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Bakery Business
May 8, 2026 at 09:23 AM
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The Bakery is one of the business types available in inZOI, introduced in the v0.5.0 update (December 2025). This update added the Baking skill alongside the full business ownership system, giving players the ability to purchase commercial property, set it up with ovens and display cases, and sell baked goods to customers for Meow revenue.
Baking is a separate skill from Cooking. While Cooking focuses on stove-top meals and general food preparation using the refrigerator and induction cooktops, Baking centers on oven-based goods like breads, pastries, cakes, and desserts. A Zoi with a high Cooking skill but no Baking skill will not be able to produce quality baked goods. The two skills level independently, so players who want to run a bakery should invest time specifically in the Baking progression.
A well-run bakery can generate between 4,500 and 13,000 Meow per day depending on the business star rating, product selection, and whether the owner is physically present. Bakery businesses pair naturally with Coffee Craft beverages and Cooking recipes to form hybrid cafes and confectioneries that attract a broader customer base.
Opening a bakery requires purchasing a commercial property, registering the business, furnishing the lot with the right equipment, and configuring operating hours and recipes. The entire process is managed through the Business App on the Zoi's Smartphone (press P to open the phone) or by interacting with the property directly.
Business properties are available on commercial lots across the game's three cities. You can browse available properties through the Edit City window in the game menu. Properties marked as "Business Property" can be purchased with Meow. Lot prices vary based on size and location, ranging from roughly 20,000 Meow for a small storefront to over 100,000 Meow for a large lot in a high-traffic area.
The v0.5.3 hotfix added 12 pre-built business lot presets across the three cities, including Goz's Bakery in Bliss Bay. These preset lots come pre-furnished and ready to operate, making them a quick starting option for new bakery owners who do not want to set up a lot from scratch.
After purchasing a property, register the business by clicking the property and selecting Register Business, or use the Business App on the Smartphone. During registration, follow these steps:
Select the Bakery preset from the Business Type options. This automatically configures the lot with customer activities and management settings suited to a bakery operation.
Set business hours through the Business Settings menu. Choose the days and times your bakery will be open. Consider your Zoi's energy levels and daily schedule when deciding on hours.
Select recipes in the Business Settings. These determine which baked goods your Zoi will prepare for sale. Focus on recipes that match or fall below your current Baking skill level to maintain consistent quality.
Enable customer ordering by checking the "Order" option under Player Settings and Customer Activity. Without this, customers cannot purchase items.
A bakery lot needs several key pieces of equipment, all available through Build Mode:
Equipment | Purpose |
|---|---|
Commercial Oven | The primary appliance for all baking recipes. Place at least one on the business lot. More expensive ovens may have faster completion times. |
Countertop | Needed for dough preparation and recipe assembly before items go into the oven. Without a countertop in the same room, some recipes cannot be started. |
Refrigerator | Used for stocking display cases via the Fill Baking command. Also stores ingredients and can initiate baking directly as of the March 2026 update. |
Display Cases | The primary selling mechanism. Customers browse items in display cases and pay at the counter. Available in the commercial furniture section of Build Mode. |
Cash Register / Counter | Where customers complete their purchases. Place near the entrance for smooth customer flow. |
Ordering Kiosk | Search "kiosk" in Build Mode to find these. Allows customers to place orders directly, supplementing display case browsing. |
Seating | Tables and chairs for customers who want to eat on site. Placing seating near windows or in cozy corners encourages customers to stay longer. |
Place the oven and countertop close together to minimize your Zoi's travel time between preparation and baking steps. A poorly laid-out kitchen can cause pathing issues where the Zoi gets stuck navigating between appliances, wasting valuable time during business hours.
The Baking skill directly controls which recipes are available and the quality of the finished products. Baking follows the standard Level 0 through Level 10 progression. As the skill increases, more complex and valuable recipes unlock, and the Zoi produces higher-quality items more consistently.
