The answer is Stand Pie Me, a Kuala Lumpur-based small business that offers a range of delicious, freshly baked pies made by a crew with special needs.
Its humble beginnings can be traced to a group of parents of autistic children at Full Gospel Assembly, a church in KL, who wanted to provide them with an intellectually stimulating exercise each week.
Pie baking, being a relatively simple process unlike making cakes, was chosen. Eventually coming out from under the auspices of the church’s ministry, it has grown into a social enterprise that offers great-tasting pies at very reasonable prices.
Fifty-two-year-old Sarjit Singh is the driving force behind this initiative, which was developed in 2020 right before the pandemic struck. He plays not only the role of a manager but also a “father” to his charges.
As he has a 21-year-old son who is dyslexic, Sarjit realised that early intervention is key in helping those with special needs adapt to the world around them.
It is this exact brand of love that helps him power through each day at Stand Pie Me, dealing with tantrums and other challenges that come with his crew.
Stand Pie Me currently fulfills online orders only, with no plans for a brick-and-mortar establishment despite Sarjit’s background in airline catering. “Many customers have asked us to open a café, but we lack the necessary manpower to deliver,” he said.
“As the saying goes: ‘A hungry man is an angry man’ – and our staff is not suited to work in such a high-pressure environment.”
As such, he is grateful that Stand Pie Me has an effective working model that helps young adults with autism and special needs be more independent while affirming their self-worth.
The shop has clear demarcations of areas that segregate the staff’s duties. The kitchen, which houses two large ovens that can bake up to 200 pies at any one time, is where all the slicing, dicing, and cooking of fillings are done.
According to Sarjit, it takes around two hours for an entire batch to be prepared, including the cooling-down period, before the pies are sent out for delivery.
There is also a special dough room that ensures the perfect mix each time. Moving on to the production line, a group of workers fill the pie pans accordingly and sort them based on the incoming orders.
Most people might find such repetitive work boring, but it is crucial for special-needs adults to keep themselves occupied and constantly challenge themselves on a daily basis.
The shoplot’s upper floor houses three rooms, a bathroom, and a toilet, along with a kitchenette where light meals can be cooked. Apart from Sarjit’s office, there is a room where anyone can rest if they are tired or unwell, while the third room has been converted into a training room.
Brightly coloured furniture dot the staff lounge upstairs, letting them have a quiet space to relax when things get too hectic.
The oldest among Sarjit’s 10-person crew is aged 50, the youngest 21. They have formed a camaraderie over the years, with eight of them having been with Stand Pie Me since it started.
Such stability is crucial in ensuring positive maturity in their interactions with friends and family. The families of the team are also thankful that their children have a place to grow and learn, while parents are freed up to work without worry.
Stand Pie Me strictly purchases halal ingredients to ensure everyone is able to enjoy their delicious pies. Their present range consists of creamy chicken mushroom, chicken curry, beef rendang, and beef goulash fillings.
But pies are not the only offerings: vegetable and chicken quiches, alongside apple crumble that melts in your mouth, are also available.
So, with this number of items on the menu, how do the staff differentiate the pies and their respective fillings? Through an ingenious method of symbols and colours, where those who are unable to recognise the symbol can rely on the colour, and vice-versa.
Every morning, the team attends a “brain gym” session that involves simple deep-breathing exercises to kick off the workday. Once a week, to improve their motor skills, they spend mornings at a nearby field to enjoy some sports before work commences.
“We hope to prepare them for the more practical matters in life years down the road, beginning with their independence so that they are weaned from their parents’ protection and care,” Sarjit explained.
“Once their parents have passed on, they are left to fend for themselves without the precious care and guidance they have known all these years.
“As such, we proactively encourage them to make decisions for themselves, including choosing their own lunches and figuring out the public transport to get to work and back.”
Stand Pie Me welcomes volunteers to help out with their daily operations. The crucial period is from 10am to 1pm, when most of the orders come in, and you can volunteer on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays.
The enterprise is closed on weekends to allow the team to spend precious quality time with their families.
Get your pie fix by ordering here. For group purchases, contact their pie coordinator at 016-2802227 or get in touch with Sarjit himself at 011-5628 3812.
For more information, check out Stand Pie Me on Facebook.
Stand Pie Me
14384, Jalan TK 1/13,
Taman Kinrara,
47180 Puchong, Selangor
Business hours: 8.30am-4.30pm (Mondays to Fridays)
Edwin Kee dreamt of being a pro-gamer only to have circumstances mould him into a programmer in a past life. He has since moved on to write about consumer electronics and other topics.