Humble Crumble is a dedicated crumble bakery that has sold more than half a million sweet treats since its launch in 2019. The founder, Kim Innes, shares her story of how she turned her passion for baking into a successful business, and how she overcame the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic with the help of pumpkins.
From hobby to business
Kim Innes always loved baking crumbles, a traditional British dessert made with fruit and a crunchy topping. She started making them for her friends and family, and soon received requests from local cafes and restaurants. She realized that there was a market for her crumbles, and decided to turn her hobby into a business.
She quit her job as a marketing manager and invested £10,000 of her savings into setting up Humble Crumble in 2019. She rented a commercial kitchen in London and hired two staff members to help her bake and deliver the crumbles. She also created a website and an Instagram account to promote her products.
She says that her crumbles are different from the ones you can find in supermarkets or bakeries, because they are made with fresh ingredients, seasonal fruits, and unique flavors. Some of her best-selling crumbles include apple and blackberry, rhubarb and ginger, and pear and chocolate.
Facing the pandemic
Kim says that her business was doing well until the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020. She says that she lost 80% of her customers overnight, as cafes and restaurants closed down or reduced their orders. She also had to furlough her staff and move out of her kitchen.
She says that she was devastated and scared, but she did not give up. She decided to pivot her business model and focus on online sales. She started offering nationwide delivery of her crumbles, which she packed in insulated boxes with ice packs. She also launched a subscription service, where customers could receive a different crumble every month.
She says that she was surprised by the positive response from her customers, who were looking for comfort food during the lockdown. She says that she received hundreds of orders every week, and that some of her customers even sent her thank-you notes and pictures of their crumbles.
The pumpkin miracle
Kim says that one of the turning points for her business was when she decided to make a pumpkin crumble for Halloween in 2020. She says that she had never made a pumpkin crumble before, but she thought it would be a fun and seasonal idea. She says that she sourced some organic pumpkins from a local farm, and added some spices and brown sugar to the filling.
She says that she posted a picture of her pumpkin crumble on Instagram, and within minutes, she received hundreds of likes and comments. She says that she was overwhelmed by the demand, and that she sold out of her pumpkin crumbles in less than an hour.
She says that she realized that she had created something special, and that she decided to make more pumpkin crumbles for the rest of the autumn season. She says that she ordered more pumpkins from the farm, but they ran out of stock as well. She says that she had to search for other suppliers, and that she even drove to other towns to buy pumpkins.
She says that she was working 16 hours a day, baking and delivering pumpkin crumbles by herself. She says that she was exhausted and stressed, but also happy and grateful. She says that she made more than £50,000 in revenue from pumpkin crumbles alone, which helped her cover her costs and pay off some of her debts.
She says that pumpkin crumbles saved her business, but almost squashed her as well.
Looking ahead
Kim says that after the pumpkin craze died down, she resumed making other flavors of crumbles as well. She says that she also hired back her staff and moved into a bigger kitchen. She says that her business has recovered from the pandemic, and that she is looking forward to expanding it further.
She says that she plans to launch new products, such as vegan and gluten-free crumbles, as well as savory ones. She also wants to partner with more cafes and restaurants, as well as supermarkets and online platforms. She says that she hopes to open her own crumble shop one day.
She says that her advice for other entrepreneurs is to be passionate about what they do, to be adaptable to changing circumstances, and to be creative with their products. She says that she believes that there is always room for innovation and improvement in any industry.
She says that she is proud of what she has achieved with Humble Crumble, and that she is thankful for the support of her customers, staff, family, and friends. She says that she loves making people happy with her crumbles, and that she hopes to continue doing so for many years to come.
