From the River Market to a retail store: Sweet Street opens on Glasgow St

Danielle Mallett opens new Sweet Street Gluten Free Bakery in Whanganui, featuring a selection of dietary restriction friendly goods. Photo / Supplied

After five successful years the Whanganui River Markets, Sweet Treats Gluten Free Bakery has opened its own store.

The bakery is owned and operated by Danielle Mallett and offers gluten- and dairy-free options.

“I know how it feels to sit there and not be able to eat the cake while everybody else enjoys it,” she said.

Mallett has been around gluten-free diets her whole life as both her mother and grandmother have celiac disease.

Mallett has had a gluten- and dairy-free diet since she was 20, after several years struggling with her gut and overall health in her late teens.

She realised how difficult it was to find food she could eat, prompting her to start making her own.

“I have always been into baking,” said Mallet.

She grew up baking with her grandmother and her dad is a chef.

A passion for food and creativity runs in her family, she said.

She began making gluten-free vegan doughnuts in 2020 and decided to take them to the Whanganui River Market, where “they took off”.

She then began looking for retail spaces and finally moved into the location on Glasgow St in January.

She built the space up with the help of her husband Chris Mallett.

He is a logging driver and works 60- to 70-hour weeks, and helps with her businesses every weekend.

“[I] couldn’t ask for a better [more supportive] husband,” Danielle Mallet said.

Chris Mallett was present on opening day, helping bake that morning and serving guests from behind the counter.

The shop opened for the first time at 9.30am on Saturday and was sold out by noon.

“It was great. Bit of a whirlwind. It kinda feels like it was a bit of a dream,” Mallet.

Sweet Street is now open Thursdays and Fridays from 8am to 2pm, and on Saturdays from 9.30am to 2pm.

They also offer cakes and other baked goods to order from their website.

“I just want everybody … whether they’re celiac or they’re lactose-intolerant, to be able to still enjoy coming out and getting treats,” Mallett said.