customers enjoy their experience. Another factor to consider is that good lighting can improve employees’ efficiency. Along with bakery display case lighting and rest of the store, work on the production area. Baking is a productive work. Your pastry chef needs great lighting to produce beautiful items for your store. Proper lighting will help to work easily and it will also keep the work environment comfortable.

So, if you are looking to enhance the lighting in your bakery, Promolux LED lighting for bakery merchandising is the best option available. It will increase efficiency and sales effectively.

How to Display Your Bakery Items the Right Way

For more information on Promolux bakery display case lighting or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

With the amount of diligent hours spent preparing, baking, setting, and displaying all those baked goodies, running a bakery is an arduous task. However, no matter how the tantalizing aroma of your freshly baked cupcakes waft out the store, how luxuriantly flaky your pastry is, or how sinfully decadent that chocolate glazed cake appears, your baked goods need an extra splash of color to stand out and draw in customers like magnets.

Your baked items should look “good enough to eat” to garner the visual appeal from passersby and customers. Attractive display cases, incorporating topnotch bakery display case lighting, can render a pleasant charm to your products and allow you to glean the biggest return from your business.

Choose the right display case

Attractive displayed cases are incorporated by bakeries to present their items in the best possible style and ambiance. Obtaining a beautiful display case, decked out with pertinent showcase lighting, is indispensable before you plan to sell your bakery retail items to your customers.

You can either opt for a refrigerated bakery display case or a dry bakery display case, depending on the items that you offer. Dry bakery display cases are used for products that need no refrigeration, such as pastries, bread, biscuits, and buns. On the other hand, desserts or pastries incorporating fresh dairy components, such as fruit, custard, or whipped cream topping entails the baker to store them in a refrigerated holding place.

These high end items contain highly perishable ingredients that are highly sensitive to temperature or lighting and prone to go bad. Thus, if these refrigerators are outfitted with regular display lights, which emit high levels of IR and UV radiation, especially in the UV-B and UV-A range, all your efforts would go the drain.

These emissions enhance the surface temperature of food – leading to accelerated spoilage, and increasing the rate at which the products will lose their freshness, emit unpleasant odor, and discolor. Only LED display case lighting systems are deemed appropriate for exposure to perishable items.

In addition, baked items that enclose meat or cheese must also be refrigerated, such as cheese and ham croissants. Bakery display cases are imperative for storing baked products in a clean, secure environment until an eager, famished patron does them justice. Both types of display cases supply a protected method of high-volume merchandising to ensure the goodness, freshness, and flavor of your products.

Careful use of lighting

Proper lighting makes an item appear more appetizing to a consumer. Most bakery display cases incorporate built-in LED display case lighting to highlight and accentuate the goods by augmenting their colors and attractiveness. Although lighting is one of the most indispensable components to get right, over or under lighting can ruin the exquisiteness of your products.

Lighting should be ample enough to allow customers to distinguish colors and textures without straining their eyes. However, steer clear of bright hanging light fixtures since they may wash out the items under too vibrant light.

In addition, such light sources also exude excessive radiant heat, thus disturbing the consistency of your goods, drying them out, warming them, or even spoiling them. Instead try to use ambient Promolux LED lights to showcase your products, while increasing their shelf life and preserving their quality.

How to Increase your Bakery’s Profile (and Profits) with Better Lighting

For more information on Promolux bakery display case lighting or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

In these days of volatile economies and ever-increasing operational costs, the need to attract and keep customers has become a critical issue. Accordingly, for an established or a new retail bakery outlet, an important key to a successful and profitable enterprise is getting consumers into your stores and ensuring they stay there.

A significant amount of time and energy is expended on the appropriate design for a particular retail outlet, or chain. However, all this effort and the expense attached to it can be wasted in the event of the incorrect store lighting for a bakery display case being installed. It is a crucial issue for the design and workmanship projected into establishing a modern retail store, to combine in creating an overall enhancement, which is directed at a previously determined consumer base.

As all retail stores inevitably have different characteristics, they will attract different levels and types of consumers. A particular example is bakery lighting being selected according to the type of merchandise that is promoted by the store, taking into consideration the category of customers who will be attracted to that specific store. An outlet designed for high traffic volume should utilize sufficient lighting formation to draw customer attention to determined points of sale and specific areas.

