By Vanessa Mendis
What’s better to beat the blues of this pandemic than a soul-warming meal? But food businesses have taken a hit like never before, thanks to the pandemic itself.
This week, Brunch sat down with three trendsetting and inspiring women entrepreneurs – Bakes by Bella Founder and Creative Director Melissa Peters, Peckish Me Founder Jayani. C. Senanayake, and The Vegan Kitchen by Sulo Founder Sulochana Ubayakumara – for a chat, not just on the art of cooking, but brand-building, perseverance and passion.
[caption id="attachment_139045" align="alignright" width="269"]
“Use your social media right now. Everybody is on lockdown and on their social media. Use pandemic sensitive social media marketing and give people a reason to buy from you. Don’t give up even if you hit a barrier” Bakes by Bella Founder and Creative Director Melissa Peters[/caption]
Bakes by Bella Founder and Creative Director Melissa Peters
I come from a Burgher family, and our love language is food. My grandmother is an awesome home cook and I think I inherited her skills. My background was in Biomedical sciences and when I moved to Sri Lanka, it was very difficult to find a job in the field. I created an Instagram page and started sharing pictures of what I baked and I started getting inquiries on my Instagram asking “how much?” and I just went with it.
The name “Bella” comes from when I used to be a bartender in London and was nicknamed “Bella Behind the Bar”, because I was the only brown girl there and apparently I had Disney eyes.
I did a lot of research to improve my skill set, and I was known for my dessert jars and naked cakes. I started out of my kitchen and now, Bakes by Bella has expanded our range to include savouries as well. Our nasi goreng dishes are especially very popular.
Creatives have a need for polarity, and your recipes keep changing. Is that why?
Yes! My brand is spontaneous and sporadic like my personality. I get bored if I see the same thing on the menu, so I keep changing it. I might have an idea on my mind but I’d wake up and change the recipe – and the recipes are mine.
How has Covid-19 challenged your business?
It hit me hard, but what I learnt is that you have to be very dynamic. You cannot even make a projection plan at this point, and so for us, I pivoted, got our delivery passes, and started operating. I had very limited staff, and so I changed my strategy and started baking bread.
Bread was a necessity that people wanted and during the lockdown, all my customers who contacted me had three things in common – bread, chocolate, and custard pudding!
My hours were 4.30 a.m. to 11.30 p.m., and it worked. The second lockdown was tougher and I needed every single order that was coming in, but I also had to think of how I could deliver. I got all my 30+ staff vaccinated as well, and my customers trust my brand credibility.
I hope that they vaccinate people under 30 because they are the country’s high-functioning task force.
Have you experienced a drop in demand due to the pandemic?
Very interesting, because each time there is a lockdown, my orders increase exponentially. I think this is the brand’s credibility, and 95% of my customers are so understanding even if there are delays in delivery. I’ve also noticed that people are more comfortable when we deliver personally, rather than use a delivery service. I actually had to take cupcakes off the menu, because by the time they are delivered, they are not in original condition, and I find myself doing damage control.
What is your advice for a food startup when it comes to contingencies?
Be dynamic and don’t just follow protocols set for normal times. Find avenues to get your product out there. Use your social media right now. Everybody is on lockdown and on their social media. Use pandemic-sensitive social media marketing and give people a reason to buy from you. Don’t give up even if you hit a barrier.
[caption id="attachment_139044" align="alignleft" width="250"]
"I cater to two niches – travel and food. I give priority to brands with a Sri Lankan identity and product range. Products that are natural and healthy are also welcome to reach out to me, as well as brands with kitchen appliances. I will usually use these products and create recipes, which I then give publicity to via my social media” Peckish Me Founder Jayani. C. Senanayake[/caption]
Peckish Me Founder Jayani. C. Senanayake
When I started out, I had no idea what I was doing, but I come from a huge line of foodies and I was used to taking pictures of the food that I make. I realised that there is no proper platform for Sri Lankan food, and that it has a massive identity and versatility of its own.
So I started working towards creating a platform for Sri Lankan food and working with brands – whether food itself or even kitchen appliances, to reinforce that identity and create recipes.
I don’t run a “food shop” right now, but it’s on the cards. I cook and bake quite a bit though, and create recipes. I do feel like after I started this, the whole Sri Lankan food scene became popular and everybody out there also joined in with the pol rotti recipes and theti paan, for example.
