Empowerment of Women in Bakery Industry - A Piece of Cake

The intrepid women have proved their mettle in almost all arenas. They have resolutely proved themselves as enterprising entrepreneurs in all industries, including the bakery segment of the food & beverage industry. From home bakers to capable industrialists, they have climbed the ladder of success and are speedily securing opportunities in what was once a male dominated segment – bakery business. The rise in female bakers in India is a testimony of the fact that they have the potential to successfully handle career as well as home by successfully harnessing technology and social media to improve their business. With more females entering the bakery industry, the sector is rapidly moving towards gender equality. Ashok Malkani, to commemorate the International Women’s Day, on March 8, views the progress and the success of the lady bakers in their endeavour to move from home baking to becoming owners of commercial conglomerates.

- Ashok Malkani

Bakery industry, which is one of the largest food processing sectors in India, offers a plethora of opportunities for growth, innovation, and career prospects. Due to this, even during the past two years, when the corona virus (Covid-19) affected the entire industrial sector, including the food industry, the bakery segment was not as badly affected as the other branches of the F&B industry. And the lady bakery chefs remained true to their profession! No wonder on this women’s day the bakery industry offers them kudos!

The women chefs have covered the journey from homemakers to proficient and skilled home bakers and, subsequently, professional bakers and bakery/pastry chefs

Alisha Faleiro, Pastry chef at the Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts India succinctly puts it thus: “Passé are the days when the bakery was just associated as a hobby. The sector is now emerging to be empowering for women and is giving them opportunities to carve a career path out of it. There has been a paradigm shift from women being addressed as homemakers to home bakers and women entrepreneurs, all thanks to the bakery market.”

Food industry is considered, by many, to be on the forefront as far as women empowerment is concerned, with nearly half of its entry-level work force comprising of women. However, only one-fourth of the upper level industry positions are held by women.

Increasing Women in Bakery Sector

The retail bakeries are one area within the industry that is making great strides in increasing the representation of women.