In the form of a thin flatbread made from wheat flour. It is widespread mainly among the peoples of the Caucasus, Iran, Afghanistan, and other regions of Western Asia. In English-language publications it is called:

• "Armenian brittle bread";
• “Armenian flatbread”;
• "brittle bread";
• "paraki".

Classic Armenian lavash is a very thin 2-5 mm oval-shaped flatbread of more or less standard size: about 90-110 cm long, about 40-50 cm wide, weighing no more than 250 grams. Lavash is stored in a suspended state, one piece at a time, until it cools; after cooling, it is placed in stacks of 8-10 rows. It dries quickly in air and can be stored dry for a very long time.

Thin lavash production technology + video on how to make it

Raw materials

The recipe for making classic Armenian lavash is very simple and does not require any special skills or qualifications other than working with the dough.

To produce (baking) 100 kg of product you need 80 kg of wheat flour (highest grade), for kneading - 35 liters of water, for moistening - 50 liters of water, about 2.5 kg of salt.

Traditional technology of Armenia

Traditionally, lavash is baked from wheat (and in the past, sometimes from a special type of barley) flour in tandoor ovens ( "tendir" , "tonir"). Sourdough is added to the dough (usually a piece of dough from previous baking). Then the finished dough is rolled out with a rolling pin on a low round or rectangular table. After which the baker, having first tossed it up from hand to hand, stretches it onto a special pillow woven from a willow base, and then, bending low, in one deft movement sticks the pita bread onto the hot inner walls of the tandoor. After 30-40 seconds, the baked bread is pulled out with a special iron rod with a sharp, curved end.

Video of how they make it at home production in Armenia:

Azerbaijanis use a large circle with a diameter of 60-70 cm and a height of 3-4 cm, called “saj”, to bake lavash. Saj is made from the same clay tandir palchagi, from which tandoors are made, is placed on a stand under which a fire is lit.

How they do it in production

In Russia, most entrepreneurs, instead of authentic roasting ovens, prefer to use either automated compact lines or at least a tunnel oven (price from $500) as production equipment, but not a tandoor.

The baking itself is done dry, which means that the frying surfaces are not lubricated with oil or grease. This process is considered to be the most complex and important; it is at this stage that the quality of the finished pita bread is determined. The main difficulty that beginners often encounter in production is choosing the correct proportions of ingredients (water and flour) for kneading the most plastic dough. Basically, each supplier of production equipment provides its own proven recipe, and yet, most likely, establishing the correct proportion will have to be done individually through trial and error.

Initially, the dough is kneaded in a dough mixer for 30 minutes. For greater convenience of work, one batch should not exceed a volume of 25 liters. After which the well-kneaded dough is divided into pieces, 140 grams each. Before you start rolling out, the pieces of dough should be covered with film or cellophane to prevent the dough from airing and drying out. Using a rolling machine, a flat cake is made from each piece, the thickness of which varies between 5-6 mm and the diameter is 250 mm. The finished rolled out flatbreads are placed in stacks sprinkled with flour to prevent the dough from sticking together; the top of the flatbreads is covered with cellophane. After that, the cakes are stretched one by one onto a special pillow-matrix, where they are baked.

How to make thin lavash in small production:

Storage of finished products

According to GOST 31805-2012, the shelf life of lavash is 3 days. And yet, if desired, this period can be extended a little. The total length of the storage period depends on the uniformity of the lavash’s baking, as well as on its quality. An insufficiently baked product is stored for 2-3 days, while a well-baked product can retain all consumer qualities for 10 days.

Equipment for the production of lavash

To prepare traditional Armenian lavash, as a rule, they use a tandoor, and yet many businessmen who start production choose automated modern compact lines instead. Admirers of the original lavash claim that the product made using modern equipment is significantly different in both consumer and taste parameters from lavash cooked in a tandoor. And yet, there is no doubt that the first method is more profitable from an economic point of view. According to entrepreneurs, the selling price of baking lavash using automatic equipment will be at least 1.5-2 times lower.

Through the use of automated lines, it is possible to produce about tens of thousands of flatbreads per day. Typically, such production lines include a tunnel oven, a sheeting machine, a conveyor-humidifier, a control panel, a couple of packaging and storage tables, exhaust pipes and umbrellas.

