Key Points
- Investment is steep for the acquisition and refurbishment of the café and bakery.
- Sharing a bond for animals and good food, Dotollo and Umali met each other while studying Veterinarian Medicine in Dela Salle University in Manila.
- The business partners kept the pies and sausage rolls which were the bestsellers, while introducing Filipino savory meals.
Listen to the podcast
Tinapay at Aussie pies: Paano pinalago ng Pinay business partners ang bakery nito sa regional Australia?
SBS Filipino
23/04/202410:55
Bakeries and cafes form part of the Aussie lifestyle.
Unplanned café venture
For veterinarian graduates turned café owners Emma Dotollo and Abi Umali, it was a surprise that they will be presented an opportunity to buyout a popular café and bakery in 2023.
For several years, they frequented the Pyramid Hill Café and Bakery. Apart from being regular customers, some of their family members even worked there.
My children worked in the café for a long time. It was their first job in Australia. Throughout the years, we got close to the owners.Abi Umali, Café and bakery co-owner
This is why they couldn’t refuse the offer of the original owners to just acquire the business even if they are coming into it blind.
Café-ready in three months
With zero background in hospitality and entrepreneurship, the partners wanted to arm themselves with skills to cope with their new business venture.
They had to build up their knowledge on what’s ahead.
We signed up for short course in hospitality. We got the food safety supervisory certificate. We learned how to make coffee. We crammed everything in three months.Emma Dotollo, Café and bakery co-owner
For the official takeover, they hired a solicitor to handle a majority of the paperwork.
Upwards of $100,000 was poured into the café, including some refurbishments. To be specific, the interiors were painted with light colors to brighten up the vibe.
Keeping with tradition
As a business strategy, they retained the name ‘Pyramid Hill Café and Bakery.’
Given that it’s a well-known place, we didn’t have to resort to marketing because all we have to do is wait for the regular customers to walk-in.Abi Umali, Café and bakery co-owner
To smoothen the transition and to keep the loyal customers of the old café, they decided to keep the pies and sausage rolls.
Despite the minimal competition they have in their area, the partners know they must toil away and offer their own signature meals.
Adding the Filipino touch
To date, they introduced Filipino savoury meals for lunch and dinner. They were surprised to know that ‘Pancit’ or the traditional noodle dish in Filipino cuisine is a big hit for the patrons.
“They look forward to the meals, particularly the adobo. Also now even the elderly customers hang out in the café and bakery.
“It’s nice to see them stay longer because before the café was more for takeaway,” Dotollo says.
With just six months in the food business, the partners are optimistic that just like the old café, perhaps they too will also be well-loved by the community.
