Our proud heritage

A family bakery with seventy years of continuous operation.

Top Hat Bakery is an award-winning, proudly South African family-run bakery. What began as a small home industry in the early 1950s has grown into a commercial bakery trusted by municipal institutions, national retailer groups, international hotel brands and major event venues.

The beginning

Mr Sirpal Gobind began baking scones from his home after completing night shifts as a baker. With little rest, he prepared fresh batches each morning and sold them on his way back to work.

As demand grew, the business expanded into a family restaurant on Lorne Street in Durban during the 1960s. In the 1970s Mr Dhanlal Gobind joined after leaving his post as a bakery manager. Together they acquired a closed bakery in Clairwood, renamed it Top Hat Bakery, and quickly secured the Clairwood and Durban Turf Clubs, Game Discount World, and a network of restaurants and supermarkets.

How we work now

We offer 365-day delivery. Hospitality clients have sudden needs; our years under pressure taught us to meet them. Goods are sourced locally around Phoenix and KwaMashu. Quality is matched by service: what they need, when they need it, and how they need it done. HACCP is in practice.

The business is 100% Black-owned, 100% Level 1 BBBEE certified and 51% female-owned. We are two-time Gold winners of the Aurora International Taste Challenge.