Have you been to Edinburgh recently and seen a sign in a familiar language? If so, that was Hobz, a bakery run by Matthew Mallia, a Maltese national living in Scotland.

Hobz is a bakery specialising in naturally fermented bread “mostly made using UK grown grains, where possible organic, Scottish and freshly milled in house.” The bakery also offers mouthwatering pastries such as croissants, pumpkin pies, cookies and many others.

In an interview with The Scotsman, Mr Mallia shared that his love for baking began when he used to bake with his mother. However, he gave up on this passion in order to make room for his studies. In fact, it was academia that led him to Edinburgh, in order to read for a PhD. He had already moved to the UK to study for a Masters in British Imperial History in Oxford.

He explained that he opened the business in January 2021 by taking orders from locals, before eventually opening his own shop last year.

In a heartfelt post on Facebook, Mr Mallia said that one year after opening its doors at Leith Walk, most days are still "at least somewhat chaotic."

“And I really don’t know what I’m doing. In this industry, a year feels like a major victory. It’s been incredibly challenging, but we’re still around,” he added.

Lastly, he remarked that he is looking forward for the years to come, hinting “big plans” for the future.