Srinagar: In Kashmir, there has been an increase in home bakers, as young businesspeople use the internet to provide their consumers with freshly baked goods at their doorsteps.
These small-scale companies have multiplied as a result of the trend in Kashmir. People continue to rely on these little home bakers who transport their goods to people’s doorsteps as a result of COVID’s past years of confinement to their houses. However, online shopping has become more popular. One such home baker who runs her company online is the young businesswoman Rafia Manzoor. She started her online business, “Sweet Craving Bakery,” during Covid a few years ago, and she still does operate her business through online mode.
“Social media has greatly aided the response, which has been quite positive. My Whatsapp and Instagram accounts serve as a conduit between myself and my clients because I operate from home. Due to the home delivery option, my tiny business has expanded to serve not just the residents in our neighbourhood but also many others throughout Kashmir,” said Rafia.
These small businesses collaborate with delivery agencies to have their orders delivered across Kashmir while people enjoy their delicacies from the comfort of their homes.
They say that their customers can order their favourite delicacies with a click of their cell phone, like Donuts, Chocolate cakes, Brownies, cookies, muffins, etc.
Many people prefer these home bakers in order to avoid Kashmir’s crippled traffic system because of the increasing rush hour and traffic jams there. Customers claim that not only has this helped these tiny enterprises, but it has also offered them a comfortable choice.
“For the past few years, I have preferred these small home bakers to large bakery chains. It began out as a must because of COVID constraints, but now I feel it is a more comfortable approach to purchase throughout any occasion,” Arif Ali, a consumer said.
Many young entrepreneurs who started from home baking have not only continued with it but also expanded their business in the form of outlets and manufacturing units. Syed Mehtab Muneer is one such home baker who started three years back with her online venture ‘Sunny Smile Bakery.’ “I started it as a small home baking platform, and then after the business expanded, I shifted to a workshop, and now I have an outlet too. With a tie-up with all major delivery services of Kashmir, I have been able to take my products to the corners of Kashmir,” she added.
According to these young bakers, they are giving clients alternatives and going beyond standard bakery stuff. They said that because people were satiating their sweet tooths without waiting in queue for their preferred bakery goods, it had created a new base of customers.
The bakery is migrating online, according to them, as a result of an increase in delivery service providers and the usage of social media platforms. Customers claim that as technology advances, tech-savvy company owners are leveraging the internet and online platforms to grow their companies.
