BAKER’S MACARONS A HIT DURING MCO
They are prepared based on orders to ensure freshness when delivered, says Zuliana
AMID the generally gloomy atmosphere of the Movement Control Order (MCO), homebased entrepreneur Nur Zuliana Mohd Zulkifly has found a silver lining.
Business is booming for the 31year-old, whose baby macarons are flying off the shelves. The baker has been receiving daily orders for the delicate French-inspired cookies since the beginning of the MCO and has yet to stop production to meet demand until Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
“I can produce 1,000 pieces of mouthful-sized macarons. They are produced based on orders only to ensure freshness when delivered,” she said, adding that she would spend eight hours a day making the dessert.
She said the baking process of the dainty dessert with premium peanut butter filling was taxing as she had been working mostly alone during the MCO period.
“But my passion for baking helps me keep the pace.”
Her macarons are not as sweet as the traditional French ones, which can be too sweet sometimes.
She has also perfected the recipe for her baby macarons so that they can last longer in room temperature instead of the typical ones, which require storing in a chilled atmosphere.
“Since early Ramadan, I have received orders from all over the country. Unfortunately, I had to decline some of them due to delivery restrictions,” she said, adding that she was focusing on orders from the Klang Valley.
The founder of Babymac.co, which is based in Shah Alam, said customers could order from her directly or through her dropship agents in Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kemuning, Cyberjaya, Bangi and Serdang.
“However, my major concern is definitely delivery. I have to depend only on e-hailing delivery services as I won’t be able to send them myself. Customers also can’t come and self-pick up due to movement restrictions.”
Sometimes, she said, her agents received defective items due to improper handling during delivery, which then forced her to replace them.
Zuliana said since the implementation of the MCO, she had been facing difficulties in sourcing for baking supplies.
She said she had to depend on costly runner services to purchase her stock.
Some ingredients, especially food colouring agents, were difficult to get, she added.
“Sometimes, runners would come back with wrong products.”
The ex-assistant librarian, who quit her job after her first child was born five years ago, started the online business to make some money for her family.
“Each bottle, which contains 45 pieces of mixed coloured baby macarons, is priced at only RM20. It is very affordable, considering the premium ingredients.”
Zuliana, who made RM3,000 by selling the dessert during Ramadan last year, aimed to double the profit this year.