The automated line is particularly compact; it does not take up too much space, and it requires a couple of workers to operate it.

And yet, automated lines have their opponents. They are confident that during the preparation of lavash it is unacceptable to miss manually stretching the lavash blank onto the matrix. And if you don’t do this, the quality characteristics of the final product will deteriorate. In addition, they vehemently protest against the use of gas ovens for the production of lavash, since the product prepared in this way, in their opinion, acquires the aroma of gas. Opponents of automation prefer the use of standard equipment for baking flour products; this includes an oven for baking pita bread, a machine for rolling out dough, a dough mixing machine, and a vibrating flour sifter.

If you bet on automated production, then the line will cost from $40,000 (excluding the price of delivery and installation work), and the dough mixer from $400 to approximately $3,000).

If you purchase each equipment separately, then a sheeting machine will cost $3,000, a dough mixer with a capacity of at least 25 liters will cost $1,500-2,000, and an oven will cost from $1,000.

If you purchase used equipment, you can save about 35-40% of the cost (based on the condition of the equipment). At the beginning of work, it is permissible to do without a sheeting machine and roll out the dough manually. And yet, in this case, productivity will be minimal, and therefore it is best to buy auxiliary equipment over time. Initially, you should buy one unit of each type of equipment, and then, as production volumes and income increase, you can purchase additional equipment.

About $1000 will be spent on purchasing the first batch of raw materials needed to prepare Armenian lavash. There are no special requirements for raw materials, so there should not be any particular difficulties in finding suppliers. Try to find options for economical and high-quality raw materials, as well as ideal working conditions for you. Despite the fact that suppliers of automated equipment are convinced that for the production of products on this type of production line, the most important thing is to maintain the necessary proportions of salt, water and flour, while the quality and grade of flour do not play a special role, and yet experts advise not to save too much on key ingredients.

When ordering an automated line, certain suppliers offer their customers ready-made label designs, as well as a certain number of packaging bags for pita bread (for example, 20,000 units). If your supplier does not offer such bonuses, or if you order all the equipment separately, this means that you will have to order the packaging yourself. The price of cellophane packaging with a label is less than 1 rub. for a unit. Still, it’s worth considering the design of your label first. Initially, it seems that this is not so important, that it is a trifle that is not worth special attention. And yet, according to research results, in the absence of other options for promoting finished products, only a bright label that stands out against the overall background initially attracts the attention of buyers to a new product.

Workspace and staff

To produce thin Armenian lavash, you need a room with an area of ​​120 square meters. subject to the installation of an automated line, or about 20 sq. m. in case of using minimal equipment: oven, dough mixer, sheeting equipment and other things. The required production space should ideally be owned by the entrepreneur or rented. Most importantly, the premises must comply with all existing sanitary rules and regulations. For example, it must have cold and hot water, ventilation (a standard vent fan is also suitable), and sewerage. The walls in the workshop should be tiled, the ceilings should be neatly whitewashed. It is not permissible to place such production in the basement. In addition to the production workshop, separate utility rooms (warehouse, toilet, etc.) and household rooms are required.

For one shift of work in the workshop, two workers will be enough to prepare and bake lavash. In addition, two workers are required to package finished baked goods. Each employee is required to have a completed personal medical record. To sell pita bread, you need a sales representative, preferably with your own vehicle.

Permits and business registration

To organize your own business producing lavash, you need to issue and receive certain certificates and documents: notification (permission) from the SES, certificate (declaration) for the product. It will take one month to complete the entire package of documentation; this should be taken into account when planning when to start operating your bakery. It is important to first draw up a floor plan with a complete arrangement of equipment, and also coordinate this document with Rostekhnadzor and the firefighters.

Additional costs include employee salaries for 1 month (from $200-300 per employee, depending on the specific region), expenses for either registration of permits for production of products, their sale (about $500), and other costs.

