PROFILE: Gisela Harck’s gingerbreads with a DIY touch

Gisela Harck’s story starts in her childhood kitchen, when her mother baked gingerbread houses from scratch for fundraising for her brother’s Scouts cake sale.

Fascinated by the process, Harck played the part of sous chef as she helped her mom bake, assemble and decorate the little edible trinkets. “I just loved helping my mom. It was the highlight of the year for me because I could create all the patterns on the houses. That’s where my love for baking and decorating started.”

The demand for the cakes grew and Harck’s mother rented some space at a local bakery in Richmond, Joburg, Geneva Swiss Confectionery. “My mom had committed to too many orders, and we didn’t have the space at home,” says Harck. “I was blown away by the bakery’s space, all the equipment and how quickly we could get things done.”

At 18, Harck had developed an appetite for travel but had  little spare cash, so she ventured into entrepreneurship. Inspired by her mother’s passion, and armed with her German family recipe, she decided to start a side hustle and sell her homemade gingerbread houses at local flea markets. The response, she says, was overwhelming and she turned a hobby into a business.

“I loved the reaction from the kids and adults,” says Harck. “Their faces just lit up and that really gave me so much satisfaction. I realised then, after seeing so many positive reactions, that this could be a good business opportunity. That’s where the seed was sown.”

After pursuing studies in graphic design and photography at Stellenbosch University, Harck joined the fast-moving consumer goods packaging industry, which provided her with insight about packaging and strategic branding. But she did not give up on her gingerbread dreams. With all her new knowledge, she began her gingerbread business  in August 2014.

At first it was a one-woman show, with Harck focusing on graphic design during the day and baking and decorating at night. The Christmas season proved to be a turning point, generating enough income to convince Harck to pursue her business full-time.

The flagship product of the business has been the DIY gingerbread kits that enable customers to assemble and decorate their own gingerbread houses. The German influence is evident in the family recipe, passed down through generations and the tradition of creating special treats for special occasions.

The gingerbread kits have now become family traditions for many, she says. “As Germans, we are very big on occasions like Easter and Christmas,” says Harck. “We have a unique way of celebrating and it’s great to see our traditions become other people’s traditions too.”

Harck & Heart has since expanded, and today the bakery sits on 430m² and the staff has grown from two to 17. 

It hasn’t been all plain baking. Harck says: “Finding the right balance between managing staff, creative work and business operations has been demanding.” Determined to build a strong leadership team within the company, Harck hopes to focus more on strategic planning, product development and marketing.

Exploring partnerships with other baking companies is part of her plan to create synergy and leverage economies of scale. Though exports have not yet been actively pursued, there is significant interest from countries such as Germany and the United Arab Emirates.

“I really do love making things for people and bringing them joy. That’s why my business exists — to create something beautiful that can brighten someone’s day and become part of their cherished family traditions.”