Nummy Yummy opened in the Fashion Fair food court on December 17. Photo by Ben Hensley
published on December 28, 2022 – 13:55
Written by Ben Hensley
Fashion Fair’s food court just got a little sweeter this holiday season, introducing patrons to the unique taste of taiyaki – a Japanese pastry that comes in a variety of flavors and customizable options.
Nummy Yummy opened its doors on December 17 inside Fashion Fair Mall. Owned and operated by Cerena, Diamond and Sierra Lee, Nummy Yummy was founded to take the pressure off the mother of three, who was diagnosed with cancer last year.
“We wanted to work to put him out of business,” Cerena said. “There was a point in time when she had to go back to work even though she was still diagnosed.”
She said that after her mother’s diagnosis, Cerena and her two sisters thought about what they could do to help provide for their mother.
After discussing options including mochi donuts, the family decided on taiyaki — their father’s first dessert in the US after immigrating to the country after the Vietnam War.
“It kind of makes sense for our family,” Cerena said.
Taiyaki — not to be confused with teriyaki — is a Japanese dessert that Cerena describes as having a “waffle-like,” crispy exterior and a soft, doughy interior. Taiyaki can be customized with different toppings and toppings.
There is also the cold tajaki, which comes in the form of a cone. It functions as an ice cream cone that can also be customized with boba, sprinkles, Oreo crumbles and fruit pebbles.
The sisters eventually plan to add more flavors and customizable options, as well as other dessert staples, to the menu.
Although there was no timetable for expansion, Cerena said the sisters hope the business will find traction and eventually expand.
“We’re hoping to eventually franchise if we can,” she said.
After trialling their product with family and friends, their December 17 opening attracted a huge amount of traffic to the store, with Cerena saying their Instagram account – the main form of marketing for the upcoming business – saw over 300 new followers.
Cerena said that as first-time business owners, the sisters hope to continue to evolve in the business landscape and learn from their experiences.
“I hope everyone will come and support us,” Cerena said.
