Management and the skills needed
Cookie production requires an efficient management team to oversee the production and packaging process within the factory. The manager must be competent enough to use their acquired skills in scheduling the production personnel concerning the company’s policies. The management team must have efficient knowledge of handling baked products for packaging and properly present them before they are released to customers. Managers should be in charge of the rotation in production, quality control, and ensuring the stock’s correct date. They must have effective communication skills, pay attention to details and work within the provided deadlines.
Facilities Needed
The most efficient machine that can take care of the entire production process is the automatic cookie production line which forms perfect cookies by extruding dough. The machine uses a steel belt with different kinds of molds that can produce hundreds of cookies with the preferred size and shape. It is an efficient machine in cookie production as it saves time and yields high production levels with cookies that have beautiful and unique shapes. It is the most preferred cookie production machine as it provides a variety of tunnel ovens which range from gas, diesel, and electricity that one can select from (Tireki, 2008) . The business has other options as well in case the automated cookie production machine becomes unaffordable. Cookers will come in handy with tables and cupboards to store the ingredients to be used, and the tables are necessary for the different procedures such as mixing dough and the required ingredients. The cooker will be used in baking the cookies, and there is a need to have the cookie cooling equipment or a refrigerator that will be beneficial in cooling the cookies for a faster packaging process. Packaging materials are necessary for storage during transportation to the marketplace and when clients make an order for the cookies to be delivered.
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Location
The production will be from my premises to save the money that could be spent on renting a facility. Part of the house will store the required ingredients, and the kitchen area is where production will take place from. Space is approximately ten by fifteen, and the majority of the space will be used for baking, cooling, and packaging the cookies. There is adequate space in the facility to provide room for workers’ free movement to avoid workplace accidents and injuries. My building is located close to the market. It is easily accessible, meaning that it is an efficient production center where the produced cookies will be transported easily to the clients once the production process is over. Home production prevents the company from incurring extra costs associated with renting but still, the company must adhere to business regulations such as licensing and ensuring sustainable operations.
Space size
The kitchen area from where the cookies are made occupies 10’ x 15’. A large portion of the space is used for activities such as packing, cooling, and sealing. Adequate spacing is also provided between the different sections to reduce possible contamination, risks, and injuries. For instance, the cupboards, cookers, fridges, tables are placed next to the wall rather than in the middle of the room to facilitate safe and easy movement. A small portion of the space will be used to store the ingredients, while half of the space will be where production will take place used to mix ingredients and baking the cookies. Adequate space is a requirement for flexible movement among employees.
Type of building
The building is a home-run cottage that I purchased as my premise, where all operations will be conducted under one roof. The house has a separate region which is divided into four sections that cater to all the production processes until when the cookies get released to the market. The building has a material storage area, where all the required ingredients will be stored, the kitchen and baking area is where the cookie baking activities will take place, the packaging and shipping material area is part of the house where the prepared cookies will be packaged for delivery, and there is an office space to be utilized mainly by the management team.
Production Requirements
Equipment
The essential equipment required in the production includes heavy equipment such as cupboards, cockers, refrigerators, and tales that will be placed alongside the warehouse walls. Cupboards are for storage purposes where all the required ingredients will be placed for easy access by the cooks. Cookers are for a baking purpose, and they must be of high efficiency in heat regulation. Refrigerators will work to cool the cookies to accelerate the packaging process once they are from the oven, and tables are for various activities such as mixing flour, placing the ingredients to be used. The packaging will as well take place on the tables.
Techniques/tasks
The company will implement quality control techniques that will ensure the production of safe cookies. The production process will involve frequent checkups to ensure that the ovens operate under the right temperature and the time involved in weighing ingredients and baking is accurate. Another essential task in the production process involves the inspection process, where all cookies will under an inspection process at the end of production before they get released from the company to the clients. The packaging process will be closely monitored to ensure that high hygiene levels are maintained as the clients’ health, and wellbeing is among the company’s top priorities.
Materials
Among the required material for successful products are the quality cookie sheets that help in making dozens of cookies, and they can be used for other recipes such as pouring out sheet cakes and caramel corns. The baking mats are essential baking tools that promote even browning of the cookies, and they can be reused as many times as they are needed in the production process. Apart from the fridge, cooling rags are essential materials that allow the baked cookies to cool for easier packaging, and they provide the hot cookies with air at the bottom so as to prevent the cookies from having soggy bottoms. A stand mixer is an essential kitchen equipment that is helpful when working with enormous amounts of dough. Other materials include measuring cups, rolling pins, cookie cutters, spatulas, and cookie carriers.
