bake - September 2019 - 17

tops the charts
BY JOHN UNREIN
For 25 years since the iconic Levain Bakery opened

York). Their newest location is set to open in October

its first retail shop in New York City, the bakery has

in NoHo, the company's first foray into downtown,

Levain Bakery

offered four cookies on the menu. But these are not

at Lafayette Street and Bleeker. The founders are

treats New York

just any cookies. Each one is 6 ounces of pure deli-

beyond excited.

City customers

ciousness - their signature chocolate chip walnut,

to freshly baked

along with classic oatmeal raisin, dark chocolate

Fueling expansion is a 2018 investment in Levain

cookies and other

peanut butter chip, and dark chocolate chocolate chip.

Bakery by Stripes Group, "enabling us to expand

sweets at its five

our vision at a faster pace," Weekes says. "We are so

retail stores.

Now with expansion plans forging ahead and a

excited about the amazing opportunities. They are an

bustling ecommerce business, Levain is poised to go

amazing group of people." McDonald calls it a "match

where it's never ventured before. Will there be a new

made in heaven."

cookie flavor on the horizon?
Stripes Group is a leading growth equity firm that
"It's a potential," says Rachel Porges, chief marketing

makes $10-150 million investments in internet, soft-

officer for Levain Bakery. "We've gone 20-plus years

ware, healthcare IT and branded consumer products

with four amazing cookies. Like anything else we do,

businesses, according to the company. The firm has

we will make sure it's the best darn cookie you've

followed the Levain story for more than three years,

ever tasted. There will definitely be some experi-

first as loyal customers ordering cookies on birthdays

ments, and we will see where it lands."

and special occasions.

Levain Bakery got its start in New York City, where

"They have a passionate interest in brands, and they

the bakery is best known for its decadent, 6-ounce

don't want to see us do anything that would damage

cookies. The bakery was founded in 1994 by

the Levain Bakery brand," Porges says.

friends Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald, who
began baking chocolate chip cookies to fuel their

The equity firm learned of Levain Bakery as customers,

triathlon training.

and now as partners. "As we got to know Pam and

PHOTOS BY MELISSA KIRSCHENHEITER

Connie, we were consistently impressed by the authen"We both knew we wanted to own a business. We

ticity of the brand and their dedication to product

wanted to do something that we enjoyed every day

excellence and customer service," Stripes reports on its

and have a business that is part of the community

website. "After bootstrapping the business for 24 years,

and makes people happy," Weekes says. "Both of us

the founders wanted a partner to help scale the busi-

love to bake."

ness and chose Stripes for our operational expertise in
brand-building and track record of supporting entrepre-

Over the years, the company has expanded to five

neurs with premium consumer products. We are thrilled

bakery locations across New York and a growing

to be working with the Levain team to help scale the

national ecommerce business. Levain Bakery has

business and get what we believe are the world's best

become a beloved "must-visit" New York institution, and

cookies to even more consumers across the country."

its cookies are commonly cited as the best in New York.
Why cookies are climbing
Levain Bakery operates five retail stores in New York,

A closer look at what's happening in the sweet bakery

including one in the Hamptons (in Wainscott, New

universe sheds light on why American consumers,
bakemag.com | SEP 2019 > 17

http://www.bakemag.com

bake - September 2019

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