- The place for your cinnabons and Disney-themed desserts
Athal Scenee is a newly launched cloud kitchen on Instagram by full-time LLB student Shaneen Perera. Sheneen launched the business in early June this year when Sri Lanka went into its third lockdown.
Finding herself quite bored during the lockdown, Sheneen decided to rekindle her love of baking, having baked since she was nine years old, making cupcakes, muffins, and cakes. She shared that her older sister had always pushed her to start a page of her own, and so came along Athal Scenee.
Sharing her thinking behind developing her menu, she said: “I decided quite early on that I didn’t want to do the traditional baking page catering to the needs of cakes and cupcakes, because as we all know, it’s quite a competitive and large market. I wanted to tap into a niche.”
She started preparing cinnabons which really took off, and while things were picking up, she researched a number of other unique desserts. “Anything from Disney – I’m a huge fan of anything Disney, Pinterest, etc.,” she said. With this came two more additions to her menu: Scones with jam and clotted cream, and everyone’s favourite – beignets from The Princess and the Frog.
Since then, she went on to include a number of other unique desserts – the rather complex Italian dessert mille feuille, blueberry cobbler, and lemon and raspberry muffins. She said that she hopes to keep expanding on her repertoire, adding: “I would never want my page to be complacent, and so, anything new I try out and is good will end up on my page for my customers.”
Sheneen noted that this is also one of the major selling points when it comes to her business; her products will be ever-changing and audiences can be sure to expect something new with time. “I’ve noticed that as Sri Lankans, our dessert items have only been limited to the more traditional desserts such as cakes, cheesecakes, cupcakes, etc. While those desserts too are fantastic and sometimes hits the spot better than all the new stuff, I wanted to give people something new and exciting, as they are exposed to more international trends now than before, with the influence of Instagram/TikTok, etc.,” said Sheneen.
She also said that her family has been an absolute strength throughout her journey, and expressed her utmost gratitude to them for standing by her.
However, considering that she is in fact running a business during a pandemic, things haven’t been totally smooth sailing. Noting that considering how she uses premium-quality ingredients, sourcing her ingredients has been a primary challenge. Additionally, finding a reliable and safe delivery partner has also been a challenge.
Sheneen shared that since she started Athal Scenee, she has dreamt up many dreams, perhaps to “one day own a cosy, warm patisserie in Nuwara Eliya overlooking the Gregory Lake, preferably a woodlocked cabin where I bake the quaintest and most unique desserts to go with the theme of my quaint English rose-themed cabin”, and we hope that her dreams aren’t too far along because at the rate things are going, her dreams may not be so far-fetched.
IG: @athal_sceneee
WhatsApp: 0772 441 323
