KayGee’s Confections rises from lockdown kitchen table to heritage bakery with impact

WHEN the lockdown hit in June 2020, many South Africans faced deep uncertainty.

- ASHLEY LECHMAN

FOUNDER Conny Gwai shares how resilience, mentorship, and tradition shaped her journey from survival to sustainability.

(Supplied)

For Conny Gwai, it became the unlikely spark that transformed her kitchen table into the foundation of a thriving business.

What began as a way to cope with the silence of lockdown soon grew into KayGee’s Confections, a bakery rooted in heritage, resilience, and community empowerment.

“Instead of being consumed by the silence, I turned to what I knew best: baking. My kitchen table became my starting point, not just to make ends meet, but to bring a sense of comfort and hope. I realised that if I could bring even a little joy through something as simple as a scone or a cake, then perhaps this passion could grow into something bigger,” Gwai told Business Report.

Gwai’s recipes were deeply connected to her upbringing and the traditions of her family.

She said, “Heritage has always been at the heart of what I do. Many of my recipes are inspired by my family and the flavours I grew up with. For me, food is memory. Every biscuit and every scone carries a story of home, of culture, and of belonging.”

Her background in hospitality management and facilitation gave her both structure and perspective.

“Hospitality management gave me the foundation to think about customer service, presentation, and operations, while facilitation helped me see how skills and knowledge could be shared with others,” she said.