TESTIMONIALS Case Study: Getting out of your comfort zone – Justin, Franchisee

Meet Justin Whyte, who after managing Bakers Delight Mentone for 10 years, purchased his own bakery through the Manage To Own program in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Starting a business during a global pandemic….

After leaving school at the end of year 11, Justin got a job in a local bakery where he completed his baking apprenticeship. After many years working at the bakery and travelling with his wife Kristen, the couple settled in the southern suburbs of Melbourne, where Justin became the bakery Manager at Bakers Delight Mentone.

Justin was quite happy with his job as bakery manager, however he begun to think about the possibility of owning his own bakery. Considering independent bakeries and Bakers Delight, Justin was amazed by the amount of support available through the Bakers Delight network and the strength of the brand, so he decided to pursue the Manage To Own (MTO ) program.

The MTO program allowed Justin to keep his job as Manager while he completed additional business training that taught him new skills in needed to operate his own bakery.

“At first I was blown away by how involved the process

was, but I felt very supported throughout, there were

so many people to help me through each step”

After completing the training and many years of industry experience, Justin felt ready and prepared to take on his own business. However, just as he was ready to purchase Bakers Delight Chelsea, Covid-19 hit. With Bakers Delight bakeries in New Zealand, shut down due to restrictions and the uncertainty of retail in Australia, Justin was all of a sudden understandably nervous and unsure of what to do.

For peace of mind Justin delayed settlement but after time to reflect he decided to go through with the purchase. After only four weeks, Justin couldn’t be happier and says the Manage To Own program was the best thing he has ever done.  

“I felt confident with my knowledge of the industry and I saw how well the Australian bakeries were performing despite the circumstances, so I decided the best decision for me was to just get in and have a go. I have been so well supported, not only with buying the bakery and throughout my training, but even since taking over my bakery. There is always someone available to call on and there are so many tools and resources available to guide you.”