Payback

It is generally accepted that the business of producing Armenian lavash is a very profitable, profitable business, despite the existence of fairly high competition in this market. The demand for such a business can be associated with the following features. First of all, lavash is a universal product; it can be consumed on its own, or as an ingredient for preparing a variety of original dishes (for example, appetizers, Armenian casseroles, etc.). In addition, compared to ordinary bread, lavash is considered a more dietary and healthy product (since it does not contain yeast, and yet it is difficult to call it an absolutely dietary food). The volume of lavash consumption depends little on the season (while the volume of white bread consumption decreases dramatically in the summer).

In Russia, the cost of one lavash from producers is 7-8 rubles. As for the retail price, it is usually 3-4 times higher.

The payback period of a business depends on various conditions and factors. According to the experience of entrepreneurs who work on automatic lines, it is quite possible to return their expenses for the process of organizing a business within a year, provided that production is fully loaded and sales of products are established.

Sales of products and business development

Pre-select the main sales channels for finished products. Lavash is best sold in chain stores, but it is very difficult for the products of novice businessmen to get onto the windows and shelves of large stores.

Despite the fact that the product range of this production is initially limited, there is always the opportunity to expand it a little through baking, for example, in addition to traditional Armenian lavash, bake Mexican flatbreads - tortillas. You can add other varieties of flatbreads from cuisines of different nationalities to the production range, slightly changing the ingredients, as well as their proportions.

The first step in the production of lavash is obtaining the dough. To do this, pre-prepared raw materials are supplied (sifted flour, heated water), dosed manually or using automatic dispensers according to the recipe, and fed into a spiral dough mixer, where the kneading is performed.

The use of UTF-GROUP equipment, specially designed for the preparation of lavash dough, ensures the production of the highest quality product.

The finished dough is fed to a set of forming machines, which form lavash blanks from a portion of dough or dough tape. The process of forming blanks can occur in automatic and semi-automatic mode.

In a semi-automatic mode, blanks are formed on sheeting machines from rounded pieces of dough of a given weight and size obtained on a dividing machine.

In automatic mode, the blanks are formed from a dough tape rolled in two directions. In this case, you can obtain blanks of various shapes. Square and rectangular ones are produced using a system of circular knives and a guillotine, round and oval ones are produced using cutting drums.

The next stage of production is baking the product in ovens, the design of which should provide the most favorable conditions for baking finished products. The oven for Armenian lavash produced by UTF-GROUP, thanks to its special design optimized for the production of Armenian lavash, is able to satisfy the requirements of any customer.

A gas or electric tunnel oven for thin lavash with a length of up to 10 m and a hearth width of up to 1000 mm guarantees perfect baking of the finished product. Selecting a furnace based on equipment performance ensures maximum economic efficiency.

For industries with small production volumes, a compact lavash oven with a rectangular or round hearth is used.

PITA EQUIPMENT UTF-GROUP

• high quality lavash
• low cost of equipment
• modern control system
• reliable 24/7 operation
• compliance with European hygiene and safety requirements
• CE and Euro-1 certificates

OWN PRODUCTION OF LAVASH:

the company provides professional advice on the technology and features of lavash production

transferring to clients a collection of recipes for organizing the production of the most common types of lavash

guarantee of reliable operation of new equipment models - new design solutions are pre-tested in real production

the possibility of using the equipment for the production of other food products, such as multigrain chips, thin tortillas, and other types

WHAT MAKES OUR EQUIPMENT SO SPECIAL?

UTF-GROUP has been working in the field of production of equipment for making Armenian lavash for over 25 years. No one has worked in this direction longer and better than us! Our technologies, developed and constantly improved over 25 years, allow you to achieve the expected result. The traditional process of producing pita bread requires honed skills in shaping and baking products, as well as significant labor costs throughout all stages of production. All this leads to high unit costs of finished products. UTF-GROUP replaces painstaking manual labor with machine labor, which does not require highly qualified molders and bakers, or even completely replaces them with automatic machines. Equipment with various levels of automation - from automation of individual processes of rolling and baking to fully automated production - fully meets the plans and development strategy of any manufacturer, from small bakeries to large factories.

