In this series, we talk to people who turned their passion for food and baking into a business idea amidst lockdown and COVID-19 fears. Some have been in the market for years and others saw the new opportunity and took it! These home businesses are changing the game and have overcome the odds of running a business during quarantine. With increased restrictions once more, we talk to home bakers who are operating during these times to bring the sweet and savoury to your very own doorstep! 

For home baker Deepika Nishshanka, the lockdown last year allowed her to turn a hobby into a business as she managed to find the time to craft what was once a passionate hobby into a full-time business. “After perfecting my technique, I was able to get a lot of orders and create a brand for myself. The idea behind the brand ‘DSD Cakes’ is to have a brand name that represents both myself and my husband – the biggest supporter in this venture!”.

What do you offer?
Right now we do mainly cakes for occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. I also undertake orders to do customized cakes that are tailor-made to our customers' little requests. I also do cupcakes in a variety of flavours and toppings. 

When did you start operations?
Baking has always been a part-time hobby for me; something I enjoyed doing during my free time. Somehow, when the first lockdown happened, it gave me a lot of free time to figure out and learn all the fundamentals of baking and gave me the time to devote myself to finding new and creative ways to try new designs and flavours that would suit different customers’ needs. 

What is it like running your operations in times like these? 
Of course, these are difficult times but being able to kick off DSD Cakes due to this lockdown period has given me so much satisfaction because I’ve got such great customer responses and feedback and it was the perfect way for me to avoid boredom at home! 

How are you ensuring the proper hygiene measures are taken in preparation and delivery?
Hygiene is our top priority – it’s the decisive factor of our trade these days! We take every hygienic method in the preparation and packing of our goods and we are very cautious when we are baking and decorating and follow all health practices. 

What do you enjoy about baking and operating your own home baking business?
It gives me such great pleasure to see my customers enjoy my baked products and give positive feedback. I would love to see my new business prosper with a wider customer base. 

How do you see home bakers going forward post-Covid? 
With the current pandemic that is raging on, I think homeb akers have a duty to make sure we all work in such a way that we can secure more ingredients and work safely. It’s also important to use innovative ways to reach customers through online platforms like social media and serve them with door-step delivery for convenience. 

What’s next for your brand?
I want to keep working creatively and plan for more creative ideas. The future of my brand is to bring something exceptional to my customers and expand my customer base by offering quality products that not only look good but taste amazing too! 

Any advice to anyone who wants to start their own business?
All I can say is to always just do your best and dedicate yourself to what you are doing – only then will you reach your highest potential!