(June 28, 2023) Mehnaz Hussain is the driving force behind Labonel, a luxury patisserie brand loved by dessert enthusiasts. Originally from Richmond Hill in Toronto, Canada, Mehnaz discovered her passion for baking at a young age. Little did she know that her hobby would evolve into a successful chain of patisseries. Labonel currently operates out of seven stores across Hyderabad and Bengaluru. Global Indian explores the inspiring journey of Mehnaz Hussain, a skilled baker, and entrepreneur.
Mehnaz Hussain, who grew up in the suburb of Richmond Hill in Toronto, Canada, was all of 11 when she baked a cake for her parents’ wedding anniversary. With dreams of becoming a lawyer or an architect, that little girl would never have imagined that with her passion for baking, she would create a chain of patisseries that are a class apart, halfway across the world.
How an early passion became a career
“I went to the Richmond Hill High School in Toronto where home economics, which included baking, cooking, and art, was part of the curriculum. I learnt the basics of baking in school but never really took any formal classes after that. I used to bake for fun at home and made cakes and a lot of cookies,” Mehnaz tells Global Indian.
After getting a BA in political science from the University of Toronto, Mehnaz took a year off from her studies, came to India and eventually married Syed Abdul Ali. She says, “I started baking at home here in Hyderabad and my mother-in-law got me one of those round ovens. Since I love lasagna, I used to bake breads and make pasta at home. I also used to write a column on baking for the Deccan Chronicle and take baking classes.”
The cakes that Mehnaz baked for parties and for friends soon became and her creations stood out from what was available back then, over 20 years ago. She set up shop in her home, and would hand out baked goods to her often high-profile clients through a tiny window. The actress Tabu too showed up once to pick up the cake she had ordered.
The re-branding of Labonel
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That was around the time that Mehnaz wanted to expand; and, she heard of a bakery called Labonel which was up for sale. Instead of reinventing the wheel, she bought the business and the recipes came with the purchase. She retained the name Labonel. Though the word itself has no meaning, her cakes are deliciousness defined in every crumb and the brand is now her legacy. It is also a testimony to her undying passion to create despite the inherent challenges.
She agrees with the challenge part. “Yes, it was a challenge on many levels. You want to achieve your goals at a certain pace but people here in Hyderabad were not as fast as those in Mumbai or Toronto. Also, there was resistance within the family. I was often told I didn’t need to work because my husband was earning enough,” she says. “I never neglected my sons and took my family responsibilities seriously. What people then didn’t understand was that when a woman works, she does it for her own self-worth and to be productive as an individual. Besides, I had always kept busy, teaching or writing and baking. I even taught at a call centre where my Canadian accent [which she still has] was useful in teaching those kids how to lose their Indian accent while on call.”
Mehnaz was apprehensive when she took over the business. It meant handling staff and changing things to do them her way. She altered the recipes only after a year and started adding her own too. Unlike the ubiquitous cakes one sees all around, covered with buttercream icing and fondants, Mehnaz’s creations are often sans any extra bells and whistles. She says, “I prefer to call what I do comfort baking. Now all those fancy decorations are big business, but I prefer to make cakes which are fresh and we use no preservatives. We do make cakes with icing too though.”
The Labonel story
Labonel, which Mehnaz rebranded and launched in 2005, is now an exclusive, family-owned chain of seven stores, including two in Bengaluru and one in Vijayawada. Labonel completed 17 years in December 2022, under Mehnaz’s leadership. Her husband Abdul, sons Mohammed, Ahmed and daughter-in-law Zeenat Jadwet, are also an intrinsic part of the business now. She says, “I was clear about what I wanted. I rebranded the business with the help of a branding company. I designed the boards and boxes; created new recipes from the books I had collected over the years by tweaking them and adding or subtracting ingredients, making them my own. Some dishes like brownies, eggless products and cookies are popular so they are baked every day. Chocolate cake with the ganache ready is always available.”
Labonel’s prices can even go up to Rs 10,000 for a cake. The reason why her cakes are expensive is because of Mehnaz’s insistence on the use of fresh and quality ingredients [the ingredients used are listed on Labonel’s website]. No preservatives have ever seen the inside of a Labonel store and all the outlets have their own kitchens with every product being made from scratch. Teatime cakes, cupcakes, dessert gateaux and roulades, cheesecakes, brownies and biscuits and more, are part of her oeuvre. Loaves and eggless versions too, besides the ever-popular chocolate cakes are hot favourites.
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An atmosphere of learning and growth
The staff’s roles are clearly defined so the prep team, bakers and decorators are different and Mehnaz has always generously shared her recipes with them. This has led to several people joining the company, learning the ropes and then starting their own brands with her recipes. She says it has happened umpteen times. “It is a risk you have to take and I believe that anyone can take a recipe but what you make of it is important. I also believe in karma; what you give comes back to you.”
And Mehnaz is a generous boss. For the launch of the Bengaluru store, she took the entire Labonel team to the location by flight. It was the first time on a plane for many of them. The children of housekeeping staff who show an interest in baking are taken on as part of the team and trained while being paid a salary. It doesn’t matter that they may have only studied up to the tenth grade. “Some of my best bakers and decorators are children of my staff. I encourage them to learn and grow and they get a skill that will last them a lifetime.”
Since Labonel’s cakes are baked fresh every day, if there are a few leftovers from the previous day, a customer is informed about them should they choose to buy one. Otherwise, leftover cakes which are edible but can’t be sold to clients are sent to local orphanages and schools.
Labonel’s stores are on Road No. 45 in Jubilee Hills, on Road No.1 in Banjara Hills, and one in Gachibowli. One store is in Vijayawada and the Bengaluru stores, in Sadashiv Nagar and Indira Nagar, were started during Covid. The most recent one in Kokapet, was operational in January, 2023.
Creativity and experimentation
Mehnaz continues to create new recipes. Tech savvy and up to scratch with the latest offerings in the worldwide baking industry, the quality of her products and her commitment to providing only the best to her customers will ensure that Labonel stays the market leader for years to come.
EXCELLENCE IN HER WORK IS LIKE A GOD’S GIFT SO COMPLETE N PERFECT REALLY PROUD OF YOU DEAR MEHNAZ ❤️