Bakery business soars as festive orders pour in

Cakes awaiting customers at one of the bakeries on the Airport road. The emergence of PR/marketing firms in large numbers in recent years has contributed considerably to the sales of cakes.

By Ramesh Mathew/Staff Reporter

The country’s bakers and confectioners have their busiest days of the year during the three weeks starting from the third week of December, thanks to the several celebrations beginning with the Qatar National Day on December 18 and extending up to the New Year festivities.

Confirming this increased levels of sales sources in the local bakery and confectionery businesses told this newspaper that most bakeries are finding it difficult to sanction leaves to their production staff  during the period.

Thanks to the emergence of a number of marketing and PR firms in recent years, the businesses of bakeries have soared  as most of them receive a large number of corporate orders during the three weeks. As a “thank you” gesture, several  business houses place orders for the delivery of cakes to the offices of their clients and patrons.

“Like in the last few years we are handling a number of corporate orders and we expect the trend to continue at least until the first week of the New Year,” said a senior marketing official at one of the country’s top bakeries.

He added the trend has been growing across the country  since the beginning of the new millennium.

“Initially such increased volume of businesses were restricted only to the bakeries at some of the country’s major hotels. However in the last 7-8 years with the entry of many PR and marketing firms, a significant quantum of such businesses have also gone to other bakeries and confectioners ,” he said.

Inquiries with some of the marketing companies found orders consisted mainly of cakes and they usually receive orders for deliveries from the first  week of December. “Initially the trend was confined mainly to the companies employing western expatriates but now others also contribute substantially to their businesses,” said a corporate gifts manager at a well-known local bakery group.

Sources said it is not only cakes of normal sizes that is witnessing increased business during the celebrations. “On account of the Christmas celebrations , we  supplied several thousands of pieces each costing QR1-QR1.50 to the churches ,” said a baker.