The Test Bakery | Culinary Lab & Digital Platform
A bespoke Django-powered digital home for an artisan bakery in Milpark. It features a custom CMS, intelligent menu management with real-time "Sold Out" status, a weekend-specific pre-order system, and automated marketing tools to grow a loyal customer base.
The Business Challenge
The Test Bakery is a premium digital platform designed for a modern culinary lab and patisserie. Previously relying solely on Instagram for client engagement, the platform aims to bridge artisan craftsmanship with professional digital operations, providing the owners with greater control over brand presentation, content, and weekend production workflows. The project is still under development, and some systems, such as pre-ordering, are newly introduced and not yet fully adopted.
Key Features (Implemented & In Development)
Custom CMS: A management interface for real-time updates to hero sections, brand philosophy content, and precise operating hours, including exceptions such as Friday mid-day breaks.
Intelligent Menu System: Dynamic, category-driven menu supporting batch-based items, dietary tags (e.g., Vegan, Gluten-Free), and live “Sold Out” indicators.
Automated Marketing Engine: Subscriber management and promotion code system with rules for usage limits and expiration dates.
Tailored Pre-Order System (In Development): Module restricting order placement and collection to the bakery’s Friday–Sunday production cycle; adoption is ongoing.
SEO & Performance Optimization: Platform built with Schema.org JSON-LD for local search visibility, paired with a responsive, high-performance interface.
Technical Architecture
The system is built on a modular Django backend with separate applications for CMS, Menu, Orders, and Marketing. The frontend includes reveal-on-scroll animations and a custom administrative dashboard designed for daily operations.
Current & Expected Business Impact
Streamlined Content Management: Real-time menu and content updates reduce administrative overhead.
Improved Customer Experience: Live availability indicators and automated notifications enhance transparency.
SEO & Visibility: Platform optimization aims to improve search traffic and online presence.
Operational Efficiency (Expected): Pre-order system and automated inventory alerts are planned to reduce stockouts and align production with demand.