Universiti Teknologi MARA ENT300 D’Aroma Bakery Case Study Analysis

This case study examines D'Aroma Bakery, a small business specializing in cakes, pastries, and pulut kuning, based in Pontian, Johor. The study analyzes the business's background, organization, products, marketing, and operational strategies. It delves into the entrepreneur's profile, including her experience, challenges faced, and personal entrepreneurial competencies (PECs). The analysis highlights the founder's ability to overcome challenges, her focus on quality, problem-solving skills, and self-confidence. The case study provides insights into the practical application of entrepreneurial theories, offering valuable knowledge for aspiring entrepreneurs. The study includes an executive summary, table of contents, detailed sections on the business and entrepreneur, and a conclusion, alongside appendices. The study highlights the importance of PECs such as concern for high quality of work, problem-solving abilities and self-confidence in the success of an entrepreneur.

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
FUNDAMENTALS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
(ENT300)
Lecturer
SIR AHMAD KAMAL MOHD YUSOP
D’Aroma Bakery:
Cakes and Pastries
Prepared by:
Anastasia Marsha Lina Manisha Aminulrashid
2019242624
Submission Date:
21st May 2021
AP148
(Diploma in Landscape Architecture)
Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying
Universiti Teknologi MARA
Perak

Executive Summary
In this case study, the business D’Aroma Bakery Cake & Pastries was
studied to analyse problems relating the theory to a practical situation. Small business
owner, Ellymaswati Zan, bake and design cakes, pastries alongside with cookies and
pulut kuning.
Based on the observation made, Lady Ell can skillfully create a wide range of
cake art designs based on customers request. This small business that sets in a small
town in Pontian, Johor called Pekan Ayer Baloi, accept orders within 25km radius of
Kampung Tengah Ayer Baloi. Buyers may choose to receive their orders via cash on
delivery service or pick up service at a personal address.
In the interview process, Lady Ell has mentioned some of the problems and
difficulties she faced throughout her business development. However, she solved the
problems effectively, allow identification on some of the personal entrepreneurial
competencies that Lady Ell possesses.
Finally, and most importantly, by working on these case study, I'm thankful
that this interview helps me in terms of knowledge, which has led me to become more
self-sufficient in preparation for becoming a successful entrepreneur.

Table of Contents
No. Contents Page
1.0
1.1
1.2
2.0
3.0
4.0
Entrepreneur Profile
Business Information
- Background
- Organization Structure
- Product
- Marketing Strategy
- Operational Strategy
Entrepreneur Information
- Biodata
- Experience History
- Challenges Faced Conducting Business
Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies
Conclusion
Appendices
1
2
2
3-4
4
5
5
6
7
8
8-9

1
1.0 Entrepreneur Profile
1.1 Business Information
A . Background
Business D’Aroma Bakery
Founder Ellymaswati Binti Mohd. Zan
Telephone number 019-7377091
Email Address [e-mail]
Operation Hour 8.00 a.m. - 8.00 p.m. (daily)
Products • Cakes
• Pulut Kuning
• Pastry desserts (seasonal)
• Savoury baked goods (seasonal)
• Cookies (seasonal)
Online Pages • Instagram : @daromabakery
• Facebook : D’Aroma
Table 1.0 : Company Background

2
B . Organization Structure
Figure 1.0 : Organization Chart
The business operates in the effort of 4 people together. Lady Ell, the founder
who is also currently the owner and the chef, conduct the business with the support of
a hired promoter, and two members for delivery team.
C . Product
D’Aroma Bakery provide wide range of baked goods guarantee to satisfy
everyone’s taste buds. Based on the online pages, D’Aroma advertise variety of
classic sponge cakes and premium cakes which are Red Velvet Cake, Rainbow Cake,
Chocolate Indulgence Cake, Devil’s Chocolate Cake, Black Forest Cake, Pecan
Butterscotch Cake, Tiramisu Cake, Pandan Gula Melaka Cake, Victoria Sandwich
and a couple types of Cheesecake. All decorations and art designs on cakes are based
on customer’s request.
Last year, D’Aroma have launched their Signature Pulut Kuning. Since then it
has been a big hit among customers. At first, the pulut kuning is served with only
serunding daging or ayam, but as the sales expend, Lady Ell decides to provide option
of choosing whether the customer prefers serunding, kari, or rendang as side dish
upon request.
For sweet bakes, D’Aroma serves Apple Pie, Pavlova, Cream Puff, Fruit Puff
Pastry Tart, Portuguese Egg Tart, and also varieties of cupcakes, muffins, brownies,
and cookies. For savoury bakes, D’Aroma serves Mac&Cheese, Lasagna, Chicken Pie
and Shepherd’s Pie. Both sweet and savoury bakes are seasonal menu which means
customers need to wait for the owner to open order.