WHAT IS ARMENIAN LAVASH

Lavash is an Armenian product known since ancient times, which has long crossed the borders of one nation and become a world heritage. It is a very thin unleavened flatbread without yeast. The minimum amount of ingredients (flour, salt and water), simple cooking technology and, most importantly, excellent taste have ensured its popularity both directly as a bread product and as components of various dishes. The thin thickness, flexibility and strength of Armenian lavash helped it gain popularity in fast food, where it is used for wrapping all kinds of products - shawarma, kebab, hot dogs, rolls and many others.

SECRETS OF PREPARING LAVASH

Despite the simplicity of preparation, the production of Armenian lavash also has its secrets. So, in order to get a very thin and flexible, but at the same time durable pita bread, you need to roll out the dough and stretch it in two directions. In traditional production this is done manually, but in automated production it requires the use of special technology and special machines. Few manufacturers were able to produce lavash of proper quality using their equipment. UTF-GROUP became the first manufacturer in the world that was able to solve this complex technical problem. Therefore, any lavash machine from our company ensures a product that does not tear at the seam and is not inferior to the best examples of hand-made traditional lavash.

Bread is what always and at all times enjoys the same
demand. Any global crisis economic phenomena only spurs
consumption of bread and bakery products.

Our new business idea is entirely dedicated to the production
Armenian lavash and wheat rolls. Why lavash? First of all, this is one
one of the most ancient and healthy types of bread, moreover, it is popular in Russia, as
among ordinary consumers and various catering establishments.
Secondly, Pskov equipment manufacturers were able to offer the market an innovative
development that significantly increases business profitability. Do you still want
open a mini bakery? It's time to take a closer look at the automated line
production of lavash and wheat rolls, one line in terms of its profitability
surpasses the work of an entire mini-bakery.

Equipment for
production of lavash

The classic recipe for lavash consists of wheat flour, salt and
water. Such a simple recipe, on the one hand, is ideal for business, on the other
consumers like it due to the absence of GMOs and other chemicals
components.

We will consider the maximum performance
equipment (the finished product from this line is suitable for both stores and
for preparing fast food) of the Pskov company Roll-Line LLC - automated
line ALLR 2800D/Sh (150 KG/H).

The line includes: sheeting machine - 2 pcs., tunnel
oven, conveyor humidifier, storage tables – 4 pcs., packaging tables –
3 pcs., control panel, exhaust hoods and pipes.

Additional equipment: transverse stretcher,
conveyor - stacker for cutting forms.

The yield of finished products from 1 ton of flour is 1200 kg.

Per 100 kg
ready-made lavash is consumed: flour - 80 kg, water for kneading - 35 liters, salt - 2.5 kg, water for moistening -
about 50 l.

At the same time, the automated line produces the product
of the highest quality, which in its taste characteristics is not inferior to
traditional handmade production.

Only one operator can operate the line, since the work
fully automated.

Equipment for
production of lavash 2800L/W (150 KG/H) in operation

If you are still looking
lavash machine or lavash oven? It's time to keep up with the times by translating
your business on cost-effective automated production lines, only they
in modern conditions can take your business to a new level.

Required premises

Depending on the performance of your chosen
equipment, you will need a room of 150 to 200 square meters. It can
be either your property or rented. First of all, here
it is necessary to take into account the requirements of the SES (waterproof floors, cladding and painting
walls, cold and hot water, sewerage and ventilation, standards for utility
premises). At Roll-Line LLC you will be advised free of charge on current
nuances of selecting premises for specific equipment and all new requirements
SES. The equipment supply agreement already includes a free development clause
plan for placing equipment indoors, taking into account overall dimensions
and technological requirements.

Scheme
preliminary location of production premises

Staff

Since all equipment of Roll-Line LLC
automated to operate it will require two people and two people
(with sanitary certificates) for packaging of finished products. Naturally, for
establishing sales, you need a sales representative with your own car, first
Nowadays, you can take up the issue of selling your products yourself.

Total salary of the entire work team per month
approximately 150,000 rubles and can vary significantly in
depending on the region.

Raw materials

As we wrote earlier, pita bread consists of simple components,
suppliers of which can be found in every Russian region. The main thing is to follow
quality of raw materials and give preference to trusted suppliers.

Packaging and products

On average, the price of one package for a wholesale order starts
from 35 kopecks, you can develop a design in any design studio or using
freelance services.

