I’d like to ask for your advice and opinions on starting a made-to-order bakery business from my home, with a focus on Filipino pastries.
Recently, I baked a Filipino pastry because I missed the taste of home. I shared it at work, and to my surprise, everyone loved it. Encouraged by this, I made more and sold them the following week. I wasn’t expecting any buyers, but to my surprise, I sold out the 24 pieces I had made! People even started asking if I was going to make more because they wanted to reorder. One customer even placed an order for 48 pieces for Christmas since the pastry I made is a popular holiday treat in the Philippines.
This got me thinking—what if I turned this into a side business? Instead of aiming to open a brick-and-mortar bakery, I plan to run a made-to-order business. For small orders, I’ll bake in my home kitchen, and for larger orders, I’ll rent a ghost kitchen.
Since I work full-time, my business schedule would look like this:
- Wednesday to Monday: I take orders, either through Messenger or in person.
- Tuesday: I bake the pastries.
- Wednesday: I deliver the pastries, either by meeting at a central point or delivering to customers’ homes.
In the next month or two, I plan to register as a sole trader and reserve my business name with Companies House, in case I decide to transition to an LTD company in the future. I also plan to create a website and a Facebook page to reach more customers in my area and expand through online marketing. I’m also considering selling at local farmers’ markets.
My goal is to introduce Filipino pastries, not only to fellow Filipinos who miss the flavors of home but also to the general public, to promote these unique treats.
What do you think? Do you have any advice or suggestions for improvement?