What is the x-factor of Sri Lankan food to you?
Sri Lankan food is extremely healthy, and it's easy to take it for granted when you grow up eating it. It’s also very vegan-friendly, even though I’m a huge carnivore. Coconut is the centrestage of our cuisine, and while it’s glorified in the Western world, we take it for granted.
The colonisation also brought in diversity to our food, which we don’t really find anywhere else on this level. You can make whatever you want out of Sri Lankan food.
How has the pandemic affected the demand for the food industry as a whole?
There are delivery services available, but the range of healthy food here, I feel, is extremely limited. If people have access to healthier and freshly prepared food, I feel that entrepreneurs have a big opening to claim.
I often find myself browsing through the services and see that there are not enough options that suit my palate and health, especially in the outskirts of Colombo.
How do you bring exposure to food brands in Sri Lanka through your social media, and who can reach out to you?
I cater to two niches – travel and food. I give priority to brands with a Sri Lankan identity and product range. Products that are natural and healthy are also welcome to reach out to me, as well as brands with kitchen appliances.
I will usually use these products and create recipes, which I then give publicity to via my social media.
So if you fit into these categories, do approach me. Even if you are a food business owner or home baker, I will be available, and I do not charge anything from small scale businesses. However, I will not promote products or food that I do not genuinely enjoy.
Any dos and don’ts on social media for food business owners during the pandemic?
Even if I am promoting them through my platform, it would be more effective if they have their own social media channels so that I can direct customers to them. Have a delivery option – that is essential – and also collaborate with influencers and other brands.
Next, experiment and reinvent your brand; don’t be stagnant. Use fresh produce and make fresh food to order, especially during this time. Your goal has to be to retain existing customers and not just to gain new ones. Maintain hygiene.
Any food packaging and delivery pet peeves given the current situation?
Yes. I had a delivery once where the packaging had crumbled into the food, and I am very sceptical about consuming such food. The food may be good, but your packaging has to be sturdy.
[caption id="attachment_139041" align="alignright" width="274"]
“Keep it genuine. We don’t have shiny pots and pans, for instance, but we are honest about the cooking process and about how we convey that. Take good photographs of your final product” The Vegan Kitchen by Sulo Founder Sulochana Ubayakumara[/caption]
The Vegan Kitchen by Sulo Founder Sulochana Ubayakumara
I used to be a complete meat lover. When I met my husband, there were very few vegan options, and yet he was a vegan. I was gobbling away at a cake, and he did not have options. That made me explore and bake a vegan cake for his birthday. Sometime later, he asked me to do the same for his office.
I think the strong support system, love, and strength that I have from my husband and my family is the cornerstone of how I went from being a meat-lover to actually creating vegan dishes and establishing this little business of ours. Me and my husband love cooking. It’s my stressbuster and this works out perfectly.
Has the pandemic affected the demand for your food?
We were planning to open our food shop in 2019, but unfortunately with the pandemic, that plan had to take a rain check. However, many foreigners and others actually walked into our house asking if we serve vegan food.
That inspired us and we wanted to restart the idea, but with the lockdown happening, we couldn’t. We decided that we weren’t going to wait any longer, and that we would start at home.
So I have a strong customer base and the people who know my food are always coming to us which we are grateful for. But we also maintain our standards. Yes, people have hygiene concerns, but we do our best to ensure the safety and quality of food on our end.
My business relies mostly on word-of-mouth and I have not spent a single cent on sponsored ads. My customers know that food is handled well on our end, but the delivery process is out of our hands. I think my customers understand that the food goes on a ride with the delivery party. My customers don’t complain to me about the food, but concerns with delivery have been there.
Any social media tips for other food business owners?
Keep it genuine. We don’t have shiny pots and pans for instance, but we are honest about the cooking process and about how we convey that. Take good photographs of your final product.
I have read that if a person wants to purchase from you, they should ideally see a promotion eight to nine times before they do, so get your user-generated content on point. I also try to come up with new products each week.
I also go out of my way to do customised products. It is difficult with the pandemic and travel restrictions, but if I can, I will do custom orders for my customers. I still use delivery services even during the travel restrictions as well. Take calculated risks and play safe with who you trust, and make your support system.
As I finished my chat with these trendsetters, I was truly reminded of how much we can achieve if we persevere and be dynamic to adapt to our circumstances. Nothing good ever comes easy they say, and for me, the stories of these entrepreneurs not giving up but instead, working around the obstacles the pandemic came with, and making the most of it, is a true win.
