For Juhi Pahwa, a Mumbai-based entrepreneur and celebrity baker, her brainchild ‘The Better Binge’ that offers gluten-free and refined sugar-free cakes and bakery products happened by chance, but it’s her dedication and determination that brought celebrities like Katrina Kaif, Jacqueline Fernandes, and Yasmin Karachiwala as her patrons who swear by her flavours and techniques. Juhi is enjoying her passion turning into a full-fledged business and is at present concentrating, researching and creating more healthy flavours. TMM asks about her business strategies and her future plans.
How did the passion for baking happen to you and when did it turn into a profession?
I was always passionate about food. The baking bug bit me a while later in life, but I guess it was always a calling. As a profession, it happened in the most organic way. Started baking some treats for my grandfather and he loved it. The next time I went to a friend’s house I carried it along, they loved it and just gradually everyone started asking for it and The Better Binge was born, about 3 years ago and here I’m today!
Your idea was to make this world a refined sugar and flour-free place. How have you been doing it?
It’s not been easy in terms of ingredients and products. Even the market isn’t as accepting as it may seem to be. People want a sugar-free cake but still want it to be sweet. So a lot of research has been going on from my end in terms of using the best possible ingredients, maintaining a taste palate to suit everyone and lots more. I’ve been adapting so many new products that are quite untouched in Indian markets. For example, I use monk fruit sweetener, which has zero calories, zero carbohydrates but people here don’t even know about it. It works exactly like sugar.
Within a short span, you have a list of clients like Katrina Kaif, Jacqueline Fernandes, Yasmin Karachiwala. How far such associations have helped in growing your business?
The pressure with these associations becomes quite high, to be honest. There’s a constant eye on you and the business. But also, the business has grown so much because of them. People buy a lot of what these celebrities post on their social media handles. It has definitely got The Better Binge a lot of recognition, but also a ‘good’ pressure to keep it up to the standards always and make sure everything is perfect.
Did the pandemic impact your business too? What measures have you been taking to keeping going on?
Yes, the pandemic came with quite some struggles including delivery channels and pick-ups and drops, also, the shortage of staff to work. Work-wise it’s been great, as I feel people during these tough and gloomy times have found solace in desserts and cakes. The pandemic also enabled me to take online classes, teaching about 100 bakers all over India and the world, something I really might have not plunged into otherwise.
What role Instagram has played in building your baking business and do you see any dark side to it?
Every coin has a flip side. Instagram in the last year has really grown as a business medium. The dark side is the trolling and hates you receive from people. And there’s also constant nudging for celebrities numbers. I mean I’m really not giving them any!
Do you have any plans to open a bakery cafe or a restaurant in near future?
No plans as such as of now. I am very happy in my blessed home. I feel I’ve moulded my passion into my business in this blessed space, and I want to be here for as long as I can! But just like this business happened out of the blue, you never know you might be sipping a latte with a cupcake at my cafe someday soon.
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