The last few years have seen a welcome explosion in small plant-based businesses across the country, and few could be as treasured by the vegans of Glasgow as Honeytrap Bakery! Based in Shawlands in the thriving Southside, they serve up delicious sweet and savoury baked goods three days a week, all free of animal products and palm oil as well as using Organic ingredients. We asked them a few questions to get to know a bit more about this business who make it easier than ever to live and love a plant based life.

1. How did your business come into being?

Having worked at a fair few bakeries in Glasgow it was time to start our own thing, fully plant-based. Starting in our shared kitchen at home, testing recipes and getting feedback from friends and flatmates. We then secured our first kitchen space at Latteria in Govanhill, having regular weekend pop-ups serving out of what was essentially a fire escape. Mid-pandemic we were hosting pop-ups in the tap-room of You & I Drinks, another Glasgow-based business. We are still very grateful for them letting us use the space. June 2021 we opened the bakery in Shawlands, and we have been here ever since!

2. What is the food scene like in your area and what sort of customer base do you have?

The food scene in Shawlands and all the neighbouring boroughs is booming! Fantastic coffee, bakes, and spots to dine in. We’re lucky to be surrounded by lots of other independent businesses, it definitely feels like an area where everyone really believes in shopping locally and supporting small businesses. Our customers are extremely kind and varied; young to old they all want a slice of that Honeytrap action. Being fully plant-based we cater to a wide variety of people. We probably have vegans and non-vegans in equal measure and many people with specific dietary requirements or intolerances.

3. You put a lot of effort into your sourcing. What are your guiding principles and favourite products?

We always try to have a lot of fruit on the menu so seasonality is definitely important to us. Although the availability of ingredients is something that is always fluctuating, so sometimes we have to adjust our menu when what we want isn’t available. Our guiding principles for the baked goods is making sure we start with quality base ingredients. Our flour is Organic, most of it from Shipton Mill, and we love the wholewheat flour from Scotland the Bread - grown and milled in Fife. Our vegan butter is palm-oil free, from Naturli. And our soy-milk, which we use a lot of, is Organic French-grown from Sojade. Those will most likely never change.

4. Why do you use Greencity Wholefoods as a wholesaler?

It’s great being able to work with another Glasgow business. We all help each other. The variety that they have on offer is fantastic and they’re always super responsive and helpful with our orders. When we first started the business, having a wholesaler that had everything we needed to get up and running was a god send. We might have been lost without them!

5. If you could invite three people to a dinner party who would they be, and why?

Anthony Bourdain - because I’ve watched everything he’s ever made and feel he’d have amazing stories to tell and give you great tips on where to visit around the world.

Fran Lebowitz - because she’s hilarious, witty and also well travelled. I think her and Anthony would have lots to talk about.

Nigella Lawson - because cooking dinner with her with a big glass of red would be class. She is the hostess with the mostess and we can all learn a lot from her. National treasure.

6. What are your plans for the future?

Right now the business is going well. We have a great team and we’re really happy with what we are all producing. Working in hospitality things can be very up and down and as a small business you definitely feel those bumps in the road hard. We feel that we’re in a great place right now so we’d like to just ride this feeling for a while, you never know what’s around the corner! We definitely want to spruce up the shop a bit, a few small renovations here and there. We’re happy with that plan!

Thanks to Amelie & Adam for answering our questions! Find out more about Honeytrap Bakery by visiting them at 22 Skirving Street, Shawlands or online at www.honeytrapbakery.com