The COVID-19 crisis has definitely turned a lot of lives upside down. Regardless if you are a social butterfly or not, everyone could feel the effect of the limitations that it has put on our regular lifestyles, something that a lot of us are still trying to deal with months after the country has been placed on quarantine.

Besides the danger of the virus itself, another challenging thing that a lot of us face has a lot to do with being stuck in our homes most of the time. This is especially hard for the homemakers out there, who, besides working, also have to manage their tasks on top of taking care of their families. Then there are also the solo dwellers—people who are stuck in the city living far from their loved ones—who had to stay put (and stay sane!) while quarantining alone.

“It was really hard for me. I’m not someone who really loved going out when everything was still normal, but it’s different when you’re really required to stay put at home,” shares Katrina, a 30-something content manager who has been stuck alone in her city condo ever since the quarantine started in March. “I’m not complaining because I understand that it is for the safety of everyone, but it does affect your mood and even your mental health.”

Thankfully, one of our best aspects as Filipinos is to always find a silver lining in everything we face. For Katrina, that involved getting into hobbies that she never would have expected she would enjoy doing before.

“For me, it’s baking. I was surprised because I used to be really bad in the kitchen, but after watching some YouTube videos, I got inspired. I bought a mini electric oven and just got into it.”

This does not come as a surprise since the hobby has skyrocketed in popularity over the past few months. Whether it is to blow off some steam or to start a mini business, many people are getting their hands all floured up lately by getting creative in the kitchen.

“It gives me the break that I need,” shares Gladys, a mother of one and a part-time copywriter. “I have to juggle work and taking care of my daughter, but I also want to have time for myself. I love baking because you can really create something out of the activity, which is calming and relaxing in itself.”

She adds, “I actually started my own business. I started with cookies, but now I have also been making breads and cakes. It turned out to be another source of income for me, too.”

When asked about how she started her mini business, Gladys suggested getting the right ingredients as the first and most important step. “There’s a lot of trial and error, but the success of baking is all about using the right ingredients. I love using the flour from Joy of Baking because they are beginner-friendly and is of good quality.”

Joy of Baking is a notable brand of Agri Pacific Corporation, under the Rebisco Group of Companies. Since starting in 2015, it has been providing innovative flour products in the market using advanced Swiss and German milling technology. Moreover, the brand also follows stringent quality assurance to produce the best flour. The company also produces some of the best oil, shortening, and other baking products in the industry.

For an average Filipino home baker, baking can be very intimidating. With Joy of Baking, however, everyone can now make home-baked tasty breads, pastries and cakes all the time. The Joy of Baking Complete Breadmix, for example, is perfect for making quick and easy breads like pandesal, ensaymada, and spanish bread because of its all-in-one formula and a free pack of yeast that comes in every bag. The Joy of Baking All-Purpose Flour, on the other hand, is ideal for baking and cooking needs like chocolate chip cookies, fried chicken, and banana breads. The Joy of Baking Cake Flour is a high quality flour that is perfect for moist, light, and fluffy cakes like chiffon, sponge, and batter type cakes. Lastly, the Joy of Baking Bread Flour is the best flour in making loaves, buns, and other breads. All fours are also fortified with Vitamin A and Iron making them healthy options for baking.

Lately, Joy of Baking has also been even more focused on supplying the best materials to home bakers during the pandemic. Maria Minna Vistan, Senior Marketing Manager of Flour Division shares, “We want to encourage everyone to start, continue, or even improve their talent for baking. Since we are all staying at home, the best we can do is to make the best out of these moments. Baking is a great hobby because of the sense of comfort and satisfaction that it provides. It’s hard, but everyone can find their piece of joy during this time. You wouldn’t know what kind of happiness a slice of homemade bread can bring you until you try.”

In addition to this, Joy of Baking has also been more proactive in reaching out to the community. The brand is actually inviting resellers from Cavite and Metro Manila so they could easily reach and encourage more people to get into a hobby. In the midst of this challenging climate, it aims to serve as a catalyst of change and hope by helping everyone start their own home business or simply bring the joy of baking and cooking at home as community resellers.

Anyone interested to become a community dealer for Joy of Baking products can reach out to 0926 1323 414. You can also check out their official Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/JoyofBakingPH for more information on their products.