Nearly 20 years ago, Alshika Latham left her home in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) for Taiwan, drawn by a prestigious higher education scholarship. What started as a temporary academic opportunity would gradually unfold into a lifelong new chapter, blending education, teaching, and a thriving baking business that has captured the hearts of customers across the island and beyond.
Latham’s passion for food emerged long before she ever set foot in Taiwan. Growing up between the SVG communities of New Grounds and North Union, she was raised in a family deeply connected to home cooking. Her mother, Yvette Spencer, a retired principal and former food and nutrition educator, nurtured Latham’s interest from early childhood. By the time she was seven years old, Latham could already prepare breakfast and simple family meals, learning by working alongside her elders in the kitchen.
When Latham first arrived in Taiwan in 2007, she dedicated her first year to mastering Mandarin at National Taiwan Normal University, before going on to earn a bachelor’s degree in travel and tourism from Ming Chuan University, and later a Master of Business Administration in service management from Yuan Ze University. It was during her studies that baking began to take on a new meaning for her: like many expats, she craved the sweet desserts she grew up with back home, so she began baking Caribbean-style treats for herself and fellow Caribbean students.
As word of her baking spread, more people asked to place orders. Curious to see if her recipes would resonate outside the Caribbean community, Latham shared a homemade cheesecake with her Taiwanese classmates during her master’s studies. Their enthusiastic response gave her the first push to consider turning her hobby into a formal business. Still, she hesitated for months, only spurred into action after the sudden passing of a close friend who had repeatedly encouraged her to pursue her dream. That loss became her catalyst: she created a Facebook page for her brand, Shika’s Treats, in September 2016, and made the official decision to launch on her birthday that October, telling herself, “Just do it.”
Weeks later, Latham received her invitation to her first local Christmas market. Faced with the challenge of baking 300 cupcakes with only a tiny household oven that could fit just 12 cupcakes per batch, she pulled off endless hours of baking, arriving at the venue hours after opening. But even before she could spread a tablecloth over her stall, customers had already lined up to buy. By the end of her first hour at the market, she had sold nearly 250 cupcakes. That overwhelming early success was the turning point she needed, giving her the confidence to grow Shika’s Treats into a permanent business.
Nearly a decade later, Shika’s Treats has evolved far beyond its original cupcake roots. Latham now serves a diverse, multicultural customer base, with a menu that ranges from custom celebration cakes and banana bread to traditional Caribbean specialties like black cake. Refusing to limit her craft, she regularly takes on requests for dishes and desserts from other cultures, turning every order into an opportunity to learn new techniques, research new flavour profiles, and connect with more communities. Beyond baked goods, she also accepts small catering orders and regular meal requests for long-term clients, choosing to grow the business slowly to preserve the high quality and personal, customer-focused service that has become her brand’s signature.
Along her journey, Latham has received widespread support from local communities, crediting Taiwan’s South African expat community with much of her early momentum, after many members became loyal repeat customers following her early market appearances. For Latham, the most rewarding part of running her business has never been just the sales—it is the deep connections she has built with customers along the way. Though she describes herself as an introvert, she says interacting with and serving people at events brings her immense joy. She also remains open to customer feedback, framing criticism as an opportunity to refine her craft rather than a setback.
Sourcing traditional Caribbean ingredients in Taiwan presented early challenges, as many common items were not readily available locally. In recent years, however, the growth of online shopping and speciality international food suppliers has made this process far easier. Latham’s improved Mandarin proficiency has also been a key asset, helping her build trusting relationships with local suppliers and source all the materials she needs to create her treats.
Latham’s journey building a life in Taiwan has not been without its difficulties. After completing her bachelor’s degree, she originally planned to return to SVG, but new opportunities, including the master’s program, convinced her to stay to pursue more goals. Adapting to cultural differences took time, and during her master’s studies, while living in an isolated area, she struggled with long-term depression and feelings of being an outsider. Rather than letting these challenges define her, however, they helped her grow into a more open, understanding person. She learned to embrace cultural differences, shifting her perspective to recognize that different customs did not equal wrong customs—just different ways of life.
Today, Latham remains in Taiwan, drawn by the peaceful, convenient lifestyle and the meaningful relationships she has built over nearly 20 years. She now balances her thriving baking business with a career in education, and advises international students considering studying abroad to approach their experience with an open mind: if you are not willing to learn about local people and cultures, she says, you will only see every difference as a negative.
Looking back on her journey, Latham reflects on her path with deep gratitude. What began as a single scholarship opportunity has grown into a full life shaped by education, lasting friendships, a rewarding teaching career, and a business that continues to evolve with each new request. Guided by her core values of humility, compassion, and faith, she says that what brings her the most contentment is the chance to serve others and bring joy to her customers: “If I can serve others or make them happy, that makes me content.”
This story was produced by Kemarlie Durrant, a third-year mass communication and journalism student at Ming Chuan University, as part of an internship collaboration with the Embassy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to Taiwan, a requirement for completion of Durrant’s bachelor’s degree.