Aaron Clark has faced unprecedented challenges since buying Husk Bakery in October 2019.
The bakery, which does not have a bricks and mortar store, was affected by bushfires, smoke haze and COVID-19.
Clark took an entrepreneurial gamble to stay in business. He started driving his van - complete with Mr Whippy music - to sell baked goods around Canberra.
"Its been ridiculous. [It's had] a better outcome than I thought it was going to have," he said.
"Every time I go out in the van I sell out."
The van drives around Kambah and Gleneagles every Wednesday, and the Moncrieff and Casey areas every Friday.
"Thursday is our random day, where we go to the suburb who has had the most requests on Facebook," Clark said.
"We will go up to those suburbs and do drive-ups in the streets."
Enforcing social distancing has occasionally been challenging while dealing with very excited customers.
"I've told everyone when I drive around to wait at your driveway," he said.
"We've had a lot of people chasing us.
"I have someone in the passenger seat of the van just looking at Facebook all day, telling me where to go."
"If you want to get in contact to tell me what street to come down, don't chase me. Message [the Husk Bakery Facebook page] and I'll come down your street."
Husk is also trialing a click-and-collect style pickup for orders.
"What we are implementing now is a pickup zone in the suburb we are going to so people who put orders up will be there from 9-10 in the morning [and] people can come and pick up their order."
Husk's biggest sellers are ready-to-bake pies that you can bake immediately or freeze.
"I've had to double the amount of pies I make a week," he said.
Husk also sells a variety of artisan breads and pastries. They include a selection of kronuts and croissants and danishes.
For those who aren't able to make the van visits, Husk Bakery is still selling its goods at the Capital Region Farmers Market on Saturdays and the Southside Farmers Market on Sundays.
- To find out more about Husk and to see if the van is visiting your suburb, go to facebook.com/huskbakery/
