We recently connected with Yahshimabet Sellassie and have shared our conversation below.

Yahshimabet, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

I hope to be remembered for my authenticity, and passion. I put so much love into everything I do, it’s the little things that matter; like sourcing whole black cardamom from Ethiopia, and grinding it fresh for my baked goods. I hope to be remembered as someone who wasn’t afraid to speak their mind, laugh fully, and give from the heart.

I want to touch the lives of young people everywhere. We have so many innovative ideas that will continue to change the world, and we need more infrastructure in place for our seeds to sprout so we can bloom. We are the future, and the world is in our hands. I want to create a program specifically for young entrepreneurs that sets them up with mentors in their industry, and provides them with the tools they need to expand and create generational wealth for their communities. We will provide them with funding and access to resources that support their growth in real ways. It’s time to uplift the youth!

Yahshimabet, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Yahshimabet Sellassie, and I founded Yahshi Bakes because I’m passionate about making quality sweets that share joy.

Yahshi Bakes is an Oakland, California-based baking company that has been serving up delicious handcrafted baked goods since 2015. We make organic pastries with the warming spices and flavors of our Ethiopian and Jamaican heritage.

In our products, you will taste notes of vanilla, cardamom, brown butter, coffee, ginger, chocolate, and more. At Yahshi Bakes we share delicious pastries made with quality ingredients you can recognize.

We also have a variety of secretly vegan products and plan to expand our offerings to include gluten-free and refined sugar-free options, making our products more accessible to meet consumers’ needs.

I got started baking when I was three years young, helping in the kitchen with my family, mixing batter for muffins, and asking questions. The kitchen is truly our living room! When I was seven I was diagnosed with a medical condition. This challenge caused me to go on various elimination diets including gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, and vegan.

At that time, there were limited product options on the market that were both delicious, and suitable for my dietary needs.
As I adapted, I developed my own recipes that were gluten-free, and sometimes vegan or refined sugar-free. I regularly went to the library to check out as many books as I could to learn more about baking, and my passion flourished.

Most Saturdays I woke up before my family to make breakfast, and bake something new. Anything from pancakes, to granola, pumpkin ginger cupcakes, blueberry cornmeal cake, and more.

When I was twelve years young I had the opportunity to compete in season two of the Kid’s Baking Championship on Food Network, a lifelong dream of mine, and I came in runner-up.

From there, I gained international recognition and used my platform to promote Yahshi Bakes, while raising awareness of local organizations making a positive social impact in my community.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When the pandemic hit, I knew it was time to change how I was operating, and try something radically different. At the time, it looked like perfecting a vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe, and learning how to ship products nationwide. That’s precisely what I did. I spent day after day in the kitchen developing a recipe for what’s now a bestselling secretly vegan cookie on the Yahshi Bakes menu. I experimented with packaging and shipping cookies, and after countless failed attempts I had a system that delivered fresh cookies nationwide. I’ve learned so much along the way about shipping highly perishable products, and I look forward to making it more eco-friendly and efficient.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy for growing my customer base has been staying true to my values, operating with integrity, and delivering the best quality products I can. Quality is everything. I bake all of my pastries with organic ingredients, and source locally whenever possible. It’s important to build relationships with companies that have shared values, and are driven to make a positive social impact, such as Diaspora Co. Oaktown Spice Shop, and Alkali Rye – Oakland’s Beverage Shop. It’s companies like these that are reminding us to be conscious consumers, and consider what goes into high-quality products.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yahshibakes.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yahshibakes/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.yahshibakes.com
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/yahshibakes/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@yahshibakes
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@yahshibakes

Image Credits
Photos by Dana Plucinski and Tsadae Neway