Vegan Wellington bakery cooks up a capital idea for chef couple

Chris and Mica Calle outside their Wellington Bakery.

Chris and Mica Calle started baking vegan goods in their Wellington flat before and after work in 2021. What began as a farmers’ market stall with an initial $1500 investment turned into the married couple’s full-time business. They talk to the Herald about plans to renovate their popular Lambton Quay premises and open more cafes across the capital soon.

What is Belen Plant Bakery?

Belen is a bakery with an ever-changing menu and a cabinet filled with innovation and imagination… that just so happens to be fully plant-based!

How did you both come up with the idea for Belen and what were you doing at the time?

Mica is a pastry chef by birth and Chris a former chef-cum-coder. Both craving our own creative outlet, we realised there wasn’t anything like what we were imagining – a playground of flavours for all to enjoy where no two visits are the same and everyone is treated like family.

What (or who) gave you both the skills and confidence to start your business together?

We were both long-time veggos and chefs, and our families encouraged curiosity and a can-do attitude throughout our upbringing, which helped fuel the drive to get started. With Mica’s creativity handling product and Chris’ management skills on admin, it was the perfect balance to have the confidence to make it all work.

How much resource did you spend on developing your product (time, money, energy, sacrifices etc.)?

We started with $1500 and a farmers’ market stall. Then things really got hectic and we were investing every resource we could. Working around the clock, 9am-5pm during the day, baking during the night, until the nine-to-five became baking too. Or building, designing, accounting, you name it. We did everything we could ourselves until it had to be offloaded. Every spare cent went into upgrading resources to enhance product or efficiency. We sacrificed a lot, but things became more manageable as the business grew.

What surprised you most about the journey to start and operate your own business?

Probably the opportunity for personal growth. You dive right into an intense and constant physical, financial and emotional stress that you wouldn’t experience elsewhere. It’s a real test, but when you acknowledge it’s happening and that you can be better [as a result], these lessons extend beyond business and help you manage stress and find greater happiness in your daily life.

What’s it like doing it together, as a couple?

In the beginning it was a sleep-deprived pillow-fight with an exploding piping bag. But now we’ve found how to work so well together, it’s a piece of cake by comparison. The cherry on top is having your best mate by your side through it all – it makes the highs higher, the lows easier, and everything else way more enjoyable and rewarding.

What’s the major focus for your business right now?

We’ve just moved into a new prep kitchen which will service our now four Wellington sites. Our flagship Lambton Quay store will soon go through a big reno, and our Lower Hutt HQ/cafe will open in a few months’ time.

What challenges are you experiencing in business at the moment?

The cost of living is hitting hard and people are rightfully more reluctant to spend money. We have to be adaptable, listen to our customers and evolve with the times. It’s like perfecting a recipe – if one ingredient isn’t working, adjust and keep trying until you get the flavour right.

Where do you see your business in, say, five years’ time?

In stores, supermarkets and online! We have a range of products on the back-burner that we’d love to stock on shelves, and a list of products, courses and books that we hope to put out to the rest of the world one day.

What advice would you give to others thinking of starting their own business?

Start with something simple with a low barrier to entry. Make a list, make another list, and have a crack. You can most definitely do it. You’ve got one life, mate – live it up!