Baking recipes fall into several broad categories:
Category | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
Breads | Basic oven-baked goods that serve as introductory recipes. Available at low skill levels with modest sale values. | Egg Bread, French Toast |
Cookies | Smaller baked items that can be produced quickly. The Holiday Festival introduced a seasonal Cookie Man Crafting Kit. | Cookies, Cookie Man (seasonal) |
Cakes | Mid-to-high level recipes that take longer to prepare but have among the highest sale values. Birthday Cakes are popular for celebrations. | Cake (35 Meow), Birthday Cake (45 Meow) |
Pastries | A range of oven-baked sweet items that unlock at various skill levels. Benefit from higher skill to achieve Excellent quality consistently. | Various pastry recipes |
Savory Baked Goods | Not all baking recipes are desserts. Pizza and similar items fall under Baking since they require oven preparation. | Pizza (32 Meow) |
Higher-level recipes generally require more preparation time but yield greater Meow returns when sold. The recipe panel in-game displays each item's required Baking skill level, Meow cost to prepare, and equipment needed.
The v0.5.0 update introduced family-size recipes that enable baking multiple servings simultaneously. Selecting the Cook for Household option before starting a recipe produces enough servings for every household member. For bakery businesses, group-sized batches produce more items per cooking action, keeping display cases stocked efficiently. According to player reports, group meals and desserts sell for roughly 10 times their production cost, making batch preparation one of the most profitable strategies available to bakery owners.
Baked goods are produced at one of three quality tiers. The quality of the finished product affects its sale price, customer satisfaction, and how it contributes to the bakery's overall star rating.
Quality Tier | Sale Price | Factors |
|---|---|---|
Poor | Reduced price | Low Baking skill, negative mood, or unmet needs during baking. |
Good | Base price | Moderate skill level with stable mood and needs. |
Excellent | Premium price | High skill level, positive mood (Concentrated, Focused), and all needs well-satisfied. |
A higher Baking skill level increases the probability of producing Good or Excellent items. At low skill levels, most results will be Poor or Good. By Level 7 or 8, most baked goods consistently reach Good quality with Excellent results becoming more frequent. At Level 10, Excellent is the most common outcome when the Zoi is in optimal condition. Consistently stocking Excellent-quality baked goods improves customer reviews and attracts more foot traffic.
Display cases are the primary selling mechanism in a bakery. Baked goods are placed in display cases after they come out of the oven, and customers browse the cases, select items, and pay at the counter.
To stock display cases, interact with the refrigerator and select Stock Your Market Items, then choose Fill Baking. Your Zoi will bake items according to the selected recipes and place them in display cases around the store. Starting with the March 2026 update, Zois can also initiate baking by interacting with the refrigerator directly, which streamlines the workflow for business lots where display case stocking is the priority.
Keeping display cases well-stocked with a variety of fresh products is one of the most important aspects of running a successful bakery. Empty cases mean missed sales and disappointed customers. Different display case types accommodate different product sizes; larger cases hold more items, reducing the frequency of restocking.
Baked goods can spoil if left out for too long. This applies to items placed on countertops, tables, or in display cases. Spoiled items cannot be sold to customers and must be discarded, representing a loss of both ingredients and preparation time. To manage spoilage effectively, stock fresh items regularly rather than preparing a large batch hours in advance. Stagger baking sessions throughout the business day to keep a rotation of fresh products available. Spoiled food left unattended can also lower the mood of Zois and customers nearby.
As the business grows, players can hire acquaintances or household members as employees. You cannot hire strangers; potential employees must be Zois your character already knows and they must be Young Adult age or older. As the business level increases, you can hire additional employees.
Employees autonomously perform duties including baking, operating the cash register, restocking display cases, and maintaining cleanliness. When hiring, you negotiate a daily salary with each employee. Salaries are calculated based on business level, salary rank, and working hours, with higher salaries increasing the chance the Zoi accepts the offer.
It is important to assign recipes that match each employee's individual Baking skill level. An employee with a low skill level assigned to a high-level recipe will produce mostly Poor-quality items, which hurts customer satisfaction and business reviews. Employees will occasionally slack off, chat with each other, or take breaks during working hours. The owner's direct presence at the business helps keep productivity up. Players who cannot be present for every business hour should consider hiring additional staff to compensate for downtime.
Bakery revenue depends on several factors working together: product quality, product variety, customer traffic, star rating, and whether the owner is physically present on the lot.
