When it comes to Happy Basket.. Ramadhan Baskets and Raya Baskets

There is no doubt, the thing I love to do most, is anything to do with my 2 hands. From baking to dressing up stuffs. Remember the Assorted Cookies from the previous entry? I didn't actually add in the cost of ribbons and doilies simply because, I just love dressing them up and make them look pretty.

When I started the Ramadhan Basket, I asked a few of my business friends about their budget when spending on gift baskets. This is to roughly figure out what kind of gift baskets I should come up with. I don't want to make it too expensive, or even too cheap. In my opinion, when you own a business, the gift that you give also has to reflect you and your business.

However, the answers I received were, "Let me see what you have first.", "Would love to see your range" and other answers along that line. Fair enough. But, honestly, it didn't really help.. hehehe.

So, I came up with a few designs, at all times, be in their shoes. They would want to appreciate their staffs, their customers, their agents, their vendors, etc, right? (or even woo their MIL-to-be. :-p). They definitely want to give something nice! Tasty and worth their money.

In all my gift baskets, I ensure that the gifts are worth giving. Avoid cheap stuffs, lack of quality, and definitely don't disguise the gift in a bigger container. Never lie. No! No!
But, the ultimate question I always ask myself is : "If I were to receive this, would I like it?".. usually it sounds like this "kalau dapat ni, suka tak?"

If I like it, then it is a Go! 

As you can see, most of my designs are simple and sweet. I don't like it too extravaganza. I hold to the concept: Less is more. 

But sometimes, I do get carried away. So, I identified friends that can give me honest opinion. She has to be someone like me in terms of taste. Less is more. And I'm glad I found Zie and Anis (who also designed my business cards). We love doilies and we love polkadots. hahahaha! That's the criterion to be my advisers! Both of them took the time to entertain my questions and gave honest feedback, especially on the placing of lace and ribbon, placing of products in basket, and a lot more. I am truly blessed to have re-connected with them. 

So, I came up with these range for the Ramadhan Baskets. 

  

I tell you.. ! Only at Mama Chak's Online that you get to see serunding wrapped in organza! How 'bout that, huh? I want to be different. So, I also added the cage in product range. Haha! But no one ordered the cage! To my relieve, actually! Cos, Kaison ran out of cages.

That's why it was a busy Ramadhan.. I love the assembling bit, especially when all the products are in... Such a lovely sight.. And it also means, Let's Get Busy!

Above is the assembly line before they are dressed up. And below is the assembly line when the products are arranged, no ribbon yet.

I have to thank Zuriati for giving me the opportunity to do this.

I also came up with small gifts like these, for people to appreciate their colleagues, subordinates, customers...:

Alhamdulillah, I managed to secure orders for these small gifts, that CM2 suddenly became the Best Seller on www.mamachaksonline.lot.my. (it still is!). The CM2 sale was somehow the reason Amalina, a PhD student called me up for an interview. When I asked her why me? She said, "It seems like Mama Chak's Online kept appearing on the statistic in Lot.my".. tee hee hee. Alhamdulillah. And I also believe that, due to this sale, a PayPal representative called me up asking if I want to put PayPal as an option on my website...(which I am yet to get back to her wrt this).

This is Amalina & I. Though it was a hectic Ramadhan, I'm happy that I kept my promise to meet up with her. I believe that: jika kita memudahkan urusan sesorang itu, Allah akan memudahkan urusan kita. So, yes :-) . I believe she is back in Australia now to complete her PhD.

Now, from the Ramadhan Basket range, more and more people see what I could do. Friends helped and gave me the opportunity to experiment and to come up with different designs for Raya according to their budget.

It is usually the friends that help me most, when I'm slowly spreading my wings. That's always the case. Even from Mama Chak's Recipe days, it has always been like that. Alhamdulillah. I feel loved.*ok.. emo kejap*

Now, when it comes to giving stuffs, this is usually the way I do it:

1. Work according to budget
2. Ensure that the containers are easy to open. Don't make it difficult for the recipients. 
3. The containers and baskets can be reusable by the recipients. eg: they can reuse the basket to put books or magazines later on. The metal container can be used to put stationary, just an example.
4. Unless specified, ribbon has to be of neutral color (beige, white), to match where the recipient might put the basket later on, at the corner of their living room, in their office.
5. Do away with glue guns when possible. Avoid it at all cost.
6. The products have to be tasty and of high quality. 
7. Jangan kedekut!
8. And of course, for the overall look - Less is More! No need to be extravagant. This is not a hantaran. Too many flowers and beads can also make the product look cheap.

Why am I like this?  Because, my father has been receiving a lot of gifts throughout the years. Most of his gifts are worth between RM1-5K, I guess.. The ones in classy and beautiful containers usually also contain scrumptious cookies, but they gave like 4-6 pcs only. The ones that gave quite a lot of cookies usually don't taste that nice. It's like they bought them off from the supermarket or something, like RM7 for 50pcs. And sometimes, they want to ensure that the items in the basket don't move, they glue the items together and, not only it is difficult for us to take them out, but the glue spoils the container. Ugly!

So, the above was my guideline. My very own SOP. I believe I have a great product to put in. The Cookie Cutter is definitely tasty! The Serunding Daging from Kelantan and Balashan (a Burmese appetiser) pun sedap. And the serunding I put in the basket is 250g! That's heavy, OK! Cos, I saw the serunding my dad received from the recent Raya, roughly around 50-100g only.

I have also made an announcement in my FB, calling all friends who are in the muruku business, or kerepek business. If they are not making them, they are selling them? I want to help put their product in my basket. After all, Mama Chak's Online is a business of friends helping friends. Ye dok? Win-win.. and sharing is also part of Mama Chak's Online objective.

