The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
There have been several challenges along the way! The biggest being the struggle with shelf life – initially, I was using an ingredient that doesn’t have a great shelf life. This meant that the product wasn’t really able to be stored in the back of the food cupboard only to be rediscovered months later (we’ve all done it!). After some trial and error, I modified the recipes so that the shelf life is now around one year – this means the mixes can be bought and stored, and made when suits!
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
There are definitely more pros than cons for me. I am your typical type-A personality, so working for someone else long-term was never an option for me! I love the ability to organise my own work days, take time off when I need it without having to put a request in, and just generally love the challenge of growing my own business and the pride and satisfaction that comes with that. A few of the cons overlap with the pros – for instance, the challenge of growing a business is great but it can also be very stressful as everything lies with me. Additionally, because my background is science (and baking), I do struggle with some things that aren’t related to this – for example, marketing!
Hopes and dreams: What next?
Developing more mixes, including a bread mix! I really enjoy the creative side of things, so anything that gets those creative juices flowing is immediately attractive for me. This means I have heaps of ideas and recipes on the go, so keep an eye out! I would also like to have Unrefined Cakery stocked in stores overseas by the end of 2022.
Visit the Unrefined Cakery website for more information. You can also join their Facebook and Instagram communities.
