He Fang and her Taiwan husband Cheng Wei-jen. [Photo/WeChat account: ttkyh2014]

A small community bakery in Yuhang district, Hangzhou, is winning hearts with its affordable prices and cross-Strait flavors.

Run by Hangzhou native He Fang and her Taiwan husband Cheng Wei-jen, the shop has become a neighborhood favorite, with most products priced at around 10 yuan ($1.5) and more than 1,000 pieces of its signature pineapple cakes sold during last year's Mid-Autumn Festival.

The couple's story began through their shared passion for baking. Cheng first came to the Chinese mainland in the early 2000s for work, and the two became a couple in 2013. After operating a bakery in Taiwan for three years, they returned to Hangzhou in 2021 to be closer to family. Their current store on Fengxin South Road, opened in December 2024, marks nearly five years of entrepreneurship in Yuhang.

The bakery offers a diverse range of products, blending European and Taiwan traditions. Signature items include panettone made with natural sourdough and authentic Taiwan pineapple cakes crafted entirely from pineapple without winter melon filling. The couple also incorporate local Hangzhou ingredients into innovative creations such as preserved vegetable mini pizzas and osmanthus pistachio brioche.

Popular among neighborhood residents and even customers from other cities, the bakery reflects a warm sense of community and cross-Strait cultural exchange, with the couple working daily from early morning until late in the evening to serve their loyal patrons.

Some products sold at the community bakery. [Photo/WeChat account: ttkyh2014]