The shelf life of finished products according to GOST is three days. In your
If you wish, you can increase the shelf life (specifications allow you to do this).

Business by
lavash production in numbers

Budget for 30
days, with production of 6000 pcs. (By
200g) lavash in 1 shift (8 hours)

* Flour – (17 thousand rubles per 1 ton)
30t. = 510,000 rub.

Bags and labels –
180000 pcs. by (0.35 * 2 = 0.70 rub.) = 126,000 rub.

Salary 5 people By
30,000 rub. = 150,000 rub.

Rent – ​​150 m2 for 400 rubles. =
60,000 rub.

Electricity 8h.
120 kW* (5 rubles per 1 kW)* 30 (days) – 144,000 rubles.

Water - approx. 5000 rub.

Salt – 750 kg. – approx. 5000
rub.

Ready lavash – 6000
PC. (200g each) *30 (days) = 180,000 pcs.

Cost of one
lavash = 5.56 rub.

Total: monthly expenses – 1,000,000 rubles.

With cost
sales of one lavash - from 14 rubles. *180000 pcs. = 2520000 rub.

Your monthly income is from 1,500,000
rub.

*All data is provided in
average for Russia

The profitability and payback of a business directly depend on
cost of finished products, you can calculate it for your city
independently through the calculator - entering data on raw materials and other costs. On average, the cost of lavash or
roll 200 g.
amounts to TOTAL up to 6 rubles.

Attention! A profitable project for starting your own business that will definitely interest you - “ “.

The calculation of the quantity of finished products per day depends on you,
depends on what products you will produce and in how many shifts. Maximum
line productivity 150 kg/h.

And here is the current table of prices for lavash in Russian regions,
As you can see, the price spread is very, very large:

Substituting your region and calculating the unit cost
finished products, you can calculate the approximate real payback yourself
business.

In an ideal situation, one shift can produce an average of 50,000
rubles of income, which reduces the payback to just 2-3 months.

Who can be yours
client

According to experts, the lavash business, along with, is considered one of the most economically profitable. Due to the high demand for products, there will not be any particular difficulties in finding potential clients.

You can arrange supplies of lavash both to large chains and
small retail outlets. Do not forget that kebab shops and sales points
shawarmas, cafes, canteens and even restaurants - they all buy lavash.

There is a sales market and in many cities it is not yet occupied, automated line ALLR 2800D/Sh
makes it possible to form a favorable pricing policy and break through with your
goods to retail chains. Moreover, do not forget that there is
the ability to vary the size of the finished product, and this in turn will help
formulate a long-term marketing policy and adapt to needs
market.

How to order
equipment for the production of lavash

You can personally call toll-free number 8 (800)
333-24-95 and get advice, ask all your questions or
fill out the feedback form on the website Roll-line.ru and company representatives will contact you.

After completing this game just once, you will learn how to create viable business ideas from scratch.

Do you want to know when your business will pay off and how much you can actually earn? The free Business Calculations app has already helped you save millions.

* The calculations use average data for Russia

The usual loaves and long loaves on the shelves in grocery stores have replaced various pita breads. Lavash is unleavened white bread in the form of a thin flatbread made from wheat flour. Lavash belongs to the national cuisine of the peoples of the Caucasus and other regions of the Middle East and is also called “Armenian brittle bread” or “paraki”. It looks like a flat and very thin (0.2 - 0.5 cm thick) oval-shaped cake, which is about 90-110 cm in length, about 40-50 cm in width and weighs no more than 250 grams. There is also another type of thin pita bread called rolls. The latter are large in size (one sheet of roll can reach two meters in length).

The lavash production business is considered profitable and profitable, even despite the very high competition in this segment. The popularity of this direction is explained by several factors. Firstly, lavash is a universal product that can be used either separately or for preparing various dishes (for example, shawarma, various oriental casseroles, snacks, etc.). In addition, unlike ordinary bread, lavash is positioned as a healthy (dietary) product (no yeast is used for its preparation, although it cannot be called completely dietary), and the volume of its consumption practically does not depend on the season (while the volume of consumption white bread decrease noticeably in the summer).

