Why It Took 2 Years to Sell My Matcha Brownies
Where It Really Began
First experiments and the kind of bakes I was chasing
It was back in 2023 when I first started experimenting with matcha brownies.
No matter how many trials I went through, they were still hard as a brick — dry and nothing like what I was chasing. I knew very clearly that I wanted a brownie that was fudgy, not cakey, and definitely not dry.
Growing up, I had many bad experiences with dry bakes — the kind that felt like the Sahara Desert, where you had to take a sip of a drink in between bites, or dunk your bake just to get through it. I knew from the start that I never wanted my brownies and cookies to be like that.
That was the first thing I thought about when developing these recipes: texture.
The second thing — I wanted matcha in every bite.
Made From Scratch
How food science shaped my approach to baking
The formulations for these recipes were developed entirely from scratch, without relying on a base recipe.
Some of the foundations came from my time interning at a flavour company during my polytechnic days. Because food had always been a part of me, I chose to specialise in the food science track instead of going down the research route.
That experience was genuinely one of my favourites.
I loved going to work every day — building formulations from scratch and studying the function and purpose of different types of ingredients. Learning how sugar affects not just sweetness but texture and mouthfeel, and how ingredients react under different temperatures shaped the way I think about baking even today.
The science behind baking still amazes me. There’s precision — ratios, temperatures, timing. And then there’s intuition — knowing when a bake is done, even after following a recipe to the letter.
The Long Road (And All the Things That Went Wrong)
Trial, error, and learning to wait
Fast forward to 2024.
Same brownies and cookies.
Same struggles.
I tried everything:
adjusting ingredient proportions
changing how I mixed and stirred the batter
tweaking baking temperatures
Working with tea powders isn’t easy. They clump, oxidise quickly, and are highly sensitive to storage conditions. Oxidation alone can affect colour, flavour, and aroma — something I’m still careful about even now.
There were days when nothing worked. Days when I wondered if I was being too stubborn, too particular, or simply moving too slowly.
But then, one night, everything came together.
The texture.
The flavour profile.
I remember screaming at home in the middle of the night and crying — it felt like I had finally hit the jackpot and nailed the recipes.
Shortly after, I started sharing my bakes with friends and loved ones. Every response came back the same: “You have to sell these”.
Taking the Leap (And Showing Up Anyway)
Doubt, commitment, and choosing to do this full-time
Of course, doubts crept in about whether my bakes were worth selling — but that’s another conversation for another post.
Before my first official pop-up in April 2025, I was given the opportunity to take part in community events including invitations to Dementia Singapore and Pakar Nation. These events happened back-to-back and taught me what it really meant to bake and prepare large volumes of bake boxes day after day.
I slept for a good 18 hours after those two days and woke up with body aches all over.
That was another moment of questioning my life decisions and realising that if I was going to do this full-time, this was part of the reality, especially as a one-woman show.
My First Official Pop-Up That Changed Everything
In the days leading up to my first official pop-up, I was incredibly nervous. I had only about 50 followers at the time. I genuinely wondered if anyone would even show up. If you know, you know.
I reached out to a content creator on Instagram at a time when we were both still finding our footing. I hosted them at my place, baked for them, and let them film. That day remains one of my favourite memories — not just because I was grateful for the help, but because of the advice and encouragement we shared while growing side by side.
Shortly after the post went live, it started gaining traction.
Orders began coming in through my Google Forms. I accepted only what I could manage, especially with the pop-up just two weeks away.
On the day of the pop-up, 19 April 2025, the doors were meant to open at 10am.
My first customer arrived at 9:45am.
I was stunned.
Soon after, the crowd came in — many of them walking straight to my booth and asking, “Are you FedwithMatcha?”
Introvert me was shaking as I said yes.
On the second day of the pop-up, all the bakes were sold out by 12pm, even though closing time was 6pm. Some customers who had purchased on the first day came back again, only to realise that there were no bakes left. I ended up calling my mum to help tend the booth while I rushed home to bake more, before returning.
It was two full days back-to-back — it felt like I was running a marathon. Chaotic and completely surreal.
Through that pop-up, I met the bulk of my regulars, many of whom are still with me today. It feels like they’ve watched me grow since the beginning. I remember the conversations, the encouragement, and the way some of you came back after your activities just to get a box of bakes.
There were also a few customers who left a deep impression on me — especially two couples who stayed to chat for a while. Their words of encouragement made me believe in myself and my bakes when I needed it most.
My First Bakes
The brownies and cookies that started everything
This post is dedicated to the very first bakes I made and sold — matcha brownies and cookies.
These bakes carry years of trial and error, belief, and quiet persistence. They’re not perfect, but they’re honest, intentional, and deeply personal.
Janka
Founder of FedwithMatcha