3
D . Marketing Strategy
Product Strategy
• Quality
According to Lady Ell, she will make sure to purchase only ‘A’ grade
ingredients from the local bakery supply store so the final product will have great
texture, taste and presentation. Some ingredients that needs to be in good quality are
butter, eggs, cheese and more.
• Packaging, protection, easy to use
The final product of cake and pulut kuning will be gently put in a cake box
with plastic knife and candles taped on the side of the box. If the product is too high,
the box will be kept open and if it is two or three tier, each tier will be placed in their
own box. Muffin and cupcakes will be put in cupcake box. Cookies will be put in
plastic jars and the lid will be taped to the jar. Other final products will be served in
it’s original aluminium baking foil with plastic lid. All product must be handled with
care to maintain the condition of the product so it would not smudge and ruin the
decoration and design.
• Design and Decoration
Over the years, D’Aroma have improved so much on their decoration and
design skill. On the first year of starting this business, Lady Ell only knows how to
do basic decorations and designs but with practice, progress has been made. Now, any
design the customers request she can do it with ease.
Price Strategy
• Value based pricing
To be compared with the other local bakers, D’Aroma’s product pricing is the
cheapest and most reasonable because all product pricing is based on the use of
ingredients, the size of product, and the decoration.

4
Promotion Strategy
D’Aroma uses social media as a platform to advertise the business. It is
effective to set up a business page on social media platforms rather than using the
traditional techniques like handing out fliers and putting up banners, plus it is more
eco-friendly. In the social medias, D’Aroma pages include pictures of their previous
works, customers’ feed backs and basic information. By exhibiting the business
previous work and customers’ feedback, potential customers can envision what they
will get if they purchase from D’Aroma. People who stop by the page will know how
to contact the business if they feel interested on purchasing products from D’Aroma.
E . Operational Strategy
Figure 2.0 : Process Flow Chart
The operation starts with D’Aroma promoting their products in social medias
to attract potential customers. Then, they who wish to place an order can contact
D’Aroma by the contact number available on the social media. Relevant information
such as what product, what designs, what budget and what occasion the product is for,
will be asked to create a product meet with their need. Other information include,
asking what date and time they wish to receive the order, whether they want to
transfer or hand the payment and whether they want the order to be delivered or pick-
up by themselves, are ask to have a smooth operation. Then Lady Ell start with
preparation. Preparation of orders usually takes 3-4 days and the final product will be
double checked before handing it to the customer.
Promote via social media
Potential customer contact via Whatsapp
Get relevant information from customer
Prepare order based on customer’s liking
Order to be delivered or pick up by customer

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1.2 Entrepreneur Information
A . Biodata
Ellymaswati Mohd Zan, or better known as Lady Ell by her customers, was
born and raised in Bukit Gambir, Muar. At the age of 13 she moved to Ayer Baloi,
Pontian and at 19 she married a local and decided to stay in Ayer Baloi, making her a
local resident ever since. By the age of 20 she had her first child and at the age of 29
her last child. She is a mother of two daughters and two sons. She decided to became
a housewife to take care of her children but soon enough she felt like she have too
many leisure time. From there, she started to tryout every chances she get to be
involve in business.
B . Experience History
In 2007, Lady Ell started her own online business, selling children’s
clothing but by 2009 she decided to quit as she does not have the interest anymore.
From 2011 till 2014, she helped her husband manage his local sports equipment store
for a while. Then, in 2015 she started to bake strawberry and blueberry filled donuts
for the local elementary school with the order of 500pcs per day. It only lasted for less
than four years as she discovered the pupils of the school does not buy her products
anymore.
Soon after, she joined her first premium cake baking class and decided to be a
home baker by 2017. After winning first place in The 2019 Pontian District Pulut
Kuning Baking Competition, she decided to sell her signature pulut kuning that win
the competition. By the years she kept on upgrading her baking and designing skill,
by looking for advises, inspirations and references from the internet and her fellow
baker friends, making sure she deliver best quality of product for her customers. Until
now, her home baking business is growing strong and she envisioned a great future
for her business.

