Scaling artisan quality through smarter production
For artisan pastry and chocolate shop Ganache, growth has always been about quality. Co-founder Glenn Noel and the team have built the business around handmade products, carefully sourced ingredients and traditional craft. But as demand grew, so did the pressure on their production space, equipment and time.
With a move to a newer premises at Charing Cross and plans to expand into viennoiserie and speciality coffee, Ganache saw an opportunity to invest in the right equipment to help the business grow without compromising what makes its products special.
Growing demand created the need for a smarter production process
Making viennoiserie by hand is a skilled and time-intensive process. The dough needs careful mixing, chilling, rolling, proofing and baking, with temperature control playing a critical role in quality and consistency. Ganache’s existing equipment limited how much could be produced at one time and created delays during key stages of production.
At the same time, customers were asking for more. Offices wanted pastry boxes, walk-in customers wanted coffee and takeaway pastries, and the new premises created the potential for a stronger retail offer. To meet that demand sustainably, Ganache needed to increase capacity, improve workflow and protect the artisan quality at the heart of the business.
Investing in specialist equipment to unlock capacity
Through the Better Business Productivity Grant, Ganache was able to invest in specialist equipment needed to support its next stage of growth. The funding helped the business create a more efficient, reliable workflow, giving the team greater control over planning, preparation and day-to-day production.
These improvements have made it easier to maintain consistency, manage demand and produce at a larger scale while protecting the handmade quality Ganache is known for. The team can now work more efficiently during busy periods, reduce pressure on production and respond more confidently to opportunities from both retail and business customers.
Immediate productivity gains with room for long-term growth
The impact is both immediate and long term. Ganache can now make better use of staff time, reduce waiting and rework, improve consistency and increase daily production capacity. The investment also supports new revenue streams, including takeaway pastries, locally sourced coffee and business-to-business pastry boxes.
Just as importantly, the equipment gives the business room to grow. Ganache can now scale production up or down as needed, approach wholesale customers with greater confidence and continue investing in its team, products and customer experience.
For Ganache, productivity is not about cutting corners. It is about creating the conditions for skilled people to do their best work, supported by equipment that saves time, protects quality and opens up new opportunities for growth.
“The Better Business Grant gave us the opportunity to invest in the machines we needed for the new premises. Without it, I don’t think we would have been able to get started in the same way. We’ve expanded production, future-proofed the business and can now scale up or down as we need.”
Glenn Noel
Co-founder, Ganache
