There are plenty of bakeries throughout the country. But how many of them have provided sweets to major celebrities like Rihanna and Kevin ...
There are plenty of bakeries throughout the country. But how many of them have provided sweets to major celebrities like Rihanna and Kevin Durant? NYC’s Caked Up Cafe may have humble beginnings, but they’ve since grown into a favorite among the city’s elite. Read more about the company’s journey in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.
What the Business Does
Offers a variety of baked goods.
Business partner and investor in Caked Up Cafe Mohammed Yusuf told Small Business Trends, “We sell cupcakes, customized cakes, cookies, crumb cakes, parfaits, cupcake shakes, macaroons, and other delicious treats.”
Business Niche
Offering uncompromised quality.
Yusuf says, “We don’t believe in compromises. So, why should you? We’ve focused on creating the best tasting treats using nothing but all natural ingredients. Whether it’s a cupcake, wedding cake, or parfait, we see each creation as more than just a mouth-watering treat for your taste buds; we see it as a work of art.”
How the Business Got Started
As a personal hobby.
Yusuf explains, “It started in [owner] Denise [Byrnes]’s kitchen baking treats for family and friends. She needed to find a full-time job so she ventured into the cake business full time and the rest is history.”
Biggest Win
Sharing treats with some big names.
Yusuf says, “There have been several wins, however our biggest is the list of celebrities we have done treats for. (Scott Disick, Alex Rodriguez, Rihanna, Serge Ibaka, Kevin Durant, LaLa Anthony – just to name a few.) This came about through a relationship at the 1 Oak Club in NYC, where we provided samples and the celebrities loves our cakes. This is probably one of our proudest moments. It brought us great joy to share our treats with such big names.”
Biggest Risk
Expanding.
Yusuf adds, “Outside of acutely starting the business, expansion into NYC was probably our biggest risk. We didn’t know if NYC would take to our creativity, however it has been a total success and we continue to thrive there.”
Lesson Learned
Jump in.
Yusuf says, “It was a risk well worth it and if there was an opportunity to do it again, we definitely would have started a lot sooner.”
How They’d Spend an Extra $100,000
Growing online and in new locations.
Yusuf explains, “We would look to expand our business in the tristate area, potentially opening another store and expanding our online business for the cupcakes in a jar. The funds would help us grow our online business tremendously. We are looking to expand from an e-commerce perspective.”
Team Tradition
Taste testing.
Yusuf says, “Our team serves as the quality testers for all our products so when we close, we spend time creating these wild ideas and taste testing them. We love to indulge when the lights go down, making sure not to eat away all our creativity.”
Company Mascot
The owner’s dog.
Yusuf says, “Denise’s dog Baxter is our company mascot – we all love Baxter!”
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Images: Caked Up Cafe, Denise Byrnes
This article, "Spotlight: Caked Up Cafe Offers Uncompromised Quality Baked In" was first published on Small Business Trends
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