Bakeries are of recent origin and were started originally to supply the needs of European Officials under the British rule. Today consumption of processed food has become a habit with the people and modern bakeries have proved to be a profitable business. Practi­cally all the bigger towns have a bakery or two.

This is perhaps the result of the changing food habits of the people and the growing complexities and quickening tempo of life that has necessitated the standardization and processing of food-stuffs.

In Nasik district, bakeries are to be found in Nasik, Manmad, Malegaon and other towns. As per the 1961 census there were 1,482 bakers in the district.

A bakery establishment requires flour, sugar, yeast, butter, flavouring essences, eggs, etc. These are purchased locally. On an average the expenditure ranges between Rs. 90 and Rs. 300 a month in case of small establishments, between Rs. 300 and Rs. 600 in case of medium sized and between Rs. 600 and over in large sized establishments.

The equipment consists of an oven with its accessories such as metal sheets, moulds, iron rods, etc., vessels and big plates to prepare dough and cupboards to keep the baked stuff. The whole equipment costs about Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 5,000.

Bread, hard biscuits, cakes, biscuits (salted and sweet), toasts, etc., are the products. The demand for these products is almost steady throughout the year. The turnover ranges between Rs. 100 and Rs. 450 per month or even more depending upon the size. Most of the bakeries were one man units with the proprietors occasionally taking assistance from their family members. The working hours were not fixed in case of such establishments where outside labour was employed. The wage rate varied according to the nature of the work or the skill involved.

The income of an establishment comprises the receipts from the sale of the products. The amounts spent on raw materials, rents, labour charges, fuel and electricity, are the items of expenditure. After making allowances for all these liabilities, an establishment is left with an income ranging between Rs. 160 and Rs. 300.