After being made redundant in the first lockdown, Tim Langlois channelled his time and energy into baking.
Wanting to create a premium-style cupcake brand similar to those seen in major cities such as New York and Paris, Cobo Bakes was born.
‘I know that I can fit 200 cupcakes in the fridge,’ he said.
‘So that’s my number. I bake and decorate 200 a day.’
He built his own hedge veg box that sits outside his house on Route de la Mare de Carteret and since the second lockdown at the end of January, he has sold almost 10,000 cupcakes.
‘It is absolutely incredible,’ he said.
‘What was started as a survival business when I was made redundant has not only helped pay our mortgage but has given me and – I hope – my customers, too, so much satisfaction.’
Mr Langlois believed the growing interest in TV show The Great British Bake Off was partly behind the boom in home baking,
coupled with lockdown restrictions that meant people were spending more time at home.
‘The Guernsey Press Bake Off that launched with the Guernsey Press has been great,’ he said.
‘It’s given people – including me – the chance to get creative in the kitchen.’
Every Saturday in The Week inside the newspaper is a new recipe that Mr Langlois has created for islanders to follow.
They then send in photos of their baked goods and Mr Langlois chooses a winner.
Mr Langlois added: ‘I think the pandemic has made people realise that nothing is certain and it has encouraged a lot more people to take their destiny into their own hands.
‘Lots of individual cake or baking companies have been born since last March, which I think is absolutely fantastic.’
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