Smart Cookie Newsletter - Issue #3

Smart Cookie Newsletter - Issue #3

The Smart Bakery Model: How LLMs Turn Data into Profit

 Today’s bakeries face higher costs and tighter margins than ever. To stay profitable, you need to make smarter, faster decisions—no more relying on gut instinct or last year’s habits.

 Large Language Models (LLMs) like Manus, Perplexity, ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are now affordable and user-friendly tools that can help bakeries of any size turn raw data, including menus, into actionable insights.

 Here’s how to get started, what to upload, and which platforms are best for each task.

You must offer a framework first before loading your files and asking questions. The following paragraph is the beginning of such a prompt. For a full prompt, copy the paragraph below and ask your LLM for the complete prompt.

Bakery Business Consultant Prompt

You are an experienced bakery business consultant specializing in data-driven decision-making. I own a bakery and need help analyzing my business to improve profitability, streamline operations, and stay competitive.

This general prompt sets up any LLM to act as a specialized bakery business consultant before you upload your specific data.

Copy this prompt, paste it into your chosen LLM platform (such as Manus, Perplexity, ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini), and wait for a response.  Then, upload your sales data, menus, operational logs, or competitor information to get targeted insights for your bakery business.

Turn Raw Data and Menus into Actionable Insights

Start Here: Gather your monthly or weekly sales data, along with your current menu (including item descriptions and prices).

What to Upload:

1. Sales reports (Excel, CSV, POS exports)

2. Product mix and pricing sheets

3. Inventory logs

4. Menu files (PDF, Word, spreadsheet)

How to Use: Upload your sales and menu files to Manus, Perplexity, ChatGPT, or Claude. Then, ask plain-language questions like:

“Which menu items have the lowest profit margin?”

“What sells best on weekends?”

“Are there menu items that rarely sell?”

Best Platforms:

• Manus: Excels at autonomous analysis and can generate interactive dashboards and reports, even executing follow-up actions automatically.

• Perplexity: Summarizes large documents and provides source-backed recommendations.

• ChatGPT: Great for file uploads and follow-up questions.

• Claude: Handles large, complex spreadsheets and menu files.

Pro Tip: Start with one month’s data and your menu. Ask for a summary of your top and bottom sellers, then dig deeper.

Spot Operational Problems Before They Grow

Start Here: Collect daily production logs, waste records, staffing schedules, and your menu to gain a deeper understanding of production complexity.

What to Upload:

1. Production and waste logs

2. Employee shift schedules

3. Customer wait time records & notes

4. Menu files (to correlate production challenges with specific items)

How to Use: Upload these files and your menu to Manus, Perplexity, Claude, or ChatGPT and ask:

“What days have the highest waste?”

“Are certain menu items causing bottlenecks?”

“Are there patterns between staff levels and wait times?”

Best Platforms:

• Manus: Can autonomously analyze operational data, identify inefficiencies, and even suggest or execute workflow changes.

• Perplexity: Quickly spot trends and summarize operational bottlenecks.

• Claude: Excellent for multi-sheet files and detailed analysis.

• ChatGPT: Great for summarizing trends and generating action lists.

Pro Tip: Upload one week of logs, along with your menu. Ask the LLM to highlight inefficiencies or recurring issues tied to specific menu items.

Benchmark and Adapt to Your Market

Start Here: Compile your menu, pricing, competitor menus and pricing, and customer reviews.

1. What to Upload

2. Your menu and price list

3. Competitor menus and pricing (screenshots, PDFs, or lists)

4. Customer review summaries

How to Use: Upload your menu and competitor menus to Manus, Perplexity, ChatGPT, or Gemini and ask:

“How do my menu prices compare to competitors?”

“What menu items am I missing?”

“What do reviews say about my menu variety?”

Best Platforms:

Manus: Autonomous market research can scan competitor sites, compile comparisons, and recommend menu or price adjustments23586.

• Perplexity: Real-time search and source links for benchmarking.

• ChatGPT: Great for comparing lists and summarizing reviews.

• Gemini: Useful for analyzing text and images together.

Pro Tip: Begin with your menu and those of two competitors. Ask Manus or Perplexity for a pricing and product gap analysis.

Getting Started: Practical Steps

Pick one business question (e.g., “What’s my most profitable menu item?”).

Gather your data (sales, menu, competitor menus).

Choose an LLM platform (Manus and Perplexity are highly autonomous).

Upload your data and ask plain-language questions.

Review the output and take action.

The Bottom Line

Start small, focus on one problem, and let the LLM guide your next step. Tools like Manus and Perplexity can transform your bakery’s data, including your menus, into clear, actionable strategies.

Ready to see how LLMs can help your bakery? Reply to the newsletter for a step-by-step setup guide or a personalized platform recommendation.

Keep rising,

Jimmy MacMillan

Principal Chef, Consultant, Successful Bakery

P.S. If you found this helpful, forward it to another bakery owner who could benefit from it. Growing together makes us all stronger.