SPOTLIGHT: Pop-up bakery Auntie Aldoo’s Pies and Pastries rising to top
Alexandrea Lumadue prepares orders for her business Auntie Aldoo’s Pies and Pastries (Photo by Laryssa Brooks)
Name: Alexandrea Lumadue
Claim to Fame: Owner of Auntie Aldoo’s Pies and Pastries, a local bakery pop-up.
The Backstory: When Alex Lumadue arrives for our interview, she’s carrying the largest can of tomatoes I’ve ever seen.
“Sorry,” she breathes, cradling the can. “I worked a 12-hour shift yesterday. I’m exhausted.”
During the week, she’s a direct support professional for Community Living Windsor. During the weekend, she sells and bakes treats for her pop-up Auntie Aldoo’s Pies and Pastries.
She sells rustic pies, tarts, breads and other baked goods, both plant-based and regular, at small businesses and markets across Windsor.
Her passion for baking began with her family. “Really, my nieces and nephews were my inspiration. They call me Auntie Aldoo, and they were just so happy whenever I baked something special for them. It stuck,” Lumadue explained.
After taking culinary arts at St. Clair College, she baked cakes for extra dough. “I did it for three or four years, and I thought, ‘I do not like this whole cake life thing.’”
But, Lumadue realized, “I did like the idea of dough and being able to create what I wanted. I liked more savoury things, and I wanted to express myself.”
Specialty tarts are just one type of treat sold by Auntie Aldoo’s Pies and Pastries (Photo courtesy Alexandrea Lumadue)
With that realization, Auntie Aldoo’s Pies and Pastries rose as a freshly baked idea.
The Highlights: With starting the business came opportunities to learn from others and connect.
“I feel like I’m part of the community now. I get to interact with people, and their responses are positive. It’s such a joy to me, and it’s the reason I keep doing this.”
A benefit has been the chance to bake for special occasions. “Catering weddings has been really fun. Pies are cheaper than cake, but still tasty, and I love being able to say, ‘Here’s your delicious pie, baked with love.’”
The Impact: That love for baking has catapulted Auntie Aldoo’s to success. With over 1,100 followers on Instagram, Lumadue’s baked goods are now popular fixtures in Windsor’s shops and markets.
“I have a very large customer base of vegans and plant-based people,” she smiled. “And I have a lot of regulars. I’ve gotten to know them personally, and I’m really grateful for their support.”
