Despite the hot weather, the queue is so long, you can see it from a distance. The cakes, be it coffee, chocolate or macaroon, sell out within minutes despite bakery manager Aziz Mohammad's frantic efforts at limiting the number to two per customer. Such is the lure of the dessert sold at the Bombay Bakery in Hyderabad, Sindh, whose busy hall exudes the aroma of its rich, buttery coffee cakes.
The bakery, which has enjoyed a loyal customer base, has stuck to its recipes over decades – if not an entire century. Although failing to introduce changes can sometimes render brands redundant, not only has this establishment managed to retain its fan club, it has added many more to its list of admirers.
Zulqarnain, an excise police officer, has fond memories associated with the Hyderabad dessert establishment. The first time he came here was to buy cakes with his father, he said. Now he brings his seven-year-old son to the bakery.
“Over the years, the cakes’ exclusive taste has not changed one bit,” said Zulqarnain, standing at the cash counter with a cake in his hands. "For generations, we have tasted the same quality and taste…it is amazing how the flavour never changes."
The cakes remain famous, not only in Hyderabad but all through Pakistan.
Given this popularity, customers often want to buy several cakes per visit. But that would put Bombay Bakery at risk. “Our cakes are often sold at higher prices by unauthorised proprietors: they hope to make some extra money without working for it,” said Mohammad, explaining why the establishment does not sell more than two cakes – one chocolate and one coffee – per customer, even if they are regulars. Very rarely does the bakery sell more than that to a single customer at a time.
The cakes sell out quickly because customers start queuing up hours before opening time at noon. Usually, the long queue extends from the counter inside the bakery, snakes its way into the compound and ends somewhere outside on the main road.
At 1 pm – only an hour into the bakery's sales – Muqeem Sheikh, a young employee, tells everyone in line to come back by 2.30 pm. “Sir, we have run out of stock for the first half of the day,” a flustered Sheikh told a customer who had come all the way from Karachi to buy the famous cakes. “Please come back after 2.30 pm.” Slightly irritated following the road trip, the customer leaves empty-handed.
The bakery is open six days a week except on Fridays and demand continues to exceed supply.
Its red masonry construction with a path leading to the front door flanked by hedgerows offers a serene glimpse into pre-Partition days with the culture of Hyderabad distinctly embedded in every brick.
“Look at these small slits carved in the counter,” said Mohammad nostalgically. “They were used to deposit coins from our sales.”
The furniture and counters inside the bakery are made of teak, with a metal bar cordoning off space reserved for female customers.
When asked why the bakery does not increase production to cater to the huge demand, Sheikh said: “Our management keeps a limited stock to ensure quality, but the customers do not understand that obviously.”
One such customer appears to be Waheed Ahmed, a resident of Karachi, who says he rarely leaves Hyderabad without cakes from Bombay Bakery. “Thanks to family pressure," he said. "I’m sure you understand it.”
The taste of the cakes does not appear to be the only thing that has remained unchanged at the bakery. “I have never seen the placement of these display cases change," said another customer, who gave his name as Faisal. "Nothing has changed from my childhood, 40 years back.”
Faisal was among several customers who had to leave empty-handed and were asked to come back during the second half of the day.
Bombay Bakery celebrated its centennial anniversary three years ago, in November 11, 2011.
It was founded by a man named Kumar Thadani and is still in the family's hands. Thadani, who was a well-known philanthropist, socialised selectively and remained unmarried until his death in 2010. Yet, he left many to mourn his passing. Kumar would reach out to people in need, irrespective of their community. Born within the Amil caste which is known for its educational and business expertise, Thadani hailed from Dadu in rural Sindh.
Despite Thadani’s somewhat reclusive nature, there are people with whom he formed longstanding and close relationships. His family friend CS Bhatia has mentioned their camaraderie in his autobiography. “He was a perfectionist,” said Bhatia, a retired engineer. “Hardly a night passed without the two of us dining together when I was posted here [Hyderabad].”
Thadani’s macaroon cake was a specialty introduced by his father, Bhatia said. "Since then, Kumar has kept its taste intact by strictly adhering to the use of quality ingredients," he said.
When asked about the name Bombay Bakery, Bhatia says he was not certain about its origins, but it is assumed that Thadani’s father was inspired by the culture of the Indian city.
Thadani’s adopted son has converted to Islam and has changed his name to Salman Shaikh. Shaikh does not give interviews and is known for avoiding journalists. “Salman sahab didn’t even agree for an interview with a popular morning show host," said one of the bakery's employees. "She visited our bakery but left disappointed.”
Everything about this establishment is distinct, from the inside flap of the cake boxes that offer a brief history of the establishment to the outside cover which is adorned with a green ribbon; to the "Shop in a Bungalow" slogan that is instantly identifiable.
“Bombay Bakery is a household name for us, we don’t need a special occasion to buy cakes from there...relatives expect Bombay Bakery cakes as gifts when we visit them in other parts of Sindh,” said 66-year-old Bashir Ahmed, smiling after successfully purchasing a cake.
