Authentic Cravory is a bakery in Tongaat specialising in cakes, milkshakes, desserts, and much more.
The sweet treat shop, born during the Covid-19 pandemic when owner and self-taught baker Alishka Singh was just 19-years-old, is on an upward trajectory. Singh, now 22, spoke on how her journey as a baker began.
“I had just finished matric and was in my first year of studying Electrical Engineering when Covid-19 hit, leaving us unable to continue my studies. I was home and used to bake for my family, biscuits, cakes, and other goodies. Word seemed to get around and soon, others were asking me to bake cakes for them, so I began Authentic Cravory at that point.”
The first store Singh approached to stock her goods was Highland Supermarket, which has carried her products since 2021, and by 2023, her products were being sold at Golden Sun in Tongaat. As the word spreads, the young baker continues to open wider paths for her business including a direct delivery service.
Singh says her next step is to open her walk-in bakery in Tongaat, allowing customers to directly purchase her cakes, pastries, desserts, and milkshakes.
“This has inspired me as I have always wanted to be an independent woman. I will continue to give my all to making Authentic Cravory the best in Tongaat, my passion for this bakery has driven me to create the most delicious and authentic items you could find. It has led to late nights, swollen feet, and sore arms but it’s so worth it to see smiles on people’s faces when they purchase an Authentic Cravoy product.”
When asked if she has any advice for aspiring young businesswomen, Singh said: “My advice is to always stay true, the most important thing is truthfulness and being yourself, your ideas and your work, be authentic. Always be hardworking, never give up, and always push towards being independent. No matter how wrong things may seem, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Always remember, when you see someone successful in life, nothing was ever handed to them, they worked hard to build their success. You must start small but dream big.”
