Jamila Asiri first fell in love with the smell of bread when she was a young girl working in her mother's kitchen. Now she has become the first woman to own a bakery in Asir.
Asiri learned to make bread as a 12-year-old. She now produces some of the most popular and traditional types including Al-Tanoora, Al-Mifah, Al-Ber and various others with margarine, brown flour, and red corn at Bakery House, the first female-run bakery in Asir.
Her margarine bread is made mostly of margarine, flour and milk, while Al-Ber consists of wheat, barley or corn flour, water and salt, she said.
Al-Tanoora has become a staple food in the region and locals believe it is part of their heritage. It is also one of the most popular types in the Kingdom.
Asiri said that when she first started out as an unemployed person, she did not want to put up banners or distribute fliers because she was shy. Her business has grown since then and many people in the local community buy her products on a daily basis. She also supplies schools and colleges.
She can bake over 100 loaves a day, but is reluctant to take on too many orders because she is short on workers.
Asiri said she spent a considerable time studying the business before opening up her bakery. She has overcome various hurdles including getting a license from the Abha Municipality. She set up the business last year on Al-Taif Road, where she also sells sambusaks, salads and other popular dishes.
Asiri hopes to have a factory one day to make bread and pastries. She is now looking for workers and financing from the youth business committee of the Abha Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
First woman to own a bakery in Asir
