Bakeries in December

Bakeries in December are like Blackpool beach on a sunny bank holiday. Chaos everywhere, constant traffic, people moving in every direction and no time to properly stop. It’s full-on… but it’s also one of the best times of the year.

Not just for business, but for morale.

Customers are happier, teams pull together, and there’s a real buzz in the air that only happens at Christmas.

But with that buzz comes pressure.

Orders rise, deadlines tighten, and every part of the bakery is pushed that bit harder to keep up with festive demand.

What we see at KOMA is that December is the month where the quiet issues people planned to “sort after summer” suddenly make themselves known. Of course they do.

Not because the equipment is unreliable, or even simply down to “sod’s law” – it’s because December pushes everything to its limits. Systems run longer, harder and with fewer breaks. Temperatures shift, humidity changes, and demand skyrockets.

And that’s why we focus so heavily on preventative work throughout the year.

No one wants a last-minute problem in the busiest month. We want your bakery running smoothly so you can focus on production — and hopefully enjoy a bit more time at home with family instead of dealing with avoidable issues.

The small things matter most to bakeries in December

One thing we notice every year is that December has a way of highlighting all the small jobs that were easy to ignore when things were quieter.

The tiny bits of wear and tear that didn’t cause any issues in September suddenly start influencing the flow when the bakery is running at full speed.

And this is where marginal gains really show their value.

Those one percent improvements — the tiny adjustments that barely get noticed day to day — can add up fast at Christmas speed.

It’s never the big, dramatic issues that slow everything down.

It’s the little ones.

A door seal letting in just a bit more warm air.

A water level in a proofer sitting slightly off.

A small build-up of scale affecting humidity.

Or a blast freezer taking longer to pull down because the refrigerant isn’t quite perfect after being “topped up”. Firstly: “topping up” is terrible, terrible practice. Secondly: it’s illegal.

Individually, these things might not stop production. But together, they create pressure and tighten timings.

That’s why planned maintenance and marginal gains throughout the year matter.

Not because something is broken: but because small adjustments make the biggest difference when you’re running flat out.

A bakery with the little details looked after always has a calmer December.

More control. More consistency. Less firefighting.

The excitement of creating seasonal products

For all the pressure December brings, it’s also the month where you see bakeries at their most creative.

Seasonal products have a different energy behind them.

Some bakeries spend months testing festive lines. Others tweak things on the fly. Either way, the pride in those once-a-year products is plain to see.

From enriched doughs to spiced pastries, new fillings and finishes, there’s a real buzz when a new seasonal item hits the racks.

But behind that creativity is control.

Recipe development only works when the environment is stable enough that bakers can trust their results. Proofing trials rely on consistent humidity. Blast chilling tests depend on predictable pull-down times.

December might be the busiest month of the year, but it’s also one of the most rewarding because it shows the bakery’s personality in every tray that leaves the oven.

Teamwork and the reality of living one day at a time

December brings out real teamwork in every bakery.

Not the corporate kind: the genuine support that happens when everyone is working towards the same goal.

And the truth is, December rarely goes exactly to plan.

Even the most organised bakeries end up working in 24-hour cycles, adjusting production based on whatever the day throws at them.

That’s where strong partnerships matter.

When support is available the moment it’s needed, it makes the whole season run smoother.

At KOMA, our focus has always been on partnership.

Being there when you need us, not just when it’s convenient. Because December is the month where the right support genuinely makes a difference.

Keeping December calm when everything is full throttle

For all the intensity of December, the bakeries that get through it with the least stress usually have one thing in common. It’s control again.

Not over everything — December doesn’t allow that! But over enough of the process that the chaos doesn’t take over.

Stable temperatures, consistent humidity, reliable cooling stages: they all create breathing room.

When the environment is steady:

Dough behaves.

Batch timings settle.

Space frees up because product moves the way it should.

It’s amazing how much December improves when just a handful of key things stay steady.

The quiet after the rush

Once the Christmas rush has passed and the bakery settles back into a normal rhythm, there’s finally space to breathe.

This calmer period makes it easier to spot the small refinements that can improve next year’s flow. Layout tweaks, process adjustments, better rotation routes: the marginal gains that add up long before Christmas arrives again.

January becomes the ideal moment for practical improvements, building on the momentum of the season rather than reacting to problems.

If December shows where the pressure points are, January removes them, one small improvement at a time.

Wrapping up another December

As the last festive products leave the bakery and the pace settles, it’s always worth recognising what’s been achieved.

December demands creativity, consistency and teamwork at a level few industries experience.

We see the commitment behind it: the early starts, the tight turnarounds and the focus on quality no matter how busy it gets. It’s a reminder of why long-term partnerships matter, especially during the busiest periods.

As the new year begins, those marginal gains and small refinements will shape the months ahead, helping build a smoother and more resilient operation.

From all of us at KOMA UK, we’re here to remind you to enjoy the quieter days that are coming: you will have earned them!