Retail store owners and managers should ensure there are no darkened areas or corners that may attract the attention of consumers. The professional experts in bakery display case lighting, such as Promolux, have the experience in creating an environment that attracts and maintains consumer interest and also helps the shopper-loyalty factor with repeat business. Further and sometimes neglected criteria may arise when floor plans are updated, but the question of upgrading the lighting is ignored, or forgotten.

In previous eras, interior design and the associated lighting were handled separately, but today, the awareness is towards enlisting specialists in the particular fields to gain maximum consumer impact. As the degree of industry competitiveness grows, many and varied brands compete for customers on every marketing level. The importance of basic branding elements, like graphic and interior design, online awareness and bakery display cases, as well as audio visual elements, all assume in many instances, critical proportions.

It has become essential for brands to target all the senses of consumers, and accordingly, this philosophy is transferred to the retailer outlets in which the products are sold. Lighting, in its many and varied forms, has been proven to have a direct influence on our moods, with over 80% of sensory information received by the brain originating from our vision. It is a factor that has become increasingly relevant with the evolution in bakery lighting design. In the past, there were limited options, with lighting being restricted to ceiling, walls and occasionally, free-standing.

New technologies such as LED display cases now allow lighting to be fully incorporated into any interior or architectural elements. Whereas, in the past, lighting within units was a rare occurrence and resulted in various compromises, related to size and quality of the technology available. Today, retail stores have retail outlet enhancement and resultant increased profits, conveniently within their grasp.

How Bakery Owners can Use Lighting to Attract More Consumers

For more information on Promolux bakery display case lighting or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

How to attract customers is probably one of the questions asked by a bakery owner that is most difficult to answer. Obviously, there is the usual advertising media, promotions and visually pleasing storefront windows; but, how does a particular baked goods outlet make their business window outstanding in its environment? Furthermore, how can this retailer be confident that it will attract consumers to the extent they want to enter the store?

Like moths, consumers are attracted to light and color and, therefore, professionally designed lighting must be regarded as an important direct impact tool for potential customers and the initial perception they gain from your store window. Appropriately designed window illumination can be highly effective and, when supported with specialty bakery display case lighting from Promolux, you have a recipe for not only attracting consumers into your store, but, turning them into buying customers.

Various studies conducted have shown that consumers are attracted by dynamic lighting, and which can contribute towards drawing their attention to determined Points of Sale (POS). This is achieved by slight variations in the lighting levels of the displayed merchandise. Whether for a storefront window or for the bakery display cases, your store becomes a greater and more tempting place of interest for curious consumers. Lighting specialists can fine-tune color contrast in your store to create visual impacts that enhance its inherent features and present impact product visibility.

Customer-friendly atmospheres can be established that encourage and motivate them to explore interesting and appealing baked products. It introduces new customers to a unique shopping experience, while at the same time, further reinforcing loyalty in your established customer base.

Specific lighting can be utilized for different store areas or product ranges; for example confectionery, pastries and bread among others. Adding color definition to a display will enhance and give added visual stimulation, as well as being useful in influencing the customers’ perception. For additional atmosphere and enhancement, an LED (light-emitting diode) system, enables the creation of different atmospheres at various times, such as products on display, or the time of day.

Attracting attention to your bakery and its products is a business criterion and lighting, if utilized correctly and to its best advantage, is an obvious asset. However, it is always wise to enlist the help of professional lighting specialists, such as Promolux, as you would not wish the completed effects to resemble a fairground environment. Lighting is a powerful and positive asset, but if not applied properly and appropriately, it could produce an adverse effect. Therefore, it is a question of applying the correct balances, such as those between your bakery display case lighting and front store window.

The human eye is extremely sensitive to changes and, within its field of view, every light differential is noticed immediately, even if a person is not looking directly towards it. Development and marketing for retailers do not stand still and it could therefore, be regarded as crucial that to gain maximum benefit from bake shop lighting, your customers must be treated to an eye-catching and stimulating shopping experience.

A Guide to Purchasing the Right Bakery Display Case

For more information on Promolux bakery display case lighting or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

Running a bakery can be difficult at times. After all, it’s not easy baking all those goods and then finding a way to sell them. However, buying the right bakery display case is a brilliant way to enhance visual appeal and lure potential customers and passersby. Here’s your guide to purchasing the right bakery display case to display your baked goods.

