bake - May 2012 - 9

news bites

will feature videos, trend reports and articles from industry guest bloggers. From decorating inspiration to ﬂavor trends and display ideas, Stirring Up Success covers all angles of the baking industry in a fresh voice and simple-to-read format. “I think people are going to really enjoy what the site has to offer,” Loveland says. “This is not your typical industry blog. At the end of the day we are all in the business of selling delicious treats that make people happy. We plan on having a lot of fun with it.”

Detroit Bakery Wins Cupcake Wars
Taste Love Cupcakes, a cupcakery located in downtown Royal Oak, MI, that just celebrated its one-year anniversary, has been named the winner of the April 22 episode of Food Network’s nationally acclaimed show, Cupcake Wars. Long-time close friends, Michelle Brown and Yolanda Baston, the visionaries and owners of Taste Love Cupcakes, applied for Cupcake Wars in early September 2011 and shortly thereafter were chosen as one of the four ﬁnalists to be featured on the show. “It is very exciting as new business owners to win such a nationally recognized contest,” Brown says. “We’re proud to represent the state of Michigan and the Metro Detroit area with our cupcakes.” Brown and Baston opened Taste Love Cupcakes on April 16, 2011, and funded it using their own personal savings. No outside grants, investors or loans were utilized. The business, which now retains four employees and prides itself in using local and organic ingredients whenever possible, sells its entire inventory of cupcakes every day. Nothing is frozen or pre-packaged.

Dawn Unveils Blog for Bakers
Dawn Food Products is pleased to announce the introduction of a new blog, www.StirringUpSuccess. com, which gives professional bakers access to up-to-date information on trends, products and proﬁles within the baking industry. This engaging and interactive site provides creative ideas and business-building solutions essential to small-business owners. The concept for the blog was developed after a survey showed that while 50% of retail bakers turned to the Internet and blogs for information, there seemed to be a need for a blog that catered speciﬁcally to professional bakers. As an industry leader, Dawn knew that it had the ability to provide the information and resources professional bakers were seeking. “We are always looking for new ways to speak to our customers and share information with them,” says Becky Loveland, director of marketing for Dawn Foods Bakery Distribution. “Getting our voice out into the social media sphere not only gives us the opportunity to share everything in real time, it allows us to hear what our customers have to say back and learn how to better serve them. We are excited to create a community where these conversations can take place.” Stirring Up Success is dedicated to sharing insights and information to help bakeries grow their business. In addition to sharing consumer research, ideas and insights, the blog

Galaxy’s Croissants Named Finalist
Galaxy Desserts Ready-to-Bake Mini Butter Croissants has been named a ﬁnalist for Outstanding Baked Goods in the 2012 soﬁ Awards from the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc. “We’re thrilled to have won this soﬁ Award. There are good reasons our amazing croissants have been featured everywhere from the pages of Williams-Sonoma to Oprah’s Favorite Things. We’re excited to once again partner with the NASFT to continue to gain fans around the country,” says Paul Levitan, CEO of Galaxy Desserts. The Ready-to-Bake Mini Croissants was one of 110 Silver Finalists selected by a national panel of specialty food experts. The judges evaluated 1,935 entries across 30 categories. Gold Winners will be announced by noted chef José Andrés at a redcarpet ceremony June 18, 2012, at the Summer Fancy Food Show in Washington, D.C.

Taste Love Cupcakes’ Brown and Baston

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bake - May 2012

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