When Wonderland Bakery opens its second full-service location this autumn, the new store will serve as the piece de resistance in five years of explosive growth for the business. Mother-and-daughter team Sondra and Allyson Ames opened the Newport Beach, Calif., bakery in 2005 and quickly carved out a niche for themselves, winning over children and adults alike with the bakerys fairy tale—inspired design and desserts. The pair work “apron to apron,” as Allyson puts it, with Sondra drawing on her business and marketing expertise to build the Wonderland brand while Allyson uses her baking training to produce the bakery’s signature treats. “We wanted to create a very unique experience that didn’t exist in the retail area,” Sondra explains. “You can buy a cupcake or cookie anywhere, but you come to Wonderland for the experience? This emergence is at the heart of the Wonderland brand. “ln my imagination, the concept of Wonderland was that it would be an enchantingly delicious and whimsically fun place to visit,” Allyson says. The bakery’s theme is incorpo- rated into its baked products, with elaborate cupcakes and cookies that feature everything from butterflies and baby animals to pirates and princesses. The bakery also sells a line of carefully selected merchandise, ranging from Won- derland-themed aprons to branded mixes. The Ameses are currently working on licensing the line internationally. Sondra keeps on top of online marketing with active