Upon getting retrenched in July last year, Faris Khan Suratee, 50, worried about how he could provide for his family of five.
While he spared no effort in searching for a new job, picking up various skills and ad hoc opportunities, his efforts were in vain. His family eventually had to downsize their condominium home.
It was at this moment that his wife Shahroon, 49, suggested he pursue his dream of becoming a full-time baker.
In a recent interview with AsiaOne, the former project manager said that his family’s unwavering support was the push he needed to take this leap of faith.
Since February, the father of three has been running Bhai Roti and Desserts — B.R.A.D for short — at Sengkang’s Fernvale Village, where he sells a variety of bakes and drinks.
While Faris is B.R.A.D’s owner and sole baker, he is not alone in this new endeavour.
Running the business is a family affair as every member makes it a point to pitch in at the bakery despite their busy schedules.
In fact, Shahroon and the couple’s three children play a key role in B.R.A.D.
“Our products have personality because they are shaped by all of us together,” Shahroon told us.
When asked how she feels about her husband’s entrepreneurship journey, the teacher said that she is proud of how he has turned his passion and skills into something meaningful despite the challenges he has faced.
“I believe his dedication and perseverance will make the journey worthwhile,” she said.
‘We don’t want him to feel alone’
Faris’ eldest son, Suhail, 22, echoed his mother’s sentiments.
The full-time national serviceman, who has a diploma in sports science, said that he is proud of his father for pursuing his dreams and he wants to support him as much as possible.
Saahil, the youngest of the kids at 16, told AsiaOne: “I really loved that he took a risk, because no business will be successful without any risk.”
“Nothing good comes from just playing it safe,” he quipped, to his siblings’ amusement.
Pitching in to help their father was a no-brainer for them, especially since Faris was unable to carry heavy loads after fracturing his wrist while playing football with the family, said Suhail.
His sister, Fareeha chimed in: “Every time he came home, we saw how tired he looked and thought he could really use a break.”
According to the 20-year-old — who is currently an intern in the early childhood education sector — Faris works all day, often leaving home at 7am and returning at 10pm at the earliest.
In order to let their dad get some rest, Fareeha and her siblings usually take over opening and closing the shop on weekends.
Saahil helps to take orders and make drinks when he gets some time away from his O-level preparations, while Suhail has been staying up till Faris comes home every night so he has someone to talk to.
“We don’t want him to feel alone,” he said.
When asked how he feels having his family rally around him, Faris told AsiaOne that he is very grateful for their support.
“When I first opened B.R.A.D, I was a bit worried it would be a one-man show… but my family told me I didn’t need to worry because they will be there,” he said.
And show up for him, they did.
Harnessing power of the internet
Aside from helping out at the bakery, Suhail and Fareeha have been handling some of the marketing and operational aspects of the business.
As the family has various personal commitments during the week, they hired part-time employees to help Faris run the business on these days.
Fareeha has been managing B.R.A.D’s social media accounts since 2024 while it was still a home-based business. But when the Fernvale Village shop started seeing low footfall in late February, Suhail joined her in an effort to promote the bakery to a wider audience.
@brad.bites Every business has a story behind its beginnings, and for B.R.A.D, my parents started a home-based business back in 2012 to share their passion and love for baking. What started as their side hustle eventually became my dad’s full-time dream, leading him to open his first shop here in Fernvale! I can’t wait to show you guys’ our prank, follow to keep updated! #business #muslimowned #fernvale #northeast #bakery
Their inspiration for the videos came from content they came across on social media, they told AsiaOne.
“While I see cafes or restaurants on TikTok, I find myself thinking: ‘This looks so good, I want to visit’. I realised we could do the same with our shop,” said Suhail.
The two older kids also explained that they decided to share Faris’ story online — they believed his “can do” attitude and tenacity in the face of obstacles are inspiring.
“If there are people going through something similar, maybe hearing my dad’s story could help or inspire them to start something of their own,” said Suhail.
To further support B.R.A.D’s marketing on social media, the 22-year-old also reached out to a marketing agency for help.
The agency, with the siblings’ approval, has been scripting and filming short-form videos since April.
This was a step in the right direction, as their video on B.R.A.D and Faris’ journey garnered over 180,000 views on TikTok, leading to a significant improvement in business.
From side hustle to full-time job
Before opening the bakery at Fernvale Village, Faris and Shahroon had been running B.R.A.D as a home-based business for over a decade.
The couple started the brand in 2012, juggling orders for breads and desserts during public holidays and the festive season while working full-time jobs.
They fell in love with baking after taking a class by Siti Matsura Alwi, a chef and TV personality.
When asked why they named their business Bhai Roti and Desserts, Faris said that he opted to include “bhai”, a term that commonly refers to South Asian men, as a nod to his Pakistani roots.
The word “roti” means bread in several languages, including Malay and Urdu.
“It’s Bhai Roti because I make the bread, and the second part of the name refers to my wife’s specialty — desserts,” he explained.
After he was retrenched, Faris also learned how to make gelato and began operating a gelato live station at weddings.
Having perfected his recipe, he now sells his gelato at B.R.A.D in classic flavours such as vanilla and chocolate ($4.50 per scoop) as well as premium options such as lychee raspberry sorbet and pistachio ($5.10 per scoop).
Other popular offerings at B.R.A.D include cookies such as Molten Lava, Golden Choc and the eye-catching Cookie Monster ($4.90 each).
The bakery also sells focaccias, sandwiches and coffee-based drinks such as their Spanish Latte.
@brad.bites Beef Doner Kebab (Focaccia) IS HERE! ‼️LIMITED‼️ #sg #sgfoodie #fyp #smallbusiness #focaccia
Address: 61 Fernvale Link #01-04, Singapore 799956
Opening hours: 8.30am to 8pm daily
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