Pinky Yee: Baking with a heart

When you want something so immensely, Paulo Coelho wrote in The Alchemist, the universe will conspire for you to achieve it.  Pinky Yee’s life attests to the very verity of that edict as this brilliant and soulful gem of a lady is the epitome of passion on fire.

Anything hurled at her, she tackles with perseverance and determination. She is able to transform any endeavor into success with her Midas touch. After all, she is the marketing genius of the 42-year-old multi-awarded Goldilocks.

Pinky, an entrepreneur with a heart, believes that the Filipino consumer deserves much more — which explains why she is constantly at the helm of developing better, healthier delicacies at Goldilocks like the sugar-free treats with zero transfat, omega-fortified and vitamin-enriched breads and pastries. She shares, “We can’t shortchange the public.”

A certified health buff who spends a lot of time in the gym daily, Pinky and her husband Richard returned to Manila from Vancouver in 1987 when Goldilocks had only 10 branches. Goldilocks started as a bakeshop with a coffee shop that served short orders like pancit and spaghetti way back in 1966. After franchising and marketing efforts, they now have 500 products and 250 branches, including 17 in the US and one in Vancouver. Their company, Pinky says, has received accolades from the Philippine Retailers Association, Philippine Franchising Association and is a constant recipient of Super Brands award. More importantly, Goldilocks’ clients receive full customer satisfaction as Pinky heads the department whose desire is to find out what the customers prefer.

At children’s birthday parties, Pinky observes how the kids and adults interact with their products. Goldilocks has been a witness to many children’s dreams to be princesses and action heroes through their various cake themes. All the rest of the kids could get the sugar flowers and other cake decor but the birthday celebrant keeps the princess or super hero figurine that becomes part of his or her precious childhood memories.

Pinky says theirs is a mission-driven company that cares. They truly believe in maximizing the value that their patrons acquire. Here lies the magic of Goldilocks for over time, it has established its name, meaning and differentiation in the mind and heart of the Filipino consumer.

Patience and compassion are the values that Pinky espouses. If she were a Goldilocks product, she would be a brownie because it is fudgy, nutty and sweet — all the best qualities rolled into one delectable treat.

Pinky ­— mother of five adorable kids, loving wife, entrepreneur, civic-minded citizen, and dutiful in-law — dreams of elevating the Goldilocks brand into an even greater global level. With her dedication, expertise and faith in God — consider these dreams done.