With Christmas just hours away, local businesses in Nadi are working hard to meet the last-minute baking orders.

Ali’s Cakehouse, Bakels, and Rosy Hearts are prepared for the holiday rush, offering a wide range of festive treats at budget-friendly prices.

These businesses have received positive customer feedback, and to keep up with consumer demands, they have implemented a robust quality assurance system.

Owner of Alis Cakehouse located in Nadi Town, Shahid Ali, says besides operating his bakery he also supplies fruit cakes to supermarkets.

“As for the quality of the fruit cake, we the directors, specifically are involved in the process of this fruit cake. So, from baking up till packing, and supplying to the respective supermarkets, we are involved in the day-to-day operations of the business. So, we make sure that the quality of the fruit cake is maintained at all times.”

Bakels, on the other hand, is offering its customers a range of Christmas deals and has also increased its storage capacity to meet the growing demand.

Wade Knowles, Sales and Technical Manager at Bakels, highlighted that while the company occasionally faces delays with the importation of ingredients, it ensures adequate stock to overcome the delays.

“This year our sales have increased by about 15% across our whole range. So, not only our frozen offer of Croissants and Danishes but also our pre-mixes, our cake mixes, our fruit mixes, our chocolates.”

Rosy Hearts is also offering specials, with Assistant Baker Aseri Tinai sharing insights into the company’s offerings.

“We have a Christmas special; we have a 6-inch that’s $35, 7-inch $42 and 9×12 for $65. Anything you want for Christmas, we glaze it up, put Christmas decoration, so those are the prices.”

The fruit cake origins go as far back as the Middle Ages, when dried fruits became more widely available.

The cost of ingredients was so high that in the 17th and 18th-century fruit-cakes were only made for special occasions, such as weddings and holidays, particularly in Victorian England.