For a regular visitor who has known the bakery for decades, nostalgia adds to the pull factors, heightened by the sight of the bakery’s red brick walls and its unique aroma. But physical surroundings aside, Bombay Bakery’s famous, shiny, brown-textured, buttery cakes have taken many a people down memory lane.
This article first appeared on Dawn.com.
The bakery, which has enjoyed a loyal customer base, has stuck to its recipes over decades – if not an entire century. Although failing to introduce changes can sometimes render brands redundant, not only has this establishment managed to retain its fan club, it has added many more to its list of admirers.
Zulqarnain, an excise police officer, has fond memories associated with the Hyderabad dessert establishment. The first time he came here was to buy cakes with his father, he said. Now he brings his seven-year-old son to the bakery.
“Over the years, the cakes’ exclusive taste has not changed one bit,” said Zulqarnain, standing at the cash counter with a cake in his hands. "For generations, we have tasted the same quality and taste…it is amazing how the flavour never changes."
The cakes remain famous, not only in Hyderabad but all through Pakistan.
Given this popularity, customers often want to buy several cakes per visit. But that would put Bombay Bakery at risk. “Our cakes are often sold at higher prices by unauthorised proprietors: they hope to make some extra money without working for it,” said Mohammad, explaining why the establishment does not sell more than two cakes – one chocolate and one coffee – per customer, even if they are regulars. Very rarely does the bakery sell more than that to a single customer at a time.
The cakes sell out quickly because customers start queuing up hours before opening time at noon. Usually, the long queue extends from the counter inside the bakery, snakes its way into the compound and ends somewhere outside on the main road.
At 1 pm – only an hour into the bakery's sales – Muqeem Sheikh, a young employee, tells everyone in line to come back by 2.30 pm. “Sir, we have run out of stock for the first half of the day,” a flustered Sheikh told a customer who had come all the way from Karachi to buy the famous cakes. “Please come back after 2.30 pm.” Slightly irritated following the road trip, the customer leaves empty-handed.
The bakery is open six days a week except on Fridays and demand continues to exceed supply.
Its red masonry construction with a path leading to the front door flanked by hedgerows offers a serene glimpse into pre-Partition days with the culture of Hyderabad distinctly embedded in every brick.
“Look at these small slits carved in the counter,” said Mohammad nostalgically. “They were used to deposit coins from our sales.”
The furniture and counters inside the bakery are made of teak, with a metal bar cordoning off space reserved for female customers.
When asked why the bakery does not increase production to cater to the huge demand, Sheikh said: “Our management keeps a limited stock to ensure quality, but the customers do not understand that obviously.”
One such customer appears to be Waheed Ahmed, a resident of Karachi, who says he rarely leaves Hyderabad without cakes from Bombay Bakery. “Thanks to family pressure," he said. "I’m sure you understand it.”
The taste of the cakes does not appear to be the only thing that has remained unchanged at the bakery. “I have never seen the placement of these display cases change," said another customer, who gave his name as Faisal. "Nothing has changed from my childhood, 40 years back.”
Faisal was among several customers who had to leave empty-handed and were asked to come back during the second half of the day.
Bombay Bakery celebrated its centennial anniversary three years ago, in November 11, 2011.
It was founded by a man named Kumar Thadani and is still in the family's hands. Thadani, who was a well-known philanthropist, socialised selectively and remained unmarried until his death in 2010. Yet, he left many to mourn his passing. Kumar would reach out to people in need, irrespective of their community. Born within the Amil caste which is known for its educational and business expertise, Thadani hailed from Dadu in rural Sindh.
Despite Thadani’s somewhat reclusive nature, there are people with whom he formed longstanding and close relationships. His family friend CS Bhatia has mentioned their camaraderie in his autobiography. “He was a perfectionist,” said Bhatia, a retired engineer. “Hardly a night passed without the two of us dining together when I was posted here [Hyderabad].”
Thadani’s macaroon cake was a specialty introduced by his father, Bhatia said. "Since then, Kumar has kept its taste intact by strictly adhering to the use of quality ingredients," he said.
When asked about the name Bombay Bakery, Bhatia says he was not certain about its origins, but it is assumed that Thadani’s father was inspired by the culture of the Indian city.
Thadani’s adopted son has converted to Islam and has changed his name to Salman Shaikh. Shaikh does not give interviews and is known for avoiding journalists. “Salman sahab didn’t even agree for an interview with a popular morning show host," said one of the bakery's employees. "She visited our bakery but left disappointed.”
Everything about this establishment is distinct, from the inside flap of the cake boxes that offer a brief history of the establishment to the outside cover which is adorned with a green ribbon; to the "Shop in a Bungalow" slogan that is instantly identifiable.
“Bombay Bakery is a household name for us, we don’t need a special occasion to buy cakes from there...relatives expect Bombay Bakery cakes as gifts when we visit them in other parts of Sindh,” said 66-year-old Bashir Ahmed, smiling after successfully purchasing a cake.
For a regular visitor who has known the bakery for decades, nostalgia adds to the pull factors, heightened by the sight of the bakery’s red brick walls and its unique aroma. But physical surroundings aside, Bombay Bakery’s famous, shiny, brown-textured, buttery cakes have taken many a people down memory lane.
This article first appeared on Dawn.com.
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