10 years in the profession
The owner of this unique business model is Ms. Tran Thi Le Uyen (32 years old, residing in Ninh Kieu ward, Can Tho city). Few people know that before being associated with banh bo, banh duc, banh da lợn... Ms. Uyen used to be a pharmacist.
Thinking the future was associated with white blouse and hospital rooms, but the passion for the sweet taste from her grandmother's and mother's kitchens turned her life on a new page.
Ms. Uyen recalled: "The first days attached to cake flour were when I was in school, every time I craved country cakes, I would tinker with making them. Initially, I only made them for my family to enjoy, then gave them to acquaintances around. Thanks to the compliments and encouragement, I risked my life to practice doing business on an online platform.
There are no formal schools that teach folk cake making in a systematic way, Ms. Uyen learns by herself by gathering experience from her predecessors. She meticulously observes from how to choose flour to the technique of keeping the fire, pressing molds so that the cake reaches the most perfect level.
In particular, thanks to the sensitivity of a medical student, she has produced cake recipes with harmonious sweet and salty flavors, ensuring consumer health. And then from a small online kitchen, Ms. Uyen accumulated a loyal customer base and more than that, a business mindset that is very sensitive to the market.
Innovation in sales methods
After a period of struggling with the profession, Ms. Uyen realized an objective reality in the Can Tho market in particular and the Mekong Delta in general that the approach to users is quite monotonous. Because usually, small traders only sell individual types of pre-packaged cakes at prices from 10,000 - 15,000 VND/bag.
This selling method inadvertently creates barriers because if anyone wants to enjoy many flavors, they are forced to buy many different bags, leading to insufficient consumption, causing waste. Meanwhile, the folk cake buffet model is almost neglected.
Seeing the opportunity from that gap, Ms. Uyen launched a restaurant modeled after a buffet with self-service and weighing to calculate the price. Since opening, the restaurant has always maintained a diverse menu with more than 30 different types of folk cakes, including sweet cakes such as palmyra beef cake, duc gan cake, steamed banana cake... to savory cakes served for breakfast diners such as silkworm skin cake or silkworm xiu mai cake.
When coming to the shop, customers are given a clean tray to freely pick up their favorite cakes. After choosing, the cakes will be weighed at a common price of 12,000 VND/100 grams" - Ms. Uyen added.
Transparency, reasonable prices and freedom of choice have created a big fever. Customers are no longer afraid to buy too much or be constrained by a fixed flavor, they can eat each thing in a piece to both satisfy their eyesight and complete their taste.
In addition, grasping the trend of young people and families wanting to have a relaxing space, Ms. Uyen invests in a clean, neat space with neat tables and chairs. Customers can sit down and leisurely enjoy a plate of country cakes with a cup of hot tea and chat in a cozy space.
Secrets to keeping diners genuine
In the context that consumers are increasingly strict with food safety issues, Ms. Uyen's bakery is still confident thanks to a business philosophy that puts the word "heart" first. With available medical knowledge, Ms. Uyen understands better than anyone the importance of health, so she always ensures hygiene from the processing area to the display counter.
The point that makes up Ms. Uyen's brand is the policy of only using natural colors from vegetables and fruits to make cakes, saying no to industrial colorings.
I use magenta leaves to give a rich purple-purple color, blue bean flowers give a gentle blue color, carrots give a bright orange color and pineapple leaves give a fresh green color with a strong aroma. These natural colors not only help the cake have a glossy, gentle appearance but also bring a light, characteristic flavor of grass and trees, helping to position the brand" - Ms. Uyen said.
Present at the shop on a weekend morning, Ms. Nguyen Ngo Trang Thuy (Can Tho City) said that the cakes here are very delicious, the sweetness is just right and not harsh, so you eat a lot without getting too tired. "I highly appreciate this self-service model because you pick up a little of each item to experience and it is affordable. In addition, the shop space is clean, plus knowing that the cakes are made from natural vegetable colors, you are more assured" - Ms. Thuy added.
Not only delicious but also benign
For Ms. Uyen, folk cuisine is a continuous stream, if you want to survive sustainably, you must know how to adapt to the times. Long-term orientation for her spiritual child, Ms. Uyen will continue to research and improve cake recipes. This new creation is not to break tradition, but to adjust to suit the taste and trends of modern life.
Ms. Uyen confided: "Dishes, especially young people and the elderly, tend to reduce sweetening and limit heavy carbohydrates. Therefore, I am actively researching to reduce the amount of sugar or take advantage of the natural sweetness from fruits, increase the fiber content from vegetables so that folk cakes are not only delicious but also healthy for the body.
In fact, the folk cake buffet model in the Mekong Delta is no longer too unfamiliar, however, the secret to sustainable business is always a difficult problem, especially for new entrepreneurs in this field. The owner Tran Thi Le Uyen said that she is not complacent with the journey she has gone through, she will constantly improve service and train the service style of employees in a professional, welcoming direction typical of the Mekong Delta people.
According to Southern Culture researcher - Nham Hung, Southern folk cakes are not simply "food" - in a material sense, but more than that, it is an expression of a rich lifestyle in spirit and cultural identity of a land. In the modern context, he highly appreciates and supports creative business models that help elevate local cuisine.
However, the researcher also suggested openly whether it is necessary to expand the cake performance space in a corner of the restaurant, helping diners "satisfy their eyes" when enjoying.
Just a small corner, performances making beef cake, banana cake or pork skin cake are all fine, so that young people can watch and have the opportunity to learn how to make them" - Mr. Hung added.