Size

Do not just consider the size of your store while purchasing a bakery display case. Keep in mind that some baked goods have a short shelf life so you are better off with a smaller case at first. This will not only help you save some money but also space and energy.

Lighting

Bakery display case lighting plays an important role in showcasing your baked goods. Keep in mind, simply using ordinary lighting for your display cases can have detrimental effects on the quality of your products. Most bakery products have a short shelf life but using proper display lighting can reduce photo degradation, discoloration and increase the shelf life of your baked goods. Therefore, make sure you use food safe bakery lighting. Your best bet is using the LED lamps made by Promolux Lighting. Promolux’s lighting helps perishable baked goods look better and increases their shelf life by 50%.

Promolux LED lighting emits minimal levels of damaging radiation, which helps your baked goods look as good as new. To boost your sales, it is recommended that you give specialty bakery lighting a try as it can have an enormous impact on your sales. Using different forms of specialized lighting helps create a unique shopping experience for your customers. This stimulates customer satisfaction and encourages them to purchase your products.

Shelving

Opt for shelves that offer maximum visibility of all products. You wouldn’t want some of your goods to remain unsold just because they weren’t visible to your customers. Choose display cases that offer tiered shelving. Opt for glass shelves as it allows LED lights to filter throughout the bakery display case.

Style

When it comes to purchasing the right bakery display case, you have two main styles to choose from: the straight glass and the curved glass. This is your choice. You can choose your favorite style according to the look you prefer for your business. Just make sure the style you choose enhances the effect of LED lights.

Refrigeration

Depending on the items you want to sell, you can choose from two basic types of refrigeration: forced air and gravity coil.

  • Forced Air: As the name indicates, forced air systems rely on fans for circulating cold air throughout the display case. Forced air systems are commonly used for prepackaged goods and bakery items.
  • Gravity Coil: Gravity coil systems often rest at the top of the cabinet, circulating cold air to the products. This system is commonly used for display cases meant for salads, seafood, raw meats and other deli products that need moisture.

So, keep all these points in mind and you will be able to select the right bakery case.

How Lighting Influences Your Bakery’s Visual Appeal

For more information on Promolux bakery display case lighting or to request a quote, click on the links to the right.

Lighting in its various forms is an integral part of our lives and its influence is felt in every type of environment, including your bakery. It is a crucial aspect in the overall design that attracts passing trade, provides an incentive to enter your store and is a persuasive tool in consumer buying behavior. Various research studies have revealed that lighting in a store, professionally designed and installed to meet the previously stated criteria, will give positive results with increased sales and profit.

Within the retail outlet spectrum, lighting does not only provide overall illumination for the store and its products but, is a highly valued and productive part of your brand image. Depending on the image and message, you want to convey to consumers, will determine the nature of the lighting installed in your outlet. This configuration will extend to specific areas within your store, including your bakery display cases.

It is recorded that retailers who have gained an understanding as to the value of specialty lighting for merchandising are the most successful in the retail industry. It could be founded on the premise by consumers, of being what they see, is what you are. Business today is in many instances a question of survival and it is a general consensus that a retailer who struggles is one who has failed to associate retail sales with creative store lighting.

Appropriately designed lighting in your bakery, with effective illumination such as specific bakery lighting as an element, will determine the atmosphere for customers. Most importantly, it will also encourage them to browse in the different sections of the bakery and spend more time viewing different products which, could ultimately result in extra sales. Added motivation to purchase is given to consumers by the strategic positioning of highlighted promotional and discounted products.

Other advantages and benefits of lighting to consumers and you as a bake shop owner or manager are many and varied. Among them is the enhancement of the overall store appearance and its products and their increased visibility factor. With the selling power of bakery display cases, there is a consumer perceived added value to the products, as well as a positive security aspect, greater staff incentive because of their working environment, resulting in higher productivity.

When considering a new lighting design, or upgrading the existing one, it must be directed towards your target market. This is where specialist lighting designers such as Promolux can help you define the type of lighting that will best meet the needs of your particular retail outlet, including bakery showcase lighting. You should find yourself in a position, able to outline the functionality of every light in your retail outlet, even with different and specific lighting installed for different product sections.

A particular example could be specific lighting denoting confectionery and promotional products, such as new merchandise. Lighting is a critical factor in showcasing your products, but many retailers forget that it is a significant influence in defining their store and their image.