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The Ghanaian-owned Uncle John’s Bakery, which specialises in bread, cakes and sweet treats, has been proudly serving the people of Tottenham and beyond since 1995. Samuel Mensah, the son of the company’s founders, took over six years ago and has been building the bakery’s profile ever since. As we’ve seen with many local businesses, Covid turned 2020 into a rocky year, with sales and footfall dramatically decreasing. But with enough resilience and creativity – and a little help from some of Google’s free products – Mensah and countless others have been able to weather the storm, alongside tackling the difficulties that come with being a Black small-business owner.
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How did the genesis of Uncle John’s Bakery come about?
When my parents came over, they began noticing that people in their community didn’t really have a chance to get the kind of quality goods they would back home. So 25 years ago, they decided to do their own thing and set up the business. Word of mouth spread, getting the news out about the bakery, and it just grew from there.
Why did you choose to follow in your parents’ footsteps by running the business?
It wasn’t something that I wanted to get into because I saw it as my parents’ business, but I stepped in because I saw that they had reached a glass ceiling. Plus, as I got older, I started to realise the power of legacy and ownership and what it meant, not just for me, but for generations to come, including my daughter. It spurred me on to step up.
How has Covid-19 impacted your business?
We’ve had our ups and downs. I think one of the main things has been the impact on the mental wellbeing of staff and low customer morale. The bakery being an essential food business means that we provide something people need daily so it’s been okay to a certain degree… but we’ve definitely seen a decline in footfall.
How have some of Google’s products helped you to adapt throughout 2020?
We were already planning to bring in an online delivery service for our bakery, which we fast-tracked when the pandemic hit. To let people know this was now an option, we updated our Google My Business listing in Google Maps with links to the ordering platform. For those in areas where we couldn’t directly deliver, we used Google Maps data on our own website to help people find their nearest stockist.
Why do you believe it is critical for people to actively support Black-owned businesses?
I think it’s important for people to support Black businesses, particularly those within your community, because this is where you live; it’s an extension of you. It also gives young Black people more options for what they can aspire to and create.
While you may not be able to visit Uncle John’s Bakery in person right now, you can order freshly baked goods online through its website.
