Baking Supplies and Bakery Equipment in Vancouver

If you are searching for baking supplies in Vancouver to run a bakery, cafe or restaurant pastry section, the purchases that matter most are the commercial equipment and tools that make production repeatable: ovens, mixers, dough sheeters, proofers, racks, pans and display cases. Babak Food Equipment supplies this kind of bakery equipment from our showroom at 7190 Randolph Ave in Burnaby, and serves bakers and restaurants across Vancouver and the rest of British Columbia.

This guide walks through what a working bakery needs, how to choose each piece, and how to plan a baking line for a small shop or a growing production kitchen. Note that we focus on equipment, smallwares and kitchen supplies, not flour and other ingredients, which come from food distributors.

Baking supplies and bakery equipment in Vancouver: where to start

Bakeries in Vancouver range from one-oven neighbourhood shops to wholesale operations supplying cafes and grocery stores. Your list depends on what you bake, how much, and when. Start with three questions:

1. What is the product? Bread, croissants, cakes, cookies and pizza dough each stress different equipment.
2. What is the daily volume? Count the loaves, trays or portions you need to produce before opening.
3. What does your space allow? Floor area, ceiling height, electrical service, gas availability and ventilation set hard limits on what you can install.

Once you have these answers, the equipment list is fairly predictable. Our post on the bakery equipment list for Canadian bakeries gives a wider overview, and the sections below focus on the key categories.

Bakery ovens

The oven is the centre of the bakery. Three types cover most needs:

• Deck ovens bake directly on a stone or steel hearth and produce crusty breads, pizza and artisan loaves. Browse deck ovens.
• Convection ovens circulate hot air for even baking of cookies, pastries and sheet-pan items. See convection ovens.
• Combi ovens add steam control for breads, viennoiserie and flexible production. Many bakeries also use them for holding and finishing. Our combi oven range includes RATIONAL and UNOX, and we are an authorized dealer for both.

For large-volume production, our bakery ovens category covers rack and bakery-specific styles. Electric ovens need the right voltage at your location, and gas models need a licensed gas fitter working under a Technical Safety BC permit (or municipal permit in cities that issue their own, such as Vancouver and Burnaby). Plan the permit and commissioning steps before opening day.

Mixers and dough preparation

Mixing is where most bakeries first outgrow home-style equipment. Two types are worth knowing:

Spiral mixers

A spiral mixer is built for bread and pizza dough. The spiral hook and rotating bowl develop gluten gently without overheating the dough. Sizes run from small units to machines that handle over a hundred pounds of dough. Examples include the Thunderbird ASP-40 spiral mixer, and we are an authorized Thunderbird dealer. See all commercial mixers.

Planetary mixers

A planetary mixer works with a wide range of attachments and handles cake batters, icing, cookie dough, meringue and lighter doughs. Sizes from 10 quarts up to 60 quarts or more cover everything from a small pastry kitchen to a busy production bakery. Our post on dough mixers explains the choice in more detail.

Dough sheeters and rollers

A dough sheeter rolls dough to a consistent thickness for croissants, laminated pastries, pizza crusts and flatbreads. It saves hours of hand rolling and gives uniform results. A model such as the Thunderbird TBD-500 reversible floor dough sheeter suits a busy pastry line. Learn more in our post on why dough sheeters are essential, or browse dough prep equipment.

Proofing, racks and trays

After mixing and shaping, dough needs a warm, humid place to rise. A proofer cabinet gives you consistent conditions regardless of the weather in your kitchen. Pair it with bun pan racks that hold sheet pans from the bench through the oven and into the cooler. Look for aluminum racks with sturdy casters, since a loaded rack is heavy and will be pushed all day.

Don’t underestimate the smaller items. Sheet pans, bread pans, cake pans, cooling racks, bench scrapers, dough cutters, piping bags and scales make up the daily toolkit. Our smallware category covers these baking tools and equipment, along with food pans, utensils and storage containers.

Refrigeration and display

Pastries, cakes and fillings need cold storage, and customers need to see what you sell. A walk-in or reach-in cooler handles ingredient storage and dough retarding, while a refrigerated bakery case shows cream-filled and temperature-sensitive items at the front of the shop. In BC, cold holding at or below 4 C (39 F) is the requirement for food that needs it, so check your cases with an accurate thermometer. Follow your local health authority’s guidance for your premises.

Work tables, sinks and storage

A bakery lives on its work surfaces. Stainless steel tables resist flour dust, sugar and moisture, and are easy to sanitize. Add under-shelves for pans, and wall shelving to keep the floor clear. Use the right sink for the job too: a three-compartment sink for washing pans and a hand sink at the production area. If you have not yet planned your layout, our guide to kitchen layout will help you place each station so that dough flows from receiving to mixing to baking without crossing.

Cake decorating supplies in Vancouver

If you search for cake decorating supplies, you may be looking for hobby items like sprinkles and fondant. Our focus is professional equipment and tools that a commercial kitchen uses to produce cakes: mixers, turntables and pans in our smallware range, refrigerated cases, and ovens. For ingredients and specialty decorations, work with your usual food distributor and use our equipment to make the production side efficient.

Buying new or used bakery equipment

Startups often balance a short budget against the need for reliable equipment. New units give you current features, and manufacturer warranty documents come with new products. Used equipment can reduce the upfront cost, which is why many new bakeries start with a mix. Our used restaurant equipment category lists certified pre-owned items that we have inspected, and each listing describes its condition. If you would rather spread the investment, our team can discuss leasing and financing options for equipment purchases.

Bakery equipment planning table

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to plan your bakery? Browse our bakery ovens, visit the Burnaby showroom, call (604) 566-9747, or request a quote. Pricing, availability, delivery and installation are confirmed at the time of purchase.