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A San Bruno home bakery is whipping up treats for everyone at the table to enjoy, including ones that are vegan, gluten-free or diabetic-friendly. Founded by Veronica Jones, Nina’s Home Bakery offers customizable baked goods boasting nostalgic flavors.
Jones has been baking since 2009 and operates Nina’s Home Bakery part time along with her full-time job as an administrative assistant for the San Carlos School District. Named after her 4-year-old daughter, Nina, the bakery currently offers a menu of banana bread, lemon blueberry glaze loaf and banana bread cookies. Each treat is made to order fresh using organic ingredients whenever possible. Despite the compact menu, Jones prides herself in catering to different flavor preferences to meet people’s needs.
“Customers can make any variation to their order that they like,” she said. “So for the banana bread they can add walnuts or chocolate chips for example, and have their order just as they want it.”
What’s more, Jones can customize recipes to any dietary restrictions or food allergies customers may have. Nina’s Home Bakery offers vegan and gluten-free options for everything on the menu. Baked goods for those with diabetes and high cholesterol are also in the works. Jones wants to make her items as accessible as possible and is personally driven to tailor ingredients to dietary needs both at home and through her business.
“My daughter’s father’s side has celiac disease, so I will always make gluten-free desserts for (my family),” Jones said. “For all of my gluten-free desserts I use a premium gluten-free flour. For my vegan customers, I use a butter alternative that is plant-based and I add an extra banana to substitute for the egg.”
June will mark one year since Jones launched her business, and it has grown organically and largely by word of mouth. In fact, Jones founded the business on the strength of her boss’ and co-workers’ recommendations that she should sell the baked treats she would bring to work. Nextdoor was one of the first platforms where Jones advertised her goods to the neighborhood.
As business grew, one of her customers suggested she join Yelp to increase her reach on the Peninsula. This led to an invite to a large-scale Yelp event in Redwood City showcasing local businesses, and from there, the local Yelp community manager encouraged her to start an Instagram account to build an audience.
Jones continues to do all marketing, shopping, inventory and delivery on her own. Customers can place an order through email or text, and Jones works with them to arrange a time to pick up their order at her home.
A newcomer to the Peninsula, Jones is based in San Bruno and offers delivery between South San Francisco and Palo Alto.
Nearly a year into business, Jones is heartened by the response she has received from her customers.
“My passion (for Nina’s Home Bakery) comes from curiosity and therapeutic time in the kitchen baking and cooking,” Jones said. “The best part for me is the customer’s reaction and feedback to my desserts that I provide.”
Jones’s goal is to continue her home-based business as a side passion. She has applied to sell at local farmers markets and is brainstorming new menu items, such as lemon-glazed blueberry muffins and an applesauce loaf with caramel sauce that’s reminiscent of caramel apples. Jones is excited to expand Nina’s Home Bakery’s footprint on the Peninsula and offer a welcoming experience to those craving a baked good of any kind.
“I want customers (to know) they can reach out to me and receive a customized dessert straight from Nina’s Home Bakery,” Jones said. “No matter their dietary preferences or allergies, customers can still indulge in delicious mouthwatering home-baked goods.”
Nina’s Home Bakery, Instagram: @ninas_homebakery.
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