(Editor’s Note): Small businesses are important because they provide opportunities for our local entrepreneurs as well as sustainable and meaningful livelihood/means of income for many of their hired workforce. That is why starting this November, the editorial team of POP! will be featuring gift ideas from small businesses to give them the marketing push they need to reach a wider audience. Let’s help our local entrepreneurs bounce back this year!
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Good things happen when you do something with love, passion, and support from family and friends. This is how an online pastry shop in Bulacan started winning the hearts of people who were home-bound due to quarantine.
Elaine Icasiano, a Bulacan native who finds joy in cooking for her kids, tried baking pastries to relieve herself from all the work-related stress. She also wanted homemade desserts to be always available on their table. For Icasiano, it was a challenge though because she hadn’t had any formal culinary training. Her first few creations underwent a lot of trials and errors, but soon she was able to perfect her own recipes.
Her homemade goodies were initially just for the hearts and tummies of her family and friends who became her instant fans. There was really no plan to turn it into a business–that is, until the pandemic happened and people got stuck at home due to the imposed community quarantine. With the help of a relative, Icasiano decided to push her side project as a full-time online business. Like many other people at home who explored their kitchen skills during the lockdown, Icasiano thought of using her free time to bake more goodies and sell it to friends and relatives. JustBaked! was born, hitting the ground running immediately after being set up.
JustBaked! started small. Icasiano’s team only started producing a few boxes of cookies ordered by people around them. But because of all the good feedback posted on social media and the valuable word-of-mouth push from their initial customers, more orders came in. There were repeat orders from their regular customers, and new orders from new customers who couldn’t resist after seeing JustBaked! photos on their Instagram and Facebook feeds.
While cookies are pretty common for online pastry shops, JustBaked! offers a different twist to usual cookie fares:
Choco Crinkles
JustBaked!’s version of this classic staple has a rich and fudgy feel to it almost taste like brownies–thick and soft-baked on the inside, lightly crunchy on the outside.
Mochaccino drops
JustBaked!’s mochaccino drop cookies have a soft chewy texture on the inside with a flavour that has a slight hint of espresso that’s mixed with fudgy chocolate goodness. Perfect for coffee lovers!
White choco matcha
This one’s for fans of matcha. JustBaked!’s white choco matcha cookies has a fresh, vibrant green tea flavor balanced with subtle sweetness. This cookie is chewy on the center with a twist of crunch on the edges. The cookies are topped with white chocolate chips that perfectly complement the matcha flavor.
JustBaked! plans to release more flavors of cookies and bars soon.
The price for these goodies start at Php 160 for a box of 12. If you’re suddenly craving for these yummy cookies, you can reach JustBaked! through their mobile number 09567285850. You can also follow them on social media via their official pages:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jb.justbaked.7
Instagram: JustBaked JB