It has been a little while since I last shared an update, and as things have evolved behind the scenes over the past year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on where Vanilla Pod Bakery is today—and share an exciting new direction for the future.
For those who may be new here, my name is Pia Cato, and I founded Vanilla Pod Bakery in 2009. Over the years, the business has grown and shifted through various commercial premises across Cheltenham, with the highlight operating from an awesome 600 sq ft unit with a fabulous team. Last year, I made the conscious choice to move the bakery back to a boutique home setup so I could spend more time with my young daughter.
Stepping back into the kitchen hands-on allowed me to re-engage with the wonderful craft of cake creation, refine my recipes to perfection, and reflect on what I truly want out of my business for this next season of life.
The Big News: Pausing Cake Orders & Launching Vanilla Pod Bakery Business
After much thought, I have firmly decided to pause bespoke cake creation for the foreseeable future starting in the New Year.
Running a cake business for nearly two decades, navigating everything from managing a chronic illness (ME) to handling staff, commercial leases, and balancing motherhood, has given a wealth of real-world experience. I’ve realised I am ready for an exciting new challenge: helping other bakers succeed, build truly profitable businesses, and create a flourishing, sustainable living without making the same costly mistakes I did.
I am therefore thrilled to announce my new venture: Vanilla Pod Bakery Business.
Over the next few months, you will see our website gradually evolve. While the name stays rooted in the brand you know, my focus will shift toward providing high-value resources and support for both professional cake makers and ambitious hobby creators.
What’s Coming to Vanilla Pod Bakery Business
While 2027 marks my official new focus, I am starting this transition immediately with limited early-bird mentoring spots and digital releases over the coming months. I will be dedicating my time to two main pillars:
1. Digital Products & Resources
Signature Recipe Bundles: Fully tested, scaled, and perfected core recipes refined over my many years in the industry.
Practical 'How-To' Guides: Step-by-step digital products covering technical baking skills, recipe development, and back-end business efficiency.
2. 1-to-1 Business Mentoring
For Professional Bakers: Strategic guidance on business planning, pricing for profit, marketing, operations, and scaling sustainably alongside family life.
For Hobby Bakers & DIY Creators: Tailored mentoring and consultation calls to help you tackle complex projects, whether that’s mastering a new technique or designing a milestone cake for a loved one.
Final Cake Orders: September to December 2026
While I prepare for this full shift in the New Year, I am still fulfilling a very limited number of final cake commissions for the remainder of 2026:
Current Availability: My order book is full through to end October.
Late 2026 Commissions: I am accepting a strictly limited number of orders for events taking place between November and December 2026.
From January 2027 Onward: Bespoke cake creation will be officially paused while I focus fully on mentoring, digital creation, and spending quality time travelling with my family.
If you have an autumn or winter celebration coming up this year, please do get in touch soon to secure one of the final dates.
Looking Ahead
Stepping away from baking to focus on mentoring is a huge milestone, but it feels like the most natural next step. I am so excited to help the next generation of cake creators build profitable, enjoyable businesses that fit seamlessly around their lives.
Thank you, as always, for your support through every stage of this journey. I hope you’ll join me for this next chapter!
Best wishes,
Pia
Pia Cato
Founder, Vanilla Pod Bakery Business
Comments