Baking cakes lucrative business- Confectioners

Amid the economic recession in the nation, some confectioners in Lagos have described cake-making as a thriving business that needed dedication to manage, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Cakes

The confectioners in interviewers on Friday said that though they spent more to purchase items needed to bake cakes, their clients were still placing orders for one event or the other.

Mrs Hope Haruna, the owner of “Cake Buxe’’ in Lagos, told NAN that the requests from her clients for important events or anniversaries still remained the same.

Haruna, who started her business in 2012, said that maybe they would have spent less than they currently were spending if the economy was stable.

“My major customers are parents and guardians who order cakes for their children, nephews, nieces and so on.

“Highest cake charges depend on the type of cake the customer ordered for, while the lowest charge is N10, 000,’’ the entrepreneur said.

She advised upcoming confectioners in the business to be patient and not to expect quick money from the word go.

“They must be patient, creative, willing to work for little or no profit sometimes and be hard working.

“Government should encourage startups and small businesses by reducing taxes and unrealistic expectations.

“They adopt skill acquisition because they cannot cope with the influx of graduates into the already weak system, small and medium scale businesses are the industry’s future,’’ Haruna said.

Mrs Ese Akinbode of “To’Da Cakes’’ said that she officially registered and started “To’Da Cakes’’ in 2015.

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She said that the current economic recession had affected the cake business which has made most people to be stringent with funds.

“But real lovers of good tasting cakes will always patronise our business.

“Pricing, taste and variety of flavours are factors that will affect the level of patronage one gets from clients.

“I am a home baker and for now I operate on a small scale, my customers are everybody and those that want to appreciate their loved ones.

“My cake pricing depends on the complexity and simplicity of the cake, but generally, you can get a cake as low as N3, 000 if it’s not iced.

“I don’t think I have found my niche yet, but I will say what makes me special is my eagerness to improve on my skills and knowledge, so I can wow my clients,’’ Akinbode said.

She advised people in the cake business not to give up easily and urged them to continue with the trade.

She also urged the government to organise workshops to encourage small businesses and to also direct banks to support small businesses with low interest loans.

Miss Ayobola Adesina, the proprietor of “Simply Elegant Cakes’’ in Lagos, said that cakes were usually symbolise important events like weddings and anniversaries.

“Even if there will not be anything available on the special day, there has to be a cake to take pictures to remind them of the occasion.

“Even though the recession has made cakes to be less important to some people, others still see it as important and request for smaller sizes,’’ the confectioner said.

Adesina urged bakers not to reduce the quality of their products since it’s their area of core competence.

“Eating quality cake makes your customers to remember the person that baked it.

“My major customers are mostly the middle class.

“The smallest cake ranges from N1, 500 and N2, 500, while others ranged between N100, 000 and N150, 000 and these are mostly wedding cakes,’’ she said.

Mrs Aramide Agbetoye, of “Havilah Catering Services’’ said that she officially registered and started catering business in 2008, but discovered her passion for cakes in 2009.

Agbetoye told NAN that in the course of going about her trade, she realised that the location of the business premises was very critical in the pricing of items produced.

“When a business is situate in a low income area, there is a limit to how you price what you produce.

“Also, no matter how your cake tastes or looks, some customers are just rigid due to their mentality and exposure to pay the normal price.

“I started from home initially until 2010 that I was able to get a good shop for my business.

“Recession to me has nothing to do with my business because it is what I buy that I sell. Everybody knows things are very expensive now.

“Most of my customers come for consultation and how much they can afford on the choice of their cakes,’’ Agbetoye said. (NAN)