We may not be able to control the pandemic, but we can take charge of our careers and our dreams. If not now, then when, and if not you, then who?
[caption id="attachment_139045" align="alignright" width="269"]
“Use your social media right now. Everybody is on lockdown and on their social media. Use pandemic sensitive social media marketing and give people a reason to buy from you. Don’t give up even if you hit a barrier” Bakes by Bella Founder and Creative Director Melissa Peters[/caption]
Bakes by Bella Founder and Creative Director Melissa Peters
I come from a Burgher family, and our love language is food. My grandmother is an awesome home cook and I think I inherited her skills. My background was in Biomedical sciences and when I moved to Sri Lanka, it was very difficult to find a job in the field. I created an Instagram page and started sharing pictures of what I baked and I started getting inquiries on my Instagram asking “how much?” and I just went with it.
The name “Bella” comes from when I used to be a bartender in London and was nicknamed “Bella Behind the Bar”, because I was the only brown girl there and apparently I had Disney eyes.
I did a lot of research to improve my skill set, and I was known for my dessert jars and naked cakes. I started out of my kitchen and now, Bakes by Bella has expanded our range to include savouries as well. Our nasi goreng dishes are especially very popular.
Creatives have a need for polarity, and your recipes keep changing. Is that why?
Yes! My brand is spontaneous and sporadic like my personality. I get bored if I see the same thing on the menu, so I keep changing it. I might have an idea on my mind but I’d wake up and change the recipe – and the recipes are mine.
How has Covid-19 challenged your business?
It hit me hard, but what I learnt is that you have to be very dynamic. You cannot even make a projection plan at this point, and so for us, I pivoted, got our delivery passes, and started operating. I had very limited staff, and so I changed my strategy and started baking bread.
Bread was a necessity that people wanted and during the lockdown, all my customers who contacted me had three things in common – bread, chocolate, and custard pudding!
My hours were 4.30 a.m. to 11.30 p.m., and it worked. The second lockdown was tougher and I needed every single order that was coming in, but I also had to think of how I could deliver. I got all my 30+ staff vaccinated as well, and my customers trust my brand credibility.
I hope that they vaccinate people under 30 because they are the country’s high-functioning task force.
Have you experienced a drop in demand due to the pandemic?
Very interesting, because each time there is a lockdown, my orders increase exponentially. I think this is the brand’s credibility, and 95% of my customers are so understanding even if there are delays in delivery. I’ve also noticed that people are more comfortable when we deliver personally, rather than use a delivery service. I actually had to take cupcakes off the menu, because by the time they are delivered, they are not in original condition, and I find myself doing damage control.
What is your advice for a food startup when it comes to contingencies?
Be dynamic and don’t just follow protocols set for normal times. Find avenues to get your product out there. Use your social media right now. Everybody is on lockdown and on their social media. Use pandemic-sensitive social media marketing and give people a reason to buy from you. Don’t give up even if you hit a barrier.
[caption id="attachment_139044" align="alignleft" width="250"]
"I cater to two niches – travel and food. I give priority to brands with a Sri Lankan identity and product range. Products that are natural and healthy are also welcome to reach out to me, as well as brands with kitchen appliances. I will usually use these products and create recipes, which I then give publicity to via my social media” Peckish Me Founder Jayani. C. Senanayake[/caption]
Peckish Me Founder Jayani. C. Senanayake
When I started out, I had no idea what I was doing, but I come from a huge line of foodies and I was used to taking pictures of the food that I make. I realised that there is no proper platform for Sri Lankan food, and that it has a massive identity and versatility of its own.
So I started working towards creating a platform for Sri Lankan food and working with brands – whether food itself or even kitchen appliances, to reinforce that identity and create recipes.
I don’t run a “food shop” right now, but it’s on the cards. I cook and bake quite a bit though, and create recipes. I do feel like after I started this, the whole Sri Lankan food scene became popular and everybody out there also joined in with the pol rotti recipes and theti paan, for example.
What is the x-factor of Sri Lankan food to you?
Sri Lankan food is extremely healthy, and it's easy to take it for granted when you grow up eating it. It’s also very vegan-friendly, even though I’m a huge carnivore. Coconut is the centrestage of our cuisine, and while it’s glorified in the Western world, we take it for granted.
