But an Invercargill woman swam against the tide and started her own business from her kitchen.
Looking back, Brit MacDonald still could not believe that today she would be opening her first retail store FlourBro, which specialised in sourdough products.
"It is a bit surreal to think about it. What I think helped during that lockdown, people got more conscious about what they eat and where their food comes from," she said.
Mrs MacDonald said she reconnected to her family roots to open her business.
Her grandfather was a certified commercial baker who loved his job, she said.
With some of his tools placed in the counter of her new shop, Mrs McDonald believed he would be proud of her.
"I always remember him getting up early to bake. I was very young but remember his passion."
Mrs McDonald said she was always interested in baking but it was during the lockdown that she learnt how to do it properly.
"I’ve always wanted to learn how to do sourdough — and the start of lockdown gave me the time and space to learn because it is a quite complicated craft."
She found out no-one in the city was doing sourdough products and saw an opportunity there.
She built a kitchen in her garage and learnt how to do sourdough scones, muffins, biscuits and other bakery products.
"In the sourdough process, the fermentation allows for the product or the bread to be more easily digested. The hard work happens at fermentation process so our body doesn’t have to do it.
"I believe there was a quite renaissance with sourdough as intolerance to gluten started to spike."
Her business, which opens today at Dee St, would have a relaxed atmosphere and be focused on local producers.
"The focus is breads and spread. It is just a small store, but I am sure my grandfather will help me along the way."
