Today we’d like to introduce you to Taisiya Oliphant.
Taisiya, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In January of 2017, our son Alexander was about to turn three years old. We wanted to make him a birthday cake that would taste like chocolate heaven but would not put him into a sugar coma. That is how Gentle Treats Bakery started, with its goal to create sugar-free and gluten-free desserts that would taste like the “real thing”, but without the negative consequences to the body. This is one way we take care of our family and friends by encouraging healthy eating habits. Since then, we added a new member, Alina Kushnarova, an amazing baker and an artist who helps create our treats!
Has it been a smooth road?
It was important to have patience because starting a bakery doesn’t mean people will just show up and buy everything you make. We started with selling at the Energy Corridor Farmer’s Market, but then it got flooded during Hurricane Harvey. Now it’s just customer orders, no regular Farmer’s markets. We also had a couple of customers never show up for their special orders, so we started collecting payments upfront to leverage the risk. We are still navigating through advertising and figuring out what works best.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We make delicious sugar-free and gluten-free cupcakes, cakes, and nuts to order from home. We operate under the Texas Cottage Food Law. We mainly focus on making special occasion treats. Our main advertising is word of mouth because our treats are truly delicious. We give people a chance to have their cake and eat it, too, when they are on a no-sugar diet. Everything is made fresh to order.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Yes, Houston is perfect because the keto community is strong here, and keto customers are our main audience. The city is huge, and there are still many uncovered areas that could use a keto bakery or a restaurant!
Pricing:
- Cupcakes: starting at $30 per dozen
- Cakes: starting at $25 for a 6″ chocolate cake
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gentletreatsbakery.com
- Email: gentletreats@gmail.com
- Instagram: @gentletreatsbakery
- Facebook: @gentletreatsbakery
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