Leeds baking entrepreneur Savannah Roqaa built her online business the Savvy Baker almost overnight as lockdown commenced in 2020. When friends shared images of the brownie care packages she was dropping off to lift their spirits, she realised she’d stumbled upon a (very hungry) market of devoted foodie fans!
She was inundated with messages across social media containing baking requests and was immediately turning out 30-40 boxes of brownies per week from her small Roundhay kitchen.
Savannah’s gone full circle since then, quickly becoming an internet sensation, securing a cult following nationally and now has over 50 thousand followers on Instagram alone.
Having moved into commercial bakery to handle the massive and ever-growing demand, she now regularly hosts pop-ups across the country and small business events in the Savvy Baker HQ, sharing her huge platform with other Yorkshire based small businesses.
It was always a dream of Savannah’s to eventually open the café and it only seemed natural for it to be in her beloved home suburb of Roundhay.
Savannah Roqaa, Founder, Savvy Baker and Savvy Cafe:
“I’ve lived in Roundhay my whole life, so I couldn’t think of a better area to launch! The Savvy Baker is something I want to share with the local community and being surrounded by residential properties it made sense to put the cafe right in the middle of it all.”
What’s on the Savvy Cafe Menu?
Expect much more of what Savvy Baker is famous for in their first café. Expect all their usual brownies, brookies, cookies, flapjacks, cakes, tarts, sticky stuff and serving up the famous North Star coffee. Be sure to keep an eye out for their new brownie tubs too, which have been consistently selling out online along with their brownie stacks which are loved by Leeds United players on birthdays and other special occasions.
Savannah continues:
“After we’ve been open a couple of months, we will be able to expand our menu, offering breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, shakes, ice cream, and more! We also want to plan events, including doggy days! But we’re taking it one step at a time”.
Meet the Team
Savannah will be opening up this new venture with her partner, Jordan Simms, so that the online side of the business can continue whilst they settle into their new Roundhay premises.
Savannah told us:
“Jordan moved up to Leeds and has always been my biggest supporter. I’m so busy with the bakery and running that side of the business that having someone I trust to help run the cafe was a must…plus not having to make every decision alone is a bonus!
We’re both really excited; it feels like the most natural next step. Initially, we were solely online, but as the world changes, we have to adapt! So that’s what’s happened.”
The Savvy Cafe is set to open on 31st March, and hours will be 8.30 – 16.00, Tuesday to Sunday.