Green Strategy
The green strategy for our cookie production company includes the introduction of sustainable practices in the manufacturing center. Everything will be sourced in a sustainable way which includes making use of recycled materials and investing in energy-efficient appliances that regulate the high consumption of power and water, which are positively attributed in creating an environment-friendly company. The use of local and organic ingredients is another practice meant to enhance sustainability (Manley, 2001). Such products include organic butter, milk from local dairies, and local farmers’ flour to lower the carbon footprint. Lowering transportation needs through the use of local products has positive impacts on the environment. The company will ensure limited packaging waste, which includes running the company as a plastic-free organization. The packaging suppliers will be advised to eliminate the use of plastic in the packaging ingredients.
Staffing needs
All the staffing needs will be catered for by the management. Employees will be provided with workplace uniforms to prevent them from working in their clothes which might be stained due to possible small accidents in the organization. Protective gears such as heavy gloved come in handy when handling the hot cookies from the oven alongside the headwear that protects food contamination from hair. There will be weekly off days for each staff member to provide them with adequate time to rest, which is essential in preventing burnout.
Number and qualifications of staff members
Successful operation of the organization will require one manager who will oversee the daily operations and will as well take up the position of sales and marketing manager. The organization will have two full-time employees alongside four additional workers who will work on a part-time basis. The total number of employees will be six, but the organization can contact additional part-time employees if the orders become unbearable. The employees must have adequate experience in the field, and they are required to have at least a certificate in food production. Still, those with higher qualifications such as a diploma and a degree will be considered first.
Labor pool (availability of qualified recruits)
The employees will be hired depending on their level of qualification. The general chef in the company must be a degree holder, but diploma holders will also be considered for part-time positions. The manager must have a degree in food production management as this indicated the level of competence attained by the individual as they are in charge of different departments that require adequate expertise and competence skills.
Wage rates and union issues
Employees will have an hourly rate of $13.80 and will be entitled to overtime. Employees will be provided with a paid 30-day annual leave and other incentives that reflect excellent performance.
Hiring Plan
The hiring plan will be in accordance with the hiring need, which is to get qualified employees that will do an exemplary job in cookie production and have prior experience in the same. The recruitment plan will go hand in hand with the hiring need, including a well-written job description that includes job requirements and specific qualifications. The job description will have adequate information regarding employee salary and benefits. The positions will be externally advertised through the company’s website and social media platforms. The hiring staff will contact the qualified applicants to review their applications and schedule for interviews. The management will arrange for an interview depending on the number of applicants to determine the most competent individuals to be considered in the hiring process (Knight, 2017). The external advertisement for the new candidates is only essential at the beginning of the new company. The future hiring process will work based on internal advertisement where the open job vacancies will be advertised to the current staff members first for referrals. Extra positions will be considered in external advertisements after exhausting the referrals brought in by the internal staff.
Cost estimates
Start-up costs
The new business requires the purchase of new equipment and paying for a new license according to the regulatory authorities. The estimated start-up budget includes the incurred purchase costs alongside licensing and miscellaneous expenditure.
The start-up costs will be approximately $70,000 due to the licensing and purchasing of new equipment. Opening a cookie manufacturing business
| Licenses | $1,000 – 2,000 |
| Unexpected Expenses | $5,000 |
| Equipment | $40,000 – 50,000 |
| Total | $67,500 appx. |
The operation costs include:
Ingredients $10,000
Packaging materials and supplies $ 5,000
Payroll $ 50,000
Electricity $2000
Other variable costs $ 5000
Total $72,000
Verify staffing and equipment needed using linear programming
Linear programming models will be applicable in the business when dealing with quality control in the process of acquiring new equipment such as the required refrigerators and tables, as it ensures quality control during the purchase process. It will be used to ensure that the staff members use the acquired resources, especially the workplace machines, in the most effective manner. The management will adopt linear programming models to monitor employee quality, especially now that the company is new and quality is key in ensuring the success of new businesses.
References
Knight, R. (2017). 7 Practical ways to reduce bias in your hiring process. Harward Business Review . https://hbr.org/2017/06/7-practical-ways-to-reduce-bias-in-your-hiring-process
Manley, D. (2001). Biscuit, cracker and cookie recipes for the food industry . Elsevier.
Tireki, S. (2008). Technology of cookie production. Food engineering aspects of baking sweet goods , 167.