The technology for making lavash is relatively simple and does not require special qualifications. It is enough to have at least a little experience and knowledge about the sequence of operations. To prepare real Armenian lavash, special tandoor ovens are traditionally used, but most entrepreneurs who start the production of thin lavash prefer modern automated compact lines. Connoisseurs of “authentic” lavash claim that the product prepared on modern equipment differs in its taste and consumer qualities from lavash baked in a tandoor. However, undoubtedly, the first option is more profitable. According to the entrepreneurs themselves, the cost of baking lavash using automatic equipment is two times lower. An added benefit is that there are no ingredient issues.

So, to prepare 100 kg of finished lavash you will need (according to the recipes of manufacturers of equipment for preparing thin lavash) 80 kg of premium wheat flour, 35 liters of water for kneading and 50 liters of water for moistening, as well as 2.5 kg of salt. At the same time, the cost of one package of lavash is about six to seven rubles, and the retail price is 3-4 times higher. Using automated equipment, it is possible to produce up to 30-32 thousand pita breads per day. Such a line for baking yeast-free dough, as a rule, includes a sheeting machine, a tunnel oven, a conveyor-humidifier, several storage and packaging tables, a control panel, as well as exhaust hoods and pipes. The automated line is quite compact, does not take up much space, and two people will be enough to operate it.

However, automated lines for the production of thin pita bread also have their opponents. The latter claim that when preparing lavash it is impossible to exclude manual stretching of the lavash blank onto the matrix. And if you do without this procedure, the quality of the finished product will be much worse. In addition, they oppose the use of gas ovens for making pita bread, since the product baked in this way acquires, they claim, a gas smell. Opponents of automation prefer to use standard equipment for baking bakery products, which includes a vibrating flour sifter, a dough mixing machine, a dough sheeting machine, and a pita bread oven.

The process of preparing pita bread in this case is as follows. First, the dough is kneaded in a dough mixer for at least half an hour. For ease of work, it is recommended that one batch does not exceed 25 liters. The kneaded dough is then divided into individual pieces weighing 140 grams each. Before rolling, the pieces of dough are covered with cellophane so that they do not dry out or become airy. From each piece, using special equipment (rolling machine), a flat cake is rolled out with a thickness of 5-6 mm and a diameter of 250 mm. The rolled out cakes are stacked, sprinkled with flour to prevent the dough from sticking together, and also covered with cellophane. Then the cakes are stretched onto a matrix pillow, on which baking is carried out.

Baking is carried out dry, that is, without lubricating the frying surface with fat. This stage is considered the most important and determining for the quality of the finished product. The main difficulty that beginners face is selecting the correct ratio of ingredients (flour and water) to achieve the desired plasticity of the dough. As a rule, equipment suppliers also provide their own recipes, but most likely you will have to determine the correct ratio experimentally. Using this technology, two people can make 1000 pita breads per shift.

So, to produce thin lavash you will need a room with an area of ​​120 square meters. meters when installing an automated line or about 30 sq. meters (when purchasing separate equipment - dough mixer, oven, sheeting machine, etc.). The production space can be owned (ideally) or rented. The cost of renting a premises of 100 sq. meters will be about 55-70 thousand rubles, depending on the location and region. The main thing is that the premises complied with all sanitary standards and rules. In particular, it must have hot and cold water, sewerage, and ventilation (an ordinary window fan will do). The ceilings should be whitewashed and the walls tiled. The room should not be located in the basement. In addition to the workshop itself, household and utility rooms (toilet, warehouse, etc.) will be required.

To work in the workshop for one shift, two people will be required to prepare and bake lavash, as well as two people to package the finished product. Each employee must have a personal medical record. To sell lavash, you will also need a sales representative with a personal car.

To organize a business producing lavash, you will need to obtain a number of documents: permission (notification) from the SES, declaration (certificate) for the products. It will take about a month to complete all the necessary paperwork, which needs to be taken into account when planning when your bakery will start operating. Don’t forget to make a plan of the premises with the arrangement of equipment in advance and coordinate it with the firefighters and Rostekhnadzor.

Depending on the chosen option for producing lavash, certain equipment will be required. If you choose the option of automated production, you will need to purchase a production line (2.8 million rubles plus the cost of transportation and installation) and a dough mixer (no more than 100 thousand rubles). The dimensions of such a line are 1.2 by 8 meters. The period of its trouble-free operation, according to manufacturers, exceeds five years.

