Sisters Turn Childhood Baking Passion Into Big Business

Two sisters who grew up enjoying a TV show on food have turned the pastime into a goldmine

Kachi and Chizzy Amajor were born and raised in the United States of America and grew up in Texas. According to Kachi, their favourite TV show growing up was "Sweet Dreams", a baking show anchored by Gale Gand and aired on FoodNetwork. It was a show Kachi and Chizzy rarely missed and which became the foundation of their love for baking. Kachi reminisced on how their interest in baking gradually transformed into a business idea: “I started taking baking more seriously at high school. By the time I was in college, my sister and I started our own business by selling wedding cakes, birthday cakes and so much more.” Kachi, a graduate of the University of Texas, Arlington, and Chizzy, who graduated from Howard University and Georgetown University, both in the U.S., moved to Nigeria in 2013 for the very first time in their lives. Kachi recalled: “Nigeria has so much to offer and we just had to come and experience it for ourselves. We left our comfort zone and jumped out on blind faith knowing that success was the only option once backed with determination and perseverance.” However, their relocation was of mutual benefit, as they brought with them a Western confectionery idea blended with local convention. “Being born and raised in the US has definitely had an influence on our baking styles,” Kachi told us. “We like to incorporate American southern flavours from Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, etc., and tastes that are nostalgic to our experiences. We are bringing our childhood favourites to the Nigerian market. We arealso developing recipes that truly showcase all the amazing flavours that Nigeria has to offer.” Stella Dulce Bakery, named after the Amajor sisters' mother, has been setup in Abuja as a place where the two sisters are taking confectionaries to the next level with exceptional passion for baking. However, Abuja and other major cities already have many bakeries. So what is Stella Dulce doing differently? Kachi was excited by the question. She said: "We incorporate different international flavour profiles that represent the countries that we have travelled to. Stella Dulce only uses highquality ingredients and we spend extra time on the intricate details to ensure that each product we make is as unique as the people who order them from us. We use international baking techniques from Swiss and French approaches to Texas tried and true best practices." The Amajor sisters are using the lessons learned from their flourishing careers in public and global health to build their bakery brand with the goal of bringing international standards and quality to the ir customers' doorsteps. Kachi vividly remembered the first sale, which persuaded them that they were on the right track and deepened their interest: “It has to be a Ben10 car cake that we made for a little boy's birthday. He absolutely loved it! He probably wanted to play with it more than he wanted to eat it. As is common to many start-ups, our first sales came from family and friends. Then it grew from there with recommendations. We are finding that the way we started in the United States is the same trend that we're seeing in Nigeria.” With growing health concerns worldwide, healthy-eating enthusiasts often criticise the confectionary industry for the growing obesity, especially among children. We asked Kachi if Stella Dulce Bakery makes healthy desserts. She said: “Honestly, you'd be surprised how fruit and veggies can be incorporated into desserts. Mother Nature has given us so many natural sweeteners and healthy fats that can be used rather than butter and sugar. We are developing a vegan line of recipes that are just as rich and flavourful as our guilty pleasures. No sugar, no eggs, no dairy, all natural flavours that are derived from healthy sources like nuts and natural oils. Learning how to produce on a large scale was an initial challenge when Stella Dulce started. Also, obtaining quality ingredients in Nigeria has been a constant challenge, according to Kachi. Eyak “We ensure that our ingredients are the best and we are ready to go above and beyond even if it means importing the best ingredients to guarantee superior products for our customers,” she said. In spite of the crowded confectionary space, Kachi said Stella Dulce a highend bakery with a bright future. She said, “Our priority is delivering excellence in everything we create. All of our customers are high profile, no matter how big or small. We treat every customer like a super star. Whether you are ordering a single cupcake or hosting a star-studded event, you are going to be treated like the king or queen that you are!”

“We are bringing our childhood favourites from the United States to the Nigerian market. We are also developing recipes that truly showcase all the amazing flavours that Nigeria has to offer