Today we’d like to introduce you to Ulalia (lia) Tuitasi.
Hi Ulalia (lia), thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My love for baking and cooking started when I was a young kid. I grew up obsessed with cooking shows, magazines, and cookbooks — always watching, always learning. No one really taught me how to cook; everything I know is self-taught, inspired by the women I watched in church from age 12 through my college years.
During the pandemic, when work slowed down, I started baking more at home. I shared my desserts on Instagram, and people began asking if I could make baked goods for them. I thought, Why not? So I launched my business, got my licenses and permits, and started selling fresh homemade treats to the community.
From baking in my home kitchen to now working out of a large commercial kitchen, I’ve grown step by step. I began applying for night markets and weekend markets and eventually earned a spot at the Oceanside Sunset Market — where I still sell weekly. Today, I take private orders throughout the month and aim to do at least one major event each month as my business continues to grow.
I have big goals and so many new recipes and ideas I’m excited to bring to life. In 2026, I’m planning to expand into breakfast and lunch options for corporate and private events. What started as a small idea during the pandemic has grown into a full passion-driven business, and I’m just getting started.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There were a lot of struggles in the beginning. I had to make sure my bills were paid while also saving enough money to buy good ingredients and run my business the right way. I spent a lot of time researching, asking questions, and making sure I had the proper permits. I especially asked the health department many questions because I wanted to do everything by the book.
It wasn’t easy, but I pushed through. And even now, I’m still learning and making sure I handle food properly and continue doing things the right way for my business.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
business is known for food inspired by the South Pacific, especially desserts from Samoa and Hawai‘i. I’m best known for my Fluffy Banana Pudding, which has become my signature item. Along with that, people regularly order my Samoan Coconut Buns (Pani Popo), Banana Bread, Hawaiian Guava Cake, Mango Cake, and my Samoan Po‘i drinks made with fresh pineapple and coconut milk. And honestly — the menu just keeps growing.
What sets me apart is the way I treat my product. I never compromise on quality. Everything is made fresh on the day of the order, and I make all my items in small batches. My banana pudding has no added sugar, nothing goes to waste, and if you don’t finish it, you can freeze it — it turns into ice cream.
Every recipe is made with good ingredients, less ingredients, and always with a lot of love. I aim to use no more than five ingredients in my baked goods whenever possible. My goal is to give people an authentic taste of the South Pacific, especially the island I come from — Samoa.
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If you want, I can combine all your edited parts into one full, beautifully written About Me / Business Story for your website, bio, or corporate proposals.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Yes, I consider myself a risk taker. The biggest risk I’ve taken was spending every single cent I had and investing it into my business. I had to have faith that everything would fall into place — that I would still have a roof over my head, a car to drive, and food on the table. But I believed in myself, and I took that risk.
Even now, I still take risks. Every dollar I make gets reinvested back into the business. I’m constantly pushing, growing, and trusting that all the sacrifices will pay off.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Ulalove_sweettreats_llc