The colonisation also brought in diversity to our food, which we don’t really find anywhere else on this level. You can make whatever you want out of Sri Lankan food.
How has the pandemic affected the demand for the food industry as a whole?
There are delivery services available, but the range of healthy food here, I feel, is extremely limited. If people have access to healthier and freshly prepared food, I feel that entrepreneurs have a big opening to claim.
I often find myself browsing through the services and see that there are not enough options that suit my palate and health, especially in the outskirts of Colombo.
How do you bring exposure to food brands in Sri Lanka through your social media, and who can reach out to you?
I cater to two niches – travel and food. I give priority to brands with a Sri Lankan identity and product range. Products that are natural and healthy are also welcome to reach out to me, as well as brands with kitchen appliances.
I will usually use these products and create recipes, which I then give publicity to via my social media.
So if you fit into these categories, do approach me. Even if you are a food business owner or home baker, I will be available, and I do not charge anything from small scale businesses. However, I will not promote products or food that I do not genuinely enjoy.
Any dos and don’ts on social media for food business owners during the pandemic?
Even if I am promoting them through my platform, it would be more effective if they have their own social media channels so that I can direct customers to them. Have a delivery option – that is essential – and also collaborate with influencers and other brands.
Next, experiment and reinvent your brand; don’t be stagnant. Use fresh produce and make fresh food to order, especially during this time. Your goal has to be to retain existing customers and not just to gain new ones. Maintain hygiene.
Any food packaging and delivery pet peeves given the current situation?
Yes. I had a delivery once where the packaging had crumbled into the food, and I am very sceptical about consuming such food. The food may be good, but your packaging has to be sturdy.
[caption id="attachment_139041" align="alignright" width="274"]
“Keep it genuine. We don’t have shiny pots and pans, for instance, but we are honest about the cooking process and about how we convey that. Take good photographs of your final product” The Vegan Kitchen by Sulo Founder Sulochana Ubayakumara[/caption]
The Vegan Kitchen by Sulo Founder Sulochana Ubayakumara
I used to be a complete meat lover. When I met my husband, there were very few vegan options, and yet he was a vegan. I was gobbling away at a cake, and he did not have options. That made me explore and bake a vegan cake for his birthday. Sometime later, he asked me to do the same for his office.
I think the strong support system, love, and strength that I have from my husband and my family is the cornerstone of how I went from being a meat-lover to actually creating vegan dishes and establishing this little business of ours. Me and my husband love cooking. It’s my stressbuster and this works out perfectly.
Has the pandemic affected the demand for your food?
We were planning to open our food shop in 2019, but unfortunately with the pandemic, that plan had to take a rain check. However, many foreigners and others actually walked into our house asking if we serve vegan food.
That inspired us and we wanted to restart the idea, but with the lockdown happening, we couldn’t. We decided that we weren’t going to wait any longer, and that we would start at home.
So I have a strong customer base and the people who know my food are always coming to us which we are grateful for. But we also maintain our standards. Yes, people have hygiene concerns, but we do our best to ensure the safety and quality of food on our end.
My business relies mostly on word-of-mouth and I have not spent a single cent on sponsored ads. My customers know that food is handled well on our end, but the delivery process is out of our hands. I think my customers understand that the food goes on a ride with the delivery party. My customers don’t complain to me about the food, but concerns with delivery have been there.
Any social media tips for other food business owners?
Keep it genuine. We don’t have shiny pots and pans for instance, but we are honest about the cooking process and about how we convey that. Take good photographs of your final product.
I have read that if a person wants to purchase from you, they should ideally see a promotion eight to nine times before they do, so get your user-generated content on point. I also try to come up with new products each week.
I also go out of my way to do customised products. It is difficult with the pandemic and travel restrictions, but if I can, I will do custom orders for my customers. I still use delivery services even during the travel restrictions as well. Take calculated risks and play safe with who you trust, and make your support system.
As I finished my chat with these trendsetters, I was truly reminded of how much we can achieve if we persevere and be dynamic to adapt to our circumstances. Nothing good ever comes easy they say, and for me, the stories of these entrepreneurs not giving up but instead, working around the obstacles the pandemic came with, and making the most of it, is a true win.
We may not be able to control the pandemic, but we can take charge of our careers and our dreams. If not now, then when, and if not you, then who?