The cost of equipment when purchasing each item separately will be: a stove (60 thousand rubles), a dough mixer with a capacity of at least 25 liters (80-100 thousand rubles), a sheeting machine (about 200-25 thousand rubles).

When purchasing used equipment, you can save up to 35-40% (depending on its condition). At first, you can do without a sheeting machine and roll out the dough by hand. But the productivity in this case will be low, so it is better to purchase auxiliary equipment. To begin with, you can purchase one unit of each type of equipment, and then, as production volumes and your profits increase, purchase additional machines.

About 50 thousand rubles will be spent on purchasing the first batch of raw materials for making pita bread. There are no special requirements for raw materials, so there will be no problems finding suppliers. Look for options for high-quality and inexpensive raw materials and working conditions that suit you. Although suppliers of automated equipment claim that to prepare products on such a line, the main thing is to maintain the required percentage of flour, water and salt, and the grade and quality of flour do not matter much, experts still recommend not skimping on ingredients.

When purchasing an automated line, some suppliers offer their clients ready-made label designs and a certain number of bags for packaging pita bread (for example, 20 thousand pieces). If your supplier does not have such bonuses or you purchase all the equipment separately, then you will have to order the packaging yourself. The cost of a cellophane bag with a sticker is less than one ruble per piece. But think about the label design in advance. At first glance, this is a trifle that does not deserve much attention, but, as research shows, in the absence of other opportunities to promote your products, it is a bright label that stands out from the general background that first of all attracts the attention of consumers to a new product.

Additional expenses include employee wages for one month (about 10-20 thousand rubles per person, depending on the region), costs for opening an individual entrepreneur or LLC, obtaining permits for production and sales (about 35 thousand rubles), other expenses (approximately 80-100 thousand rubles).

When determining the optimal volume of one batch, keep in mind that the shelf life of lavash according to GOST is three days. But if desired, this period can be increased. The length of shelf life depends on the quality and uniformity of baking of the product. Poorly baked lavash can be stored for no more than 2-3 days, while well-baked lavash can retain its consumer properties for ten days.

Although the range of such production is initially very limited, it can be somewhat expanded by baking, for example, in addition to classic Armenian lavash, also tortillas - thin Mexican flatbreads. You can also introduce other types of flatbreads from the cuisine of different nations of the world into the assortment, slightly changing the components and their ratio.

Think through the distribution channels for your products in advance. Lavash is best sold through chain trading companies and supermarkets, although it is very difficult for a novice entrepreneur to get their products on their shelves.

Supplies of popular food products to the consumer market will bring high income to the entrepreneur. And for these plans to come true, you need to choose just such a popular product among buyers. Recently, it has become lavash. The production of Armenian lavash, due to simple equipment and technology itself, will become a profitable business for a novice entrepreneur.

Lavash is flat unleavened bread made from wheat flour. The product, as a rule, is produced in the shape of an oval up to 110 cm long and up to 50 cm wide. Lavash belongs to the national Caucasian cuisine, where many dishes are prepared from it, but Russians have also loved this product for a very long time.

Our business assessment:

Starting investments – from 1,500,000 rubles.

Market saturation is low.

The difficulty of starting a business is 6/10.

It cannot be said that the market is overcrowded with these products - even large supermarket chains, as a rule, only have a few manufacturers represented. What can we say about small stores around the corner? And it is precisely low competition that makes the production of lavash as a business highly profitable and quickly pays off.

To implement a large-scale project, significant funds will be required. But capital costs can be significantly reduced if you launch a mini-production of lavash, which at first will work only for the local market. What stages in this case should be displayed in the business plan?

Required raw materials and technology

The raw materials that will need to be supplied to the production workshop are publicly available in any region. All you need to carry out the process is flour, water and salt. To ensure that the equipment does not remain idle in the future, it is necessary to conclude agreements with suppliers for the wholesale supply of all components.

The specific recipe may vary in each case - no entrepreneur will reveal his secret. The “average” recipe looks like this (for 100 kg of finished thin pita bread):

• Premium wheat flour – 80 kg.
• Water – 35 l.
• Salt 2.5 kg.

