The Sweet Taste of Summer Breeze

Graphics by Shaina Ashley H. Faustino

Wonders of malolos

Sandy Gee C. Santiago

The erstwhile circumstances have brought us to the changes we are living in now. With the global pandemic, there are many things that we are no longer accustomed to. Things such as travel, school, and the traditional work set-up have disappeared and been replaced with major precautionary and safety measures. But not everything is doom and gloom — the bright summer breeze is still wafting from a bakery in the City of Malolos even in the midst of the new normal.

Owned by Marie Sunshine Dela Cruz, the small humble Vien’s Bakery in Dakila, Malolos with its various biscuits exudes a sweet satisfying smell. It is famous for its sugary biscuits from butter cookies to puto seco with otap, the most famous, catching the attention of the crowd. It is known for its sweet, thin, incredibly crispy, and crumbly texture.

In the past, the packaging of the sugary biscuits used to be in plastic, only able to fit four to six biscuits. However, they recently decided to put the biscuits in a circle-shaped tupperware to fill more spaces, delivering the unique vibe that their patrons desired most. In response, many buyers have reacted favorably, saying that aside from its addictive taste, it is also more convenient, especially when they are traveling and want to eat a light dessert.

Dela Cruz revealed that it was her husband's idea to put the biscuits in tupperware.

“We tried a biscuit in a tub and it clicked. His ideas also help other bakeries because biscuits in a tub became a trend,” she stated.

The price of the pastries varied from P100 to P110. She swam in the vast ocean of uncertainty but chose to embrace what would happen next. Luckily, their bakery helped them through these tough times and also supported their relatives and other workers with extra income in the midst of the pandemic.

Vien’s Bakery has now captured a lion’s share of customers with around 50,000 all over the Philippines. They are selling their products nationwide. Although we are often caged by our own fear, Dela Cruz has some advice to those who want to start their own business: Have the courage and take the risk. For what it is worth, it will rise.

The summer breeze in the new normal takes place in her bakery, catching the sweet and addicting glimpse. Here is where it all began.