Factor | Effect on Revenue |
|---|---|
Product quality | Higher Baking skill produces better goods that sell for more Meow. Excellent-quality items command premium prices. |
Product variety | A wider selection of baked goods attracts more customers. Combining baked goods with coffee or cooked meals broadens appeal. |
Star rating | Higher-rated businesses attract more customers and can charge more. A 2-star bakery can earn around 13,000 Meow per day, while a lower-rated one may earn around 4,500 Meow. |
Owner presence | Revenue drops significantly when the owner is not in the area. Visit your business regularly during operating hours. |
Entrance fees | Some owners set a small entrance fee for additional revenue, though this may reduce foot traffic. |
Tip jar | Added in the March 2026 update. Customers leave tips based on satisfaction, providing a bonus revenue stream on top of product sales. |
Like all businesses in inZOI, bakeries participate in the business leveling system. Consistent operation, positive customer experiences, and growing revenue contribute to increasing the business star rating. Higher stars unlock the ability to hire more employees and attract a larger customer base. The initial startup phase is often the most challenging, as operating fees and employee wages may exceed revenue before the bakery builds a reputation.
One of the strengths of the bakery business is how well it pairs with other food and beverage skills. A Zoi who develops Baking alongside Cooking and Coffee Craft can stock a single establishment with meals, desserts, and beverages, creating the most versatile business setup in the game.
Business Type | Baking's Role | Recommended Pairing |
|---|---|---|
Core skill. All products come from the Baking recipe panel. | Coffee Craft for beverages | |
Shared between Baking and Cooking. Baking provides desserts while Cooking covers savory snacks. | Cooking for a full sweet-and-savory menu | |
Complementary. Pair baked goods with Coffee Craft beverages for a full cafe menu. | Coffee Craft, Cooking | |
Secondary role. Baking adds dessert options to a restaurant menu dominated by Cooking recipes. | Cooking (primary), Coffee Craft |
A single household can own multiple businesses, so consider opening a bakery and a cafe on separate lots for diversified income. Some players run a bakery in Dowon and a cafe in Bliss Bay to maximize coverage across the map.
The March 2026 update introduced several improvements relevant to bakery operations:
Fridge-initiated baking: Zois can now start baking by interacting with refrigerators, not just ovens. This streamlines the workflow for stocking display cases.
Tip jar: Customers leave tips based on satisfaction, providing an additional revenue stream.
Baking Master ambition: A new long-term goal track from the Ambitions system. Challenges players to reach the highest Baking skill levels and produce high-quality goods consistently. Completing it marks the Zoi as a master baker in the new Milestones system.
Walking while eating: Zois can eat baked goods while walking, so customers no longer have to sit down to consume a cookie or bread roll.
Cooking interruption fix: Reduced the frequency of baking being cancelled due to a newborn's crying, a common frustration for players managing a family and a business simultaneously.
Level up Baking before opening. Starting with better recipes means higher prices and happier customers from day one. Reaching at least Level 3 unlocks Cake and Birthday Cake, which have strong sale values.
Use group-sized batches. Group recipes sell for roughly 10 times the production cost with only a slight increase in preparation time. This is the single most effective profitability strategy.
Pre-stock before opening hours. Stock items before business hours begin so customers find a full display case the moment they walk in.
Keep display cases full at all times. Empty cases mean missed sales. Assign employees to restocking duties and bake in staggered sessions to maintain a steady supply.
Rotate product offerings. Customers appreciate variety. Offering multiple recipe types draws more foot traffic than a bakery selling only one kind of item.
Watch product freshness. Bake in smaller batches more frequently rather than large batches that go stale. Spoiled goods are wasted Meow.
Stay present at your bakery. Revenue drops when the owner is away. Visit during operating hours as much as possible, or hire extra staff to compensate for your absence.
Match employee skills to recipes. Assigning a low-skill employee to a high-level recipe results in Poor-quality items. Keep recipe assignments within each employee's skill range.
Keep your Zoi well-rested and happy. Baking quality depends on the Zoi's emotional state and needs. The Concentrated and Focused moods are particularly beneficial for producing Excellent-quality items.
Consider a hybrid business. Adding Coffee Craft beverages or Cooking recipes to your bakery's menu broadens your customer base and increases daily revenue significantly.
