From playing Animal Crossing, to binging Netflix to baking, people have been trying to distract themselves at home from the pandemic outside. There have been multiple trends that have started since quarantine started, and baking has definitely been one of them. As home baking has emerged as one of the top few trends since March, there has been some controversy on home bakers and home bakeries. But first, why is everyone baking?
Baking during trouble times is nothing new, apparently. “Baking actually can be relaxing” Amanda Mull states in her article. Baking increases our satisfaction levels as it allows us to feel accomplished from creating something. Baking also seems to put us in full control of what we do. When we bake, or even cook, we are allowed to use our creative freedom to control the things we bake. In times like this, especially, it is comforting to know that we are able to have control over something.
While there aren't any bad connotations to baking, there have been concerns over this as home bakeries start to increase.
During these trying times, multiple people have been left without a job - and this has led to them taking new business opportunities such as having a home based business to earn some extra money. However one concern that has been brought up is how home bakers who sell their products are putting licensed bakeries at a disadvantage. Ms Chong Siew Yen wrote to the Straits Times discussing how home bakers do not have an NEA food shop license yet they are still allowed to sell their products to the public. “This puts those who comply with the regulations at a disadvantage, as we are competing with a higher cost, which includes rental, utility bills and licence fee,” Ms Chong states.
On the other hand, home baker Christy Chua believes that there is no “need for [home businesses] to be NEA certified. Also, customers are usually aware of this and hence purchase is at their own risk.. It is hard to track down every business and ensure that they follow a set of rules. Regulating businesses may also impact the business’ desire to put out their goods, hence the hobby-like feeling of starting an online bakery will be diminished if regulations were to be implemented.”
While home baker Levine Thio, founder of gratus.sg, believes that there needs to be a clearer set of regulations and boundaries set by the government, if home bakeries gain massive following and traction over the next few years.
“I definitely understand the concern over regulations over home bakeries. I have recently lost a slot at a charity fundraiser due to the lack of standardisation of health standards. However, I also think that it is quite challenging to have standardised regulations for all home bakeries as every home is different. Unlike commercial kitchens, every kitchen in residential homes are shared with the rest of the family and I think the reason why there isn't a standard license for home bakeries to acquire is due to this fact.” Levine notes.
Another concern that has been talked about is whether home bakers are competing with those in the industry. To which, Christy responded that “home bakers complement more commercial retail bakeries which may not be able to fulfil the needs of delivery, pre-orders, or customisation, which home bakers are likely to offer. However, there is stiff competition among themselves as well as with brick-and-mortar bakeries.” She continued on explaining that it is challenging to stand out from each other in the industry especially when bakeries start to sell similar goods (such as burnt cheesecake). While Levine stated that “it would be untrue to say that home bakers do not compete with other commercial bakers in the industries as consumers are picking and choosing from a large range of options.”
“Increasingly, we see home bakeries offering more niche products such as gratus targeting vegan pastries and desserts and others offering a more customised set of products. So I think that home bakers only compete with the others in the industry to a certain extent, we more so complement the F&B industry by providing customers with a greater range of choices. I think with or without home bakers, the F&B industry has always been a very competitive market, especially in Singapore where everyone is so open to trying new things. Competition is kind of inevitable in any industry, even more so now in such a diverse and dynamic economy, so businesses, even home bakers, have to find ways of standing out in the industry, even home bakers compete with home bakers.” she continues.
While the concerns for home baking is valid, heavy regulations might harm the passion and inspiration of those in the industry. Every bakery has something unique to offer, and as Levine states, ‘just because [we] purchase from one bakery now, doesn’t mean [we] always will'.
