Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Veronica Amaya, owner, and founder of Canela Bakery & Cafe, located in Calgary, AB, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Canela is a company that embraces the "do no harm" ethos by providing food that is plant-based (we don't even have cow's milk for our lattes!) to prevent unnecessary harm toward animals. It started as a farmer's market venture in the summer of 2018, where we set up shop at a relatively unknown market. But my luck struck in late 2018 when the Farmers & Makers Market at cSPACE gave me a spot in the wonderful and community-oriented market. From then on, the brand has been thriving and growing slowly but surely.

In 2019, Barrow Coffee Roasters assumed the brand's entire operations, but we were still operating out of cSPACE without association to the farmer's market at this community center. After working under Barrow from summer 2019 until August 2020, Veronica reassumed the entire operations of the brand, leaving her to be able to innovate and create in the kitchen. Since then, Canela has been growing and become a popular vegan staple in the Calgary vegan community. We are best known for our cinnamon rolls and their variety of flavours changing as the seasons come and go (our most popular roll is—hands down—the Classic Roll). With the help of the vegan community, our new neighbourhood community in Inglewood, and our wholesalers, Canela is able to operate and veganize more and more pastries that are typically non-vegan friendly! For example, we veganized tiramisu, breakfast sandwiches with "eggs," quiche, frittatas, croissants, and many other exciting products.

Tell us about yourself

I was born in northern Mexico and moved to Canada with my husband and daughter when she was only five months old in 1998. From 2005 and onward, I was working within the food business under Bernard Callebaut and through other private ventures until I ended founding and creating Canela. Everything I do at, and for Canela, it is to promote vegan pastries for all to afford, thereby challenging the common thought that veganism is expensive.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

As a small and local business owner, my biggest accomplishment has been the ability to provide jobs, especially to immigrants! About 60% of our total employees were born elsewhere in the world. We have people from Mexico, Colombia, the Philippines, Netherlands, and Australia, all of which provide their own cultural experiences to problem-solving and recipe development. Another great accomplishment has been the ability to support other small and local businesses and charities. All the frames on our wall in the seating area are for purchase, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Alice Sanctuary. Many of our raw materials are bought through other small vegan businesses. Needless to say, we love all the communities we are a part of, both vegan and our neighbourhood.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

I think it’s picking up the slack when things don’t go quite as planned. For example, if someone is unable to come in for their shift—as the owner—I am the one that ends up staying late and filling that role whenever necessary. Sometimes this means being awake at 6:00 am to be on-call in case something happens with short notice. I also have many shoes to fill. I am a Barista, Brand Ambassador, Head Baker, and part of the administration. It gets exhausting, but it’s what you have to do.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. First, start small, so you are able to test the market for your product. Sometimes the product or service you want to sell, there may not be much luck for you. Markets can be saturated, or there is no market for niche products.
  2. Second, always make a business plan and a cash flow based on that. This way, you’re not caught by surprise when events don’t go as planned
    you will always have a fall-back plan.
  3. Third, make sure you’re committed to your time and mental health for yourself and those around you, whether family, spouse, friend and/or roommate.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Focus on your own business, your own plan, and your own operations. Don’t forget to be innovative. There’s nothing worse than when another company copies what other businesses do. Be original, be authentic, and be creative.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.canelayyc.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/canelaYYC
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canelayyc/


If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.