When Maria Santos arrived in Winnipeg from the Philippines eight years ago, she brought two things in her suitcase: a small notebook filled with family recipes and a dream of owning her own bakery.
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She did not have money for a storefront. She did not have business partners or a marketing plan. What she had was a rented garage behind her apartment and a lot of determination.
“I started baking at three in the morning before my cleaning job,” Maria recalls with a laugh. “My neighbours thought I was crazy. They could smell pandesal and ube rolls at four AM.”
For the first year, Maria sold her bread and pastries to friends, co-workers, and anyone who knocked on her garage door. She used social media to post photos of her creations — golden brown loaves, colourful cupcakes, delicate cookies dusted with powdered sugar. Slowly, orders grew.