It is better to involve a technologist in the matter, who would work out the exact composition, since a novice entrepreneur may have problems selecting the amount of ingredients to obtain a plastic dough.

The production technology of lavash is variable and allows you to obtain the finished product in 2 ways:

• using modern equipment.
• traditional method.

The use of an automated line significantly speeds up the process, which makes it possible to supply large quantities of goods to the market at a reduced cost. In this case, the entire chain (from sifting flour to obtaining the final product) is carried out automatically - with virtually no human intervention.

But adherents of old traditions argue that it is better to produce Georgian lavash only using a special oven (tandoor), which, of course, is not available in modern production lines. Here the prepared dough is divided into individual flat cakes and rolled out. Then they are stretched in a special way onto a matrix pillow, on which the products are baked. The lavash oven does not require the use of oil - the final product is very tasty. If you hire experienced bakers, a professional will be able to cook ≈500 pita breads in one shift.

Which option to choose should be decided based on available funds, skills and planned sales volumes. If you want to supply the market with a product made using ancient technologies, it is better to choose technology using tandoor. In addition, it will allow you to save investments at the start.

Workshop technical equipment

It doesn’t matter what technology is chosen to implement the project, the entrepreneur will in any case have to buy equipment for the production of lavash. The only difference is that the purchased line will differ in configuration and, accordingly, in its price.

The automatic lavash production line is equipped with the following machines:

Automatic line for the production of lavash

• dough mixing machine,
• Extruder.
• Automatic machine for thin dough rolling.
• Automatic machine for stretching dough.
• Tunnel oven.
• Cooling conveyor.
• Packing machine.

The entire process is automated, and therefore, to control the line, the presence of no more than 3 people per shift will be required in the workshop. To equip the production of thin pita bread in this way, an investment of at least 2,500,000 rubles will be required, which will be a literally unaffordable amount for many entrepreneurs.

But to equip a workshop for the production of lavash using traditional technology, it involves the use of the following machines and devices:

• Vibrating sifter.
• Dough mixer.
• Tandoor.
• Rolling machines.
• Tables.
• Sinks.

In this case, an expensive tunnel oven for lavash is not required, and to start a mini-enterprise you will have to invest ≈1,000,000 rubles. And it’s quite possible to reduce capital costs if you buy used equipment.

Workshop room

The oven for baking lavash and other machines will have to be placed somewhere. And given that we are talking about a food enterprise, the supervisory authorities will impose strict requirements on the premises found.

In the case of a mini-bakery, a room of up to 50 m2 is sufficient. But a full-fledged workshop will require a much larger space - at least 100 m2. But no matter what kind of production is launched, it is imperative to divide the entire workshop into several zones - storage of raw materials and finished products, the workshop itself, rooms for staff.

The room where the production machine will be located must meet the following requirements:

• Waterproof floors.
• Wall cladding up to a height of 1.75 m with light tiles.
• The ceilings are whitewashed.
• Good ventilation.
• Cold and hot water, sewerage.

For this type of production, the use of semi-basements and basements is not suitable.

Profitability of the planned business

The price of equipment for the production of lavash will begin to pay off only when constant sales of the produced products are established. And newcomers will have a hard time here, even despite the lack of competitors.

Wholesale sales of lavash can be carried out to large chain stores or grocery warehouses. And the first option will not be available to a novice entrepreneur at first, since federal chains impose strict requirements on all those who want to place their goods on their shelves. And while such contacts have not been established, it is worth starting active cooperation with small private stores. There is another option - to supply lavash to cafes and restaurants. Surely in every city there are many catering establishments that use purchased lavash for preparing dishes, and not a home-made product.

The specific timing of reaching the break-even point will depend on the investments made and sales volumes. To buy a lavash oven and set up a small bakery, you will need approximately 1,500,000 rubles. To launch a fully automated workshop, you will need at least 3,000,000 rubles. The high profitability of the planned business can be easily proven with numbers. On the wholesale market, thin pita bread costs 8-15 rubles/piece. Its cost is 3-10 rubles/piece. If the product is fully sold, the price of the furnace will pay off very quickly.