Bakker Bart
Bakker Bart, a contemporary franchise formula led by Bart’s Retail, is the largest bakery chain in the Netherlands with approximately 140 stores nationally.
Bakker Bart was founded in 1977 as an innovative concept by Bart van Elsland in Nijmegen, Netherlands. He gave his oven a unique place in a shopping center, providing his customers with a direct experience of freshly baked bread.However, this was not the only revolutionary idea. Bakker Bart responded to the growing need for delivery by implementing S4D’s solution.
With an innovative e-commerce strategy, Bakker Bart has once again reinvented itself for the next generation of Dutch consumers, becoming the largest bakery chain with delivery in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands
150+
Stores
Lunchroom
E-commerce, Menu Management, PowerBI
Challenges faced by Bakker Bart before S4D
Bakker Bart’s traditional bakery business model has started facing challenges once digitalization started revolutionizing the industry. Going from 200 stores to 140 stores, determined Bakker Bart to change the business model that served them for 20 years and turn their traditional bakery from 1977 into a modern lunchroom.
Bakker Bart has been using multiple systems to operate their stores, however, these systems were not integrated with, for example, delivery platforms. They had a website that was built by an agency on the Magento platform, but its flow was not designed for restaurant franchises, as the order journey was not straightforward and there were no upsells in the process.
“That’s when we started to realize that we needed to have a website not only in our own branding but also strategically built for conversions and upselling. “ – says Jop van Sommeren (Marketing & E-Commerce Director at Bakker Bart).
Bakker Bart turned to S4D to become the most accessible lunchroom in the Netherlands, across all channels.
“We had an ambitious vision that went beyond the basics of digitalization. We aimed to revolutionize our entire organization. It wasn't just about going digital; it was about transforming every aspect, from our processes to our mindset, and embracing the digital era for our success."
Jop van Sommeren, Marketing & E-Commerce Director at Bakker Bart
Solutions S4D has brought to Bakker Bart
Bakker Bart prides itself on making sandwiches exactly how customers like them. With S4D’s solutions, customers can easily customize their orders. “Upselling digitally is more profitable and easier than face-to-face,” says Jop. This is proven by a significantly higher Average Order Value (AOV) on our online orders compared to delivery platforms or those placed at the counter.
Most of Bakker Bart’s orders now come through the platform, highlighting the effectiveness of the S4D solutions.
“S4D’s solutions are particularly tailored to the needs of QSR (Quick-Service Restaurant) businesses, offering more orders, and significantly higher conversion rates compared to other suppliers or delivery platforms”, says Jop.
Managing franchise locations and the entire chain has become one step easier for Bakker Bart’s headquarters and stores.
“S4D has improved both headquarters and store operations for Bakker Bart. Franchisees can easily configure local settings, define delivery areas using polygons, and manage their menus. The system supports an 80% core menu while allowing stores to offer 20% local products chosen by the franchisee. Additionally, consumers can select their preferred store on the front end, enhancing their shopping experience”, confirms Jop.
Working with S4D has enabled Bakker Bart to collect and leverage data effectively.
With S4D’s PowerBI we can make informed decisions on everything from assortments to pricing levels across different locations. The data-driven insights empower our franchisees with direct access to crucial information, while HQ can easily manage and adjust store setups through the CMS, ensuring the entire chain operates seamlessly.
Jop van Sommeren, Marketing & E-Commerce Director at Bakker Bart
To the question “How is working with S4D different from other digital suppliers”, Jop answered: ‘S4D’s team is very dedicated, with direct connection to franchisees. They think along with our headquarters on how to improve conversions. They aren’t like: “here is the platform and good luck with it”. They truly are committed to helping you succeed’.
Bakker Bart is now on a journey to move from a bakery to a full-service lunch concept improving their online presence first. “As key partners in growth, it is important to make this move together and make Bakker Bart future-proof.” – says Jop.
