A global initiative with a clear purpose
17 Apr 2026
Across the world, thousands of young people face the same challenge: limited access to education and even fewer opportunities to build a sustainable career. This is where the Bakery School Foundation makes a difference.
Created to empower underprivileged youth, the initiative provides professional training in bakery, patisserie, and chocolate, equipping students with the skills, confidence, and mindset needed to enter the workforce and build their future.
What started as a single school has grown into a global network, each one rooted in the same belief: education creates opportunity, and opportunity drives long-term change.
From local initiative to global impact
Today, the Bakery School Foundation operates 15 schools across 11 countries, with a clear ambition to expand even further in the coming years. Each school is built around local needs, whether through dedicated training facilities, partnership with institutions, or collaboration with NGOs. This flexibility ensures that every program is relevant to its community while maintaining a consistent level of quality and impact.
In 2025 alone, the Foundation reached:
- 480 students enrolled
- 166 graduates in one year
- Nearly 700 graduates since the beginning
These are not just numbers. They represent young people gaining access to stable careers, supporting their families, and contributing to their local economies.
More than technical training
Bakery Schools are not just about learning how to bake. Students follow an intensive program of around 1,600 hours of training, combining technical expertise with essential life and professional skills.
Beyond bakery, patisserie, and chocolate, they develop:
- food safety and food hygiene knowledge
- communication and teamwork skills
- financial and digital basics
- exposure to real industry environments
This holistic approach ensures that graduates are not only skilled professionals, but also confident individuals ready to integrate into the workforce.
From classroom to career
A defining strength of the Bakery School model is its close connection to the professional world. From the very beginning, students are exposed to real industry environment, allowing them to understand not only how to master their craft, but also how the bakery, patisserie, and chocolate sectors operate in practice.
This approach ensures that employability is not an afterthought, but a core outcome of the program. Graduates leave with technical expertise, professional mindset, and confidence required to take their first steps into the industry. Many join Puratos or its customers, while others pursue opportunities in artisan bakeries, industrial production, or hospitality. Some even go on to launch their own businesses or continue their education in related fields.
What stands out is the consistency of this transition. Employers recognize the quality of the training and increasingly see Bakery School graduates as ready-to-work professionals. The result is a model where education and employment are directly connected, creating long-term value not only for students, but for the industry as a whole.
Expanding our impact: new schools in 2026
The Bakery School Foundation continues to grow, with new schools opening in Turkey and Canada in 2026. The new additions mark an important step in extending the reach of the program and bringing new opportunities to communities where access to education remains limited. Another school opening is planned still this year in Dominican Republic.
This expansion reflects a broader ambition to scale impact without compromising quality. By continuing to invest in new regions and partnerships, the Bakery School Foundation is not only growing its footprint, but also reinforcing its commitment to creating meaningful, long-term change through education.
A commitment aligned with global challenges
The Bakery School Foundation contributes directly to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including:
- Quality education
- Decent work and economic growth
- Gender equality
- Poverty reduction
By focusing on education and employment, the initiative addresses root causes rather than symptoms, creating sustainable change that extends beyond individual students.
Looking ahead
The ambition is clear: by 2030, the goal is to reach 20 schools and 1,000 students per year, while continuing to connect graduates with job opportunities in the bakery sector.
But beyond growth, the focus remains on impact. Because every Bakery School is more than a training center. It is a place where potential is unlocked, confidence is built, and futures are shaped.