I made some options for the Raya Basket. Priced at RM100.

Later a friend asked if she can have a basket worth RM250.

I also cater for the RM65.

the content: 

Then another friend asked if she can have a basket worth RM300 and RM500.

It was already the last week of Ramadhan. At that very moment, how I wished that Kaison was just at my basement!

However, I loved it that they gave me a budget, and told me how they like the basket to be.. It made it easy for me to work. Then, I could find something worth putting in the basket, like this cupcake stand from Lovely Lace, which I stumbled upon, on my way to Kaison! I love the fact that it matched my round container! Yess!!

And, these are pictures of the end product. A basket full of gifts. No styrofoam, or newspaper or shredded paper to make it look full.. Just gifts!

 

So, yes! It was indeed one exciting, heart racing experience, last Raya. I am looking for more Happy Baskets to do. Inshaa Allah. I am truly blessed and happy with my own product. I am forever grateful for wonderful friends, you know who you are. :-*.  Till we meet again tools.

Then comes Ramadhan, and Raya

Alhamdullillah, a lot had happened after my last post on Mother's Day that I didn't have the time to blog about it.
Ramadhan brought in a lot more impromptu projects. Unplanned.
Before I knew it I have added Sambal Hijau Sodappp, Acar Ikan Masin and the scrumptious cookies from the Cookie Cutter range into my online store.
It was a spur of the moment thing. All due to the Ramadhan Basket project, and then the Raya Basket. Both Basket Projects requires a totally different post altogether.

It was surely an interesting Ramadhan. A blessed one, definitely! A month where business decision had to be made to catch the wave. Seriously, the Sambal Hijau Sodappp and Acar Ikan Masin are best selling items during Ramadhan. Those are best eaten during Sahur. What I learnt last Ramadhan, always find ways to make a bigger profit margin for the same amount of work you put in, Then, it would be worth doing. Now, which entice you more? RM1 profit margin? RM4 profit margin?

What I also learnt is to share. For a person like me, who don't really have that much of capital, find friends who also would like to make some side income. Someone you can work easily. Someone trustworthy. Someone who is happy with just RM2, contoh je. (merasa cukup dengan sedikit, merasa syukur dengan banyak). As for the Sambal Hijau Sodappp, there were 3 of us sharing the business. I love this idea. Tak tension sangat tengok stok berlambak2. And kalau stok kita habis, we can always call up each other. Work together. But the main key for partnership, tak boleh cemburu. Tak boleh hasad. Kena ada win win instilled in ourselves, in each other. Baru boleh maju.

Last Ramadhan was indeed a month of learning. It was my first venture into the cookies business not as a baker, but as a marketing person. I don't bake cookies, btw. :-p

I knew very well that Intan's cookies, The Cookie Cutter are super delicious. But selling cookies online? People would want to taste them first. Most people! Some people would just trust your taste buds!

Since there were quite a few requests for tasters, I thought it was a brilliant idea to put all my favorite cookies in one jar and sell the tasters! Call it Assorted Cookies. And boy was I wrong!

I received feedback from an honest friend, saying that all the cookies tasted the same!
I thought it was a one off case until I had a conversation with my cousin, she brought up the matter of the cookies affecting each other's taste when mixed in one container.  But, not until another friend who confirmed this theory. She was a Cookie Cutter customer before she bought the Assorted Cookies, and she mentioned the same; that by me mixing the cookies, I have somehow affected the taste of all the cookies. All I wanted to do then was cry!

Not because I didn't make sale for that one friend. But because I ruined the taste! I had to take time and explain to the people who bought the assorted cookies, because it was TOTALLY MY FAULT! I had to apologise to Intan too for making her cookies tasted as if they came from the same dough, when each of her cookies were painstakingly made from scratch with their very own recipe and measurement. Haiyah! Newbie mistake!

And no, I didn't make any sale from all the people who bought the Assorted Cookies. Just a few. But, I made quite a big sale for the Cookie Cutter. Of course to those who just trusted my taste buds. When all items delivered, I told Intan that her team would need to start churning cookies earlier than usual next Ramadhan, cos now there is ME in the picture.. Tee hee hee, Inshaa Allah, kalau panjang umur, that is.

Oh! I've collected some feedback recently on the cookies, asking which flavor they like most, and any comments on the cookies. Ice Nestum is a number one favorite! It's my favorite too!

Though I came to a conclusion that cookies, like other food, the taste is subjective. But from the feedback that I gather, there is no doubt at all, that I shall still maintain The Cookie Cutter as Mama Chak's Online cookies supplier.

By the way, The Cookie Cutter operates all year round. They are up to cater for any events that requires cookies. :-) and also for wedding favors too. And Yes, you can purchase them online, via www.mamachaksonline.lot.my . We have been accepting orders for cookies even after Raya. :-)

It was indeed a blessed Ramadhan, With just 4 hours of sleep and no naps in between, I am still surprised I could do what I did last Ramadhan. I had to thank my tok laki for that too, cos I didn't cook a single dish last Ramadhan. Everything was bought from the bazaar, and alhamdulillah every dish was delicious and none of us got stomach ache or food poisoning. Alhamdulillah.

And I learn one thing from an ustaz... kalau terasa nak puji diri, in the sense of amazed with self, baca ini:

Sesungguhnya, semua ni Allah yang beri; kekuatan, kebijaksanaan.. Dan Allah lah yang berkuasa ke atas segala sesuatu. :-)

Till my next post.. Inshaa Allah. Doakan ya.

Hugs,
Shaz