From cakes to clicks: Gen Z couple turns cake content into an 18% revenue boost

[SINGAPORE] From elaborate three-tiered cakes to intricate designs made for some of the world’s most famous celebrities, CakeInspiration’s creations are hard to miss online.

CEO Chan Kai Yang and his wife Zhuo Jiayi, the company’s owner, are using social media to take their business beyond the kitchen and build a brand around their creations.

That strategy has helped lift the Singapore-based speciality cake bakery’s annual revenue by about 18 per cent, from S$720,000 in 2024 to S$850,000 in 2025.

“Marketing and branding really helped the business take off,” said Chan. “For the product, many people are making customised cakes, so the only way to position ourselves is through our branding. Every time we post, we do see a spike in numbers.”

CakeInspiration is on track to hit S$1 million in revenue for the current financial year, he added.

A major boost came last year when the couple, both 26, appeared on social media interview series The Career Ladder, hosted by content creator Max Klymenko, who has over 4.5 million subscribers.

The episode quickly gained traction; Chan recalled that it reached 100,000 views within 10 minutes.

“Within the same day, I got so many questions. That month, revenue almost tripled,” he said. “So much support came. When we went out, we also got noticed by everyone. It’s so crazy; at that moment, you feel like a celebrity.”

The exposure also opened the door to more celebrity orders. CakeInspiration had previously made customised cakes for celebrities visiting Singapore, including Blackpink’s Lisa. Since the interview, it has made cakes for more international names, from American singer Nick Jonas to K-pop rapper Jay Park.

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In a market where customised cakes are increasingly common, the duo is now betting on celebrity work and social media content to set their business apart.

“We got loads of conversions from celebrity-related content, where people bought from the website,” said Chan. “The conversions were very visible.”

Taking the reins

But the couple’s approach to marketing was not born overnight.

Zhuo grew up with baking as part of her everyday life. Her parents, both engineers by training, eventually left their professions to become bakers and business owners, starting CakeInspiration in 2010 before opening a storefront in Joo Chiat in 2013.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, orders slowed as events and celebrations were cancelled. With the possibility of closure looming over the business, Zhuo – who was 22 at the time –stepped in to take over from her parents.

“My parents started this business when I was young, so growing up I always had the idea of taking over,” she said. “In polytechnic, I did F&B business, and when I stepped in, I slowly went through all the different stations, like baking.”

A year later, Chan joined the business. Together, they began experimenting with social media, turning their cake designs into content that could reach customers beyond word of mouth.

“We want to double down on our content; it is the way to go now, and personal branding is the way to go for SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises),” Chan said. “It’s not about what your product is anymore; it’s about whether people know you and people trust you.”

Today, Zhuo oversees the business’s operations while Chan handles marketing and client relations.

The company serves both individual customers and businesses, with 60 per cent of its sales coming from business-to-consumer customers and 40 per cent from business-to-business clients, including hotels and restaurants.

Beyond CakeInspiration, the couple also runs two other brands: Eggyi Co, which specialises in customised bento-sized cakes, and pet brand Pettisier, which makes customised cakes for pets.

“I started Eggyi Co for fun, and I liked bento cakes and wanted to start a brand for it,” Zhuo said. “It took off and supported CakeInspiration a little bit at that point, because business was slow during Covid.”

The success of Eggyi Co eventually led Zhuo to explore another niche: pet cakes. 

Pettisier gained traction amid strong demand from pet owners, giving the couple another customer base beyond their core cake business.

A slice of a bigger plan

Today, the couple leads a 13-person team across their three brands.

But even with this year’s revenue approaching the S$1 million mark, their business has not been spared from the numerous challenges facing the wider F&B industry.

“Now, I would say the hardest part is maintaining our profit margins,” Chan said.

“Back then, you could make good money in F&B,” Zhuo added. “But now, if you don’t lose money in this industry, it is considered that you are doing well – and it’s very sad.”

The couple said CakeInspiration’s prices have remained largely unchanged since before the pandemic, even as costs have trebled, driven by higher labour costs and a weaker economic outlook.

Against this backdrop, the couple is diversifying beyond cake sales by monetising their content and offering coaching and consulting services to other businesses.

“We know how much we want to make and how much we want to have at a certain age,” Chan said. “F&B now is very restrictive, and the margins aren’t great, so we plan to diversify our brand and monetise our content while doing so.”

As they look to diversify, the couple remains optimistic about sales in the coming months, with demand expected to pick up around events such as the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Christmas season and several major concerts.

“Our target for next year is not about revenue, but our business plans and the upcoming business opportunities along the way, especially with celebrity cakes,” Chan said.