“I’ve been interested in baking since grade school, and my sisters and I even had a short-lived Christmas racket of selling chocolate chip cookies as giveaways,” says Georgia Rocha-Chu.

The perky girl people associated more to television and radio, is also a caterer, baker, and proprietress of Rocha Food Services. Recently, buzz from dessert aficionados revealed an Empire, specifically, Rocha’s brand of goodies called Empire.

A FRESH START

“Empire started exactly one year ago. I guess it was always in the back of my head to have a baking business, and I thought the best place to start was at Power Plant Mall's yearly Baker's Dozen,” explains Rocha.

She proposed to the event organizers her idea to sell Cheesecake Balls which earned her a slot in the event. Realizing that one product will not be enough to attract attention, she developed a line of macarons which her husband had a fondness for.

According to Wikepedia, the macaron is a traditional French pastry made of egg whites, almond powder, icing sugar and sugar. This sweet pastry came out of the French courts' baker's oven as round meringue-like domes with a flat base.

Empire’s Cheesecake Balls come in ten different flavors, ranging from original flavors such as chocolate, sprinkles, and walnut chunk; to premium flavors such as coffee bean, cookies & cream, and chocolate chip. Meanwhile, her macarons come in 14 flavors such as blueberry, mocha, hazelnut ganache, and chocolate-strawberry to name a few.

“This month, I came out with personal macaroon cakes and I am continuously coming up with new flavors,” says Rocha.

A box of cheesecake balls starts at P279.00 (9 pieces) or P30-35/piece depending on the flavor. Macaroons are P30/piece of P350.00 for a dozen.

A BUDDING EMPIRE

Rocha had the idea to name her baking line “Empire” after the most notable figure in New York, the Empire State Building.

“To me, that building also represents innovation, which is what I strive for in this business. I could go on giving reasons for the name like the first cheesecake was made during the Roman Empire, or that the first brand of cream cheese was developed by Empire Cheese, or that I wanted a name that was aspirational. But, I guess the bottom line is, I wanted a name that represented innovation and aspiration,” she says.

Her creations were received warmly by people who appreciate good food, as well as those with discriminating taste buds.

“I got good reviews on food blogs and my sales were more than I expected. Sure, I had my fair share of negative comments but they only made me work harder for better products so I appreciate those comments, too,” Rocha points out “I love the oohs and aahs I hear when customers see the chocolate-dipped cheesecake balls or the smiles on their faces after tasting my macaroons, especially the best sellers like pistachio and triple chocolate,” she continues.

Rocha invested around P100K for packaging costs and equipment, but although only a year old, Empire has already recovered her initial investment due to foresight.

“Because this is still a small business and my capital wasn't larger than I could handle. I also only produce products when there is a demand, so there are days when I don't bake or work,” she points out.

SIZING UP THE COMPETITION

Although macarons aren’t common in the Philippines, the colorful and yummy treats aren’t exactly rare. Rocha remains unfazed in the face of competition.

“I have yet to come across cheesecake balls here in Manila, in fact, I first saw them on the Neiman Marcus website. Macarons are also scarce in the Philippines, there are only a few sellers of macarons here. I purposely chose to steer clear of products that are regularly found in the market like cookies and bars, because, I figured, I'll just sink in that sea, so to speak,” she explains.

Her passion in baking paid off since although Empire was a small business, it had its share of difficulties.

“It definitely isn't easy to start a business, even if it's a small one...the paperwork was dizzying. I was very nervous, also, about introducing products that were relatively new in the market, I had no idea how the market would react to them so it's easy to say I was an emotional wreck at the beginning!” she exclaims.

Empire is also available for event giveaways such as in weddings and parties. However, Rocha dreams of eventually opening shop since Empire is mostly confined to bazaars and by order.

“Hopefully, it will be a reality soon. I intend to develop more products and make the business grow, but at the same time give my customers the same level of quality, taste and price of a homebaked product,” Rocha emphasizes.

Until then, Rocha keeps in mind her husband’s advice. “Always take that extra step and never rest on your laurels. I guess this applies in any kind of adventure. Always innovate and listen to your customers. Don't be discouraged by initial setbacks, because there will be many. In the end, reward yourself with a spa treatment,” she says with a smile.

Contact details:

Tel: (02)4671995
Mobile: (0917)8861190
Email: georgia@grochacatering.com