Three hundred cupcakes and an oven so small that it could bake only 12 at a time. That was the challenge Alshika Latham faced in the lead-up to her first Christmas market in Taiwan in 2016.
After hours of baking, Latham arrived at the market several hours after it had opened. However, before she even had time to put down a tablecloth, customers had already begun lining up. Within the first hour of her arrival, she had sold nearly 250 cupcakes.
For Latham, who grew up in New Grounds and then moved to the neighbouring community of North Union in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), the experience became a major turning point, giving her the confidence to continue building Shika's Treats, a business that now serves customers across Taiwan and beyond. Latham first arrived in Taiwan in 2007 after receiving a scholarship from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). What began as an opportunity to pursue higher education gradually became a new chapter in her life. She spent her first year studying Mandarin Chinese at National Taiwan Normal University before earning a bachelor's degree in travel and tourism from Ming Chuan University. She later pursued a Master of Business Administration in service management at Yuan Ze University. Her training and experiences eventually led to a career in teaching and the establishment of her business.
However, Latham’s love for cooking began long before she boarded a plane for Taiwan. Growing up in SVG, Latham was surrounded by family members who enjoyed cooking. Her mother, Ms Yvette Spencer, a retired principal and a former food and nutrition and home economics teacher, encouraged her interest from an early age. "As a kid growing up, most of us learned by being around our grandparents, parents, and elder family members while they cooked," she recalls. "I learned from a pretty early age. By about 7, I could make breakfast and simple meals." Although cooking had always been part of her life, baking took on a new meaning after she moved abroad. Like many international students, she missed the cakes and desserts she had enjoyed at home and began making them for herself and other Caribbean friends.
As more people sampled Latham’s baking, requests gradually increased. While studying for her master's degree, she decided to share a homemade cheesecake with several Taiwanese classmates, curious to see whether her creations would appeal beyond the Caribbean community. "They liked it. So, I thought, 'OK. Maybe I can do this.'" Even with the encouragement of friends and classmates, Latham hesitated to turn her passion into a business. Throughout 2016, she discussed possible business names with a close friend who believed she had the talent to succeed.
The friend’s sudden death in August that year became the catalyst that pushed Latham to act. She created a Facebook page for Shika's Treats the following month but still struggled to launch the business officially. It was not until her birthday in October that she made the decision she had been putting off. "On my birthday, I was like, 'You know what? Just do it.'"
Within weeks, her first order arrived, followed by an invitation to participate in a local Christmas market. Although she had little equipment and only a small household oven capable of baking 12 cupcakes at a time, she took on the challenge of baking close to 350 cupcakes. The market proved to be the breakthrough Latham needed. "I couldn't even put the tablecloth down before people were lining up," she recalls. "In the first hour, I sold about 250 cupcakes." The response from customers and fellow vendors gave her the confidence to continue.
Building a business beyond baking
Nearly a decade after its launch, Shika's Treats serves customers from diverse backgrounds and cultures. While cakes and cupcakes remain at its core, Latham has built a reputation for taking on new challenges, creating everything from celebration cakes to traditional Vincentian and Caribbean favourites. Her menu includes custom cakes, cupcakes, banana bread, black cake and other traditional Caribbean desserts. "I don't really limit myself because I have customers from many different countries," she says. "Sometimes people ask if I can make something from their country, and I'll say, ‘I can try’, even if I've never done it before."
That willingness to learn has allowed her to serve an increasingly diverse customer base. Each new request often becomes an opportunity to research unfamiliar traditions, themes or flavours.
"Someone might ask for a cake based on an anime or something I've never heard of," she explains. "Then I have to do some research, so I learn from people too." Alongside her baking, Latham occasionally accepts small catering requests and prepares meals for long-standing clients. She says she prefers to grow the business steadily while maintaining the quality and personal service that customers have come to expect.
As the business expanded, so did the support surrounding it. Latham credits much of her early encouragement to members of Taiwan's South African community, many of whom became loyal customers after discovering her products at local markets. "They're really the ones I owe a lot to because they made me feel like I could do it based on the way they received my products," she says. For Latham, one of the most rewarding aspects of the business has been the relationships she has formed along the way. "I'm a bit of an introvert, but when I'm at an event, interacting with people and serving them, it makes me really happy." Latham says being open to feedback has also helped her improve her craft. "I'm willing to learn, and I don't take feedback or criticism as something negative," she says. "I use it as an opportunity to grow."
Maintaining some of her traditional recipes has required patience and resourcefulness. Ingredients commonly found in the Caribbean are not always readily available in Taiwan, meaning some items must be carefully sourced or imported. Over the years, however, that process has become easier as online shopping and speciality food suppliers have expanded. Her growing confidence in Mandarin Chinese has also played an important role in the business, helping her build relationships with suppliers and source many of the materials needed for Shika's Treats.
Building a life far from home
After completing her bachelor's degree, Latham had originally planned to return home. However, as new opportunities emerged, including the chance to pursue a master's degree, she realised there was still more she wanted to accomplish. Unlike her undergraduate scholarship, which did not allow students to work, her master's scholarship gave her the flexibility to begin teaching while completing her studies. That experience not only helped her establish a career but also strengthened the foundation she was building in Taiwan.
Like many international students, Latham says adapting to life in a new country came with challenges. Although she had travelled before moving abroad, adjusting to different customs and ways of interacting took time. During her master's studies, she also experienced a period of long-term depression while living in a more isolated area. “I dealt with depression a lot, especially when I was doing my master’s, because where I lived it was really isolated and because I'm not really always around people… I just felt more like an outcast at times.”
She says that rather than allowing those experiences to define her, they encouraged her to become more understanding of different cultures and perspectives. “I had to change my perception even more about the Taiwanese society. Just because they were doing certain things in a way that we would have frowned upon at home, it didn’t mean that they were wrong. It just meant that we did things differently.” Latham said she also remained in Taiwan because of the positive relationships she built and the lifestyle she experienced, describing the country as quiet, peaceful, and convenient, with good living conditions.
Her advice to students is to approach studying abroad with an open mind and a willingness to understand different cultures. “You have to be open to learning about the people. If you don't have that willingness, you're just going to see everything as negative,” she says. She recalls that adjusting to Taiwan was challenging at first because of the cultural differences, and there were moments when she wanted to return home. However, she says the experience helped her grow and eventually changed her perspective. “I think everything worked how it was supposed to,” she says.
Today, nearly two decades after first arriving in Taiwan, Latham reflects on her journey with gratitude. What began as a scholarship opportunity has grown into a life shaped by education, meaningful friendships, a teaching career and a business that continues to evolve. Despite her accomplishments, she says humility, compassion and faith remain at the centre of everything she does.
"I'm very easy-going, pleasant and respectful, and I try to be accommodating to everyone. Compassion is one of my core values. If I can serve others or make them happy, that makes me content," Latham says, adding that her faith continues to guide her journey. "God is a big part of my life. My relationship with God is really important to me."
SOURCE: H.E. Ambassador Kenton Chance, Embassy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the Republic of China (Taiwan)
