Online Cake Bhejo brings cakes to rural India | Fusion - WeRIndia

Cakes, often associated with smoothness, richness, and special occasions, are a rarity in many remote Indian villages.

For children in these areas, birthday celebrations often lack the luxury of a high-quality cake, with any that do make their way to the village being of poor quality or even stale.

The idea of getting a freshly baked, rich cake is not just challenging; it’s practically inaccessible. However, one startup is changing that.

Online Cake Bhejo, a Patna-based initiative, was co-founded by Ashish Ranjan and Buddhisen Bittu in 2018.

Their goal was simple but impactful: to make high-quality, delicious cakes accessible to rural areas.

Over time, the startup evolved into a social enterprise, promoting self-help groups that empower rural women and support local agriculture.

Ashish’s journey began not in the world of cakes, but in technology. He, along with Buddhisen, initially started teaching Android Application development to students in Bihar, a rare opportunity in a state with limited access to such training.

After a few years of teaching, the duo decided to explore other ventures, seeking a way to create tangible value for society. This search led them to the cake business.

Their idea materialized into Online Cake Bhejo, an online cake delivery service focused on quality and customization.

Initially, the startup built its technology infrastructure, setting up a website and partnering with local bakeries to source cakes.

However, customer feedback revealed a significant issue: the quality of the cakes was lacking.

In response, Ashish and Buddhisen halted deliveries and redirected their focus entirely on improving the quality of their product.

To address the quality concerns, they started from scratch, learning the nuances of cake-making.

The founders supervised the baking process themselves, hiring and training chefs to ensure that every cake met their high standards.

The focus shifted from just delivering cakes to crafting customized, premium cakes starting at ₹1000, which Ashish himself began delivering locally on his motorcycle.

Ashish’s personal drive to succeed was deeply influenced by his father, who, despite being bedridden, was a constant source of motivation.

His father’s encouragement, even in his final days, pushed Ashish to continue working on the business despite challenges.

In an effort to further improve the quality of their products, Ashish turned to locally sourced, fresh ingredients.

He was surprised when a chef requested caramel colouring for brown bread, which inspired him to shift away from processed foods.

Instead, Online Cake Bhejo began collaborating with local farmers to grow healthier grains like millet, jowar, and ragi.

These grains were then used by rural women to create value-added products such as millet cookies, muffins, and dry cakes.

Over time, the startup became not only a cake and dessert delivery brand but also a social enterprise.

Through partnerships with various farmer-producer organizations, Online Cake Bhejo established multiple self-help groups.

It aims to expand to 100 franchise outlets in various states, like Bihar, UP, and Jharkhand by 2025.

Image Credit: Onlinecakebhejo Website Screenshot

Image Reference: https://onlinecakebhejo.com/