Ginnies
In this edition of Bakker in the Spotlight we put Ginger Mullenders (31) in the spotlight, the passionate force behind Ginnies . With her love for retro cakes, a touch of romance and a solid dose of perseverance, she conquers the hearts of her customers in Maastricht and far beyond.
About Ginger
Ginger Mullenders is a dreamer, a hopeless romantic with an insatiable love for all things food. "I like to live my life as a homebody, always looking for new movies and series in which I can completely lose myself. Cheese onion chips and sweet popcorn go in my mouth at the same time!"
She loves connecting with kind and honest people. "You can have a good conversation with me but also sit on the terrace fully dressed and laugh about trivial things. Happiness in small corners is my motto!"
From candy dreams to successful bakery
As a child, Ginger spent hours in candy stores and leafing through old-fashioned baking books. Her love for baking started early and was fueled by her dream of owning her own business. After her training as a social pedagogical worker, she decided to follow her passion and immersed herself in the world of pastry.
She has been active as a baker since she was twenty, which means she has been in the business for 11 years now. "I found standing under fluorescent tubes in the middle of the night scary and weird, but I had one goal: to gather as much knowledge as possible to open my own business with quality products."
The power of passion
Ginger shines in her work. "Of course, I like finishing everything the most, especially retro cakes. I find piping ruffles very satisfying! And developing new products and concepts gives me the most energy." However, there are also things she likes less: "I have baked so much banana bread, whipped creams and made ganaches in my life, I don't find that exciting and fun anymore (is that bad?)."
She trained in Belgium, supplemented with pastry courses at Savour School in Australia. "But I believe that the best way to learn is simply to work."
Entrepreneurship with challenges
Entrepreneurship comes with challenges. "The energy of everyone in my shop is amazing, but running a business is more than just baking." Some challenges Ginger can name are:
- Creating a flow where you are not an employee in your own company. Running a business is more than just baking, and you have to be able to let go of that in order to grow.
- Dare to ask for help from the right people.
- Switching between multitasking and also finding the peace to creatively innovate.
- Social contacts get less attention. Forgetting birthdays, being late to a party, it all happened ! But the sweetest and best people who are meant for you stick with you and understand this.
- OMG machines breaking down, leaks, hassle, etc. etc.!!!!
Her tip for aspiring bakers: "Nothing is too crazy and everything is possible as long as you do it! Be prepared for not everything to go the way you want, but that only makes you wiser and stronger."
Instagram as a golden marketing tool
Instagram plays a big role in Ginger's business. "Instagram is my mother channel for content. That's where I have the most followers and I use this channel for the ultimate Ginnies atmosphere experience. Fortunately, I now have help with planning the socials. I struggled with this for a long time and I couldn't keep up with it myself." Still, most people find her via Google and easily place their orders via the website.
Instagram Following Tips from Ginger
For Ginnies, for example, she gets a lot of inspiration from these accounts:
"I listen to a lot of podcasts about entrepreneurship, very nice to put on when you are busy with production or just want to take a breath."
- Jessie Jazz Vuijk now has a series of podcasts about female energy and entrepreneurship with " Jessie's Diary "
- " Over Routines " by Arie Boomsma is about all kinds of routines, often with attention to entrepreneurship
- " Lotgenoten Podcast " is a raw (men's) podcast with often very interesting topics about successful companies
Packaging: practical and stylish
Packaging is crucial for Ginger. "Now I know how important packaging is! Especially when you want to portray your brand. People like to choose a combo box to get everything wrapped in a nice box. Cakes and sweets are the nicest gifts to give nowadays instead of flowers!"
She pays particular attention to the price and delivery time. "I am very satisfied with Cupcakedozen.nl. The pink cupcake box is my favorite!"
Dreams for the future
Ginger has big dreams for the future. "My dream is to turn Ginnies into a brand, open multiple stores and grow into one of the favorite bakeries in the South of the Netherlands. I look forward to working in a larger production space and gathering a strong team that wants to realize my mission together with me."
Ginger Facts
- Ginger is 31 years old and lives in Maastricht.
- She loves retro cakes and piping ruffles.
- Her motto is "Happiness in small corners."
- She is always looking for new movies and series.
- Her favorite snacks are cheese onion chips and sweet popcorn.
- Ginger draws a lot of inspiration from accounts such as Milkbar, Brooki Bakehouse and Mali Bakes.
- Podcasts are her go-to at work, especially those about entrepreneurship.
Ginger's unique style and warm heart make Ginnies a bakery you won't soon forget.