Automation has long been positioned as the most promising answer to the global bakery industry’s labour pains. Faced with rising wages, high turnover and physically demanding work, bakeries across the spectrum have pumped large sums into automated mixing, baking, bagging and packing systems with the aim of reducing headcount, increasing productivity and profit.
Yet as firms big and small integrate this sophisticated tech, the reality has been more complex.
Automation has often failed to deliver the expected savings and has instead given rise to new skills gaps and training pressures that the sector is struggling to address.
Equipment like robotic pick-and-place units, automated bagging machines and case packers are becoming staples on bakery floors. Robotic systems can load baking trays, get them in and out of ovens, even estimate daily baked goods demand, and predict when peak baking should take place.
HowToRobot, a digital marketplace that connects buyers with suppliers of automation solutions, CEO Søren Peters says he typically sees bakeries using automation to remove the most repetitive and hard-to-staff tasks, rather than to replace large numbers of people.
“The biggest impact is usually in packing, palletising, tray handling, dough panning and other end-of-line processes. Automating these tasks reduces labour cost and error rates, but just as importantly, it frees up people to work on higher-value production tasks, helping bakeries keep lines running despite labour shortages.”
Although automation has helped alleviate some pressure, it has often replaced low-skill jobs with roles requiring higher levels of technical expertise.
What part of baking can be automated?
Products such as artisan breads, soft rolls or irregularly shaped pastries can be difficult for robots to handle consistently, with operators still needed to intervene, clear jams and manage quality checks. Humans must take on realigned tasks like monitoring, troubleshooting and cleaning – roles that still require staffing on every shift.
Rather than removing the need for labour, automation has changed the type of labor required – and this is where many bakeries encounter difficulties. Modern bakery equipment relies heavily on sensors, vision systems and software-driven controls. This means that technicians who can program robots, manage complex software systems and maintain machinery need to be on hand.
Training existing staff might not always be straightforward. Experienced bakers and line workers often have deep process knowledge but may lack confidence with digital systems. For many workers, these skills are completely new, and the training infrastructure to support this shift is lagging behind.
For Peters, the main skills gap is at the decision-making level.
“Most bakeries know where their bottlenecks are. What they often lack is the time and clarity to assess feasibility, understand realistic costs and find the right technology-supplier fit.”
The impact of automation can differ sharply between smaller bakery outfits and large industrial manufacturers. The latter typically have the scale to justify dedicated engineering teams, in-house training programmes and long-term partnerships with equipment suppliers. Smaller ones can find themselves increasingly reliant on external contractors to maintain high-tech machinery.
Automated bakery of the future
But, argues Peters, this doesn’t have to be the case now that automation technology has become more modular and more accessible to smaller bakeries. “The challenge for SMEs is not technology; it’s knowing where to start and how to move quickly without costly mistakes.”
There is a growing call for training schemes that span not only traditional baking skills but also digital literacy, robotics maintenance, data analysis, even software development. However, the integration of such courses into bakery-specific training is still in its infancy. Without these, could workers be left behind in the transition to an automated workforce?
A lot of automation doesn’t require bakeries to turn operators into programmers, counters Peters. “Many systems are designed to be run by production and maintenance teams with practical training, often provided by suppliers. What matters more is giving teams visibility and understanding of how systems perform and when support is needed.
“By making automation planning and sourcing simpler and faster, platforms like ours also reduce the internal skills burden.”
But for bakeries to retain autonomy from their suppliers, automation and workforce development are interdependent. This means the industry as a whole needs to invest in training, cross-skilling and clearer career pathways that link production roles with technical progression. It also means setting realistic expectations: automation can reduce reliance on hard-to-fill manual roles, but it will not eliminate the need for skilled, engaged workers.