6
C . Challenges Faced Conducting Business
Delighting Customers
Customer satisfaction is a great goal for D’Aroma. Every customer’s fantasy
will be shaped with maximum effort, so every little detail that the customer ask how
they want their product to be, Lady Ell will obey. But there are customers who does
not sympathies the baker’s hard work, so they decided to change their mind on how
they want their design to be last minute, cancel order last minute and refuse to pay
after delivering. To avoid such tragedy to ever happen again, all customers must place
deposit money before placing an order.
Cash flow and financial management
It is no secret, managing financial of a business is hard and without proper
financial planning, the business might go bankrupt. Lady Ell have shared that she
often face financial problems where the income from her business are not enough to
cover the living expense of a person let alone a family of six. In order to avoid this
kind of problem, seller needs to manage the cash flow by analyzing the business
financial situation and cut costs where possible.
Staying Passionate
By sometimes along the journey of D’Aroma’s business growth, Lady Ell
have faced a feeling of uninspired to bake and decor. This effects the quality of
product and gave customers a shoddy experience which inspires them to take their
business elsewhere. From that action of her’s, she almost lost her beloved small
business. She quickly gets her feet back up, after a small break that she needed to feel
the passion again.

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2.0 Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PEC)
In general, Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies or PEC are qualities,
characteristics, skills, abilities, knowledge, and behaviour that a person must posses to
become a successful entrepreneur. In order to keep Lady Ell’s business growing with
success, she needs to have personal entrepreneurial competencies in her.
From what I have observed, Lady Ell have the concern for high quality of
work. This is because she will only get good quality ingredients, she also prepare her
order 1 to 2 days early so she can take time to work on the detail when she designs
and she will double check her product before handing it to the customers. To her,
every single detail is important, from the taste to the design and service as she believe
her product is the image of her business.
Lady Ell also shows her problem solving abilities when she design her
product with limited equipment. To promise a high quality design for the customer,
even with limited equipment, she starts early to carve the fondant into the shape she
desire with a small knife and her bare hands instead of a proper fondant mold. Starting
early will give her more time to improve her design when it does not turn out the way
hoped. She will makes sure she present the final product beautifully and precisely as
she imagine.
Lady Ell is also full of self-confidence when it comes to her skills and abilities
in baking and designing. She knows she is great at designing pulut kuning that is why
she makes it her signature product. She also know she is great at making Chicken Pie
and Portuguese Egg Tart that is why she makes it a seasonal menu so customers keep
coming back when they miss the taste.
Most importantly, her power of initiative in baking and designing is very big.
It can be proven when she start the business with no pass experience, and as the
business grow, she always tries out new recipes and designing techniques. Some she
failed but some she succeed, it needs to be done, so she can better her standard as a
home baker.

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3.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, I still see Lady Ell's enthusiasm on running the business, it is
the same as when she first started her business. Despite her lack of entrepreneurship
experience, she grow to learn them along the way. Even when she have too many
task to do as a housewife, she would gladly make time for her beloved business as it
has became her passion ever since she started her journey. She now has become an
inspiration to other younger entrepreneurs.
To be honest, this subject has opened my eyes and made me realise that
entrepreneurship is not something to be taken lightly. One must have the strength to
carry out her duty with perfection. As a result, I am very pleased with the case study I
conducted with Lady Ell and her small business, D’Aroma Bakery because my
interview with her provided me with an in-depth understanding of the real world of
business.
4.0 Appendices
A . Evidence of interview

9
B . Catalogue
Image 1: floral cake Image 2: mermaid cake Image 3: unicorn cake
Image 4: pulut kuning Image 5: pulut kuning Image 6: pulut kuning
Image 7: pavlova Image 8: chicken pie Image 9: Shepherd pie