How We Smashed Sales Despite Early Fears at GTCO Festival — Vendor
The Chief Executive Officer of Golden Crust, Al-Aruudy, has shared how the bakery brand exceeded its sales expectations at the 2026 edition of the GTCO Food and Drink Festival 2026, overcoming early uncertainty to emerge as one of the standout vendors.
Speaking after the 3-day event, the Golden Crust boss described an emotional start marked by anxiety and financial concerns.
Despite having attended the festival in previous years as a participant and observer, he noted that stepping in as a vendor for the first time came with significant pressure.
“At the beginning, I was very stressed and scared. Our major worry was whether we would sell enough to recover our investment. There was even the fear that we might have to look for alternative ways to replace the money spent,” he admitted.
Golden Crust, known for its range of donuts, pastries, and other baked goods, quickly turned those fears into success as customer turnout surged.
According to the CEO, sales exceeded expectations almost immediately, driven largely by high demand for their glazed donuts and milk-based offerings.
“The response was overwhelming. We sold a lot of donuts on the first day. By the second day, we had sold out most of our products and were still trying to meet demand. Customers kept coming back asking for more,” he said.
The strong patronage not only ensured full recovery of investment but also delivered great sales performance, affirming the festival’s value as a viable platform for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Beyond sales, Al-Aruudy praised the organisation of the event, describing it as seamless and consistent with the high standards set in previous editions. He commended both the organisers and attendees for creating a conducive business environment.
“The event was very well-organised and coordinated, just like in previous years,” he said. “Overall, the experience was perfect — from the quality of customers to the professionalism of the workers.”
Expressing gratitude for the opportunity to participate, the Golden Crust CEO said the brand is eager to return in future editions, noting that the exposure and commercial gains have reinforced confidence in the festival as a strategic growth platform.
“We are very grateful for the opportunity and hopeful to be selected again,” he added.
