Munro Icing Sugar hosted a landmark gathering of entrepreneurs and stakeholders in Lagos under the theme ‘Bakers Who Brunch: Rising Beyond the Oven’. The event served as a masterclass in commercial sustainability for the nation’s rapidly growing confectionery sector.

The initiative marks a significant shift in how ingredient manufacturers engage with the value chain, moving beyond product supply to active business mentorship.

Delivering the keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer of Honeysuckle Cakes, Chineze Ibuoka, emphasised that talent alone is no longer a sufficient barrier to entry in a competitive market.

“The opportunity within Nigeria’s baking industry is significant, but growth today requires more than talent. Bakers must build systems, invest in visibility, and treat their craft as a scalable enterprise,” Ibuoka stated.

Reinforcing the shift toward digital-led growth, leading cake artist and educator, Ike Ogechukwu, noted that social media has fundamentally altered how professionals find work.

“Social media has transformed the industry by enabling bakers to create demand rather than rely on referrals. However, visibility must be supported by structure, pricing, and consistency,” Ogechukwu noted.

The conversation on branding was further expanded by Tomiwa Sekoni, Brand Communicator at Its9Jackakes, who stressed that modern consumers are looking for a connection that goes deeper than the product.

“Customers now purchase stories, credibility, and trust, not just cakes,” Sekoni added, highlighting the necessity of a strong personal brand.

Complementing the focus on narrative, Joel Adu, CEO of Joel Adu Studios, reminded participants that the first point of contact with any customer is always aesthetic.

“Consumers eat with their eyes first. Strong imagery, videos, and consistent branding are essential to capturing attention in a scroll-driven digital economy,” Adu explained.

Closing the event, the General Manager, Commercial, at Brian Munro Limited, Rilwan Shofunde, reiterated that the brand’s mission is tied to the success of its users.

“Munro Icing Sugar believes strong brands are built alongside strong entrepreneurs,” Shofunde concluded.

As urbanisation and digital commerce continue to drive demand for premium baked goods, the message from the ‘Bakers Who Brunch’ event was clear: the future of the oven is digital, structured and strategically branded.