Students take up baking amidst pandemic

Mangaluru: During the pandemic induced lockdown, more people have taken to baking, which is evident from a spike in demand for baking ingredients, that reportedly saw a 60% increase in sales.
An aggressive baking trend is supported by several social media posts. Interestingly, for many students, baking has turned out to be a business venture. Many are self-taught bakers who rely on online content. They accept pre-booked orders through pages on Instagram. Students are confident of continuing their business once regular classes resume.
Aina Zahid, a second year hotel management student at Sarosh Institute of Hotel Administration decided to follow in her mother Aneesa Hasna’s footsteps. While her mother sells biryani and related items through Annu’s Kitchen, Aina has taken up baking. “During the lockdown, I focused only on baking and fine-tuned my skills. Now I can take any challenge from a customer, and sell at least two customized cakes every day,” she said.
Samah Maryam Hashim Khatri, a third year BBA student from St Aloysius College started baking at the age of 14. However, it was the lockdown that forced her to convert her passion into a business, through her Instagram page, thesilverstove. “I tried out my mother’s biryani recipe and it clicked. Along with vanilla and red velvet cakes, I sell chicken biryani, butter chicken, and chicken kebabs. Ever since the commercial launch, I get at least three orders per day,” she said.
If not for the plenty of time at her disposal due to the pandemic, Suman S Attavar, a second year BA student from the School of Social Work Roshni Nilaya and her cousin Rithika Rajeev, a I PU student from St Aloysius College may not have taken up baking. “Things changed when my uncle Ranjith and aunt Sunita bought an oven. Our first experiment was with pizzas and it was a disaster. We then experimented with mug cakes and for my uncle’s birthday, we successfully baked a cake. Baking is therapeutic and we gradually started distributing cakes among friends and family. We soon launched Sugar Relish, a page on Instagram, and started receiving orders. Our biggest order has been a two-tier cake. Our friend Aina supported us,” said Suman.