15.8 Case Study: London Custom Cakery
Case Study: London Custom Cakery
London Custom Cakery is a small, home-based enterprise specializing in custom pies and cakes for special occasions. The business was founded by four graduates of Fanshawe College’s Culinary and Hospitality program—Mary, Nancy, Sandra, and Julie. Since its inception two years ago, the cakery has achieved notable success within the local community.
This week, in addition to their regular orders, the team faces a unique challenge: five high-profile wedding cake orders from prominent families in the area. The details of these orders are presented in the table below.
Operational Challenge
The team is currently facing issues with their cooling system, which has prompted a debate among the partners regarding the optimal sequence for processing the wedding cake orders.
- Mary advocates for handling the orders in the sequence they were received.
- Nancy suggests prioritizing the orders that can be completed most quickly.
- Sandra recommends focusing on the orders with the earliest due dates.
Julie, the most experienced in business operations, intervenes with a more analytical approach. She advises: “Let’s stay calm. We have limited space in the kitchen, and wedding cakes require precision and care. Since we have already completed orders occupying space, we should consider the average number of wedding jobs in progress to determine which strategy will ensure the smoothest workflow.” Her suggestion is met with agreement, as the others recognize her operational insight.
Logistics and Cost Considerations
Four of the five families—Adamson, Coloney, Dawson, and Edwards—have requested professional transportation and catering services for their cakes. To meet these needs, four caterers have been subcontracted. Their charges vary based on distance, cake size, and serving time. The cost breakdown for each family and caterer is shown below:
| Caterer | Adamson | Coloney | Dawson | Edwards |
| Charlie | $1300 | $1600 | $1100 | $1800 |
| Gerald | $1300 | $1500 | $1000 | $1200 |
| Jhonny | $1500 | $1100 | $2000 | $1500 |
| Rick | $1700 | $1700 | $1200 | $2200 |
Questions
As their consultant, you are asked to provide guidance on two key decisions:
- Order Processing Strategy
- Which partner’s suggestion (Mary’s, Nancy’s, or Sandra’s) should be followed?
- Justify your recommendation based on operational efficiency and workflow management.
- Catering Cost Optimization
- Determine the optimal assignment of caterers to families to minimize total catering and delivery costs.
- Identify which caterer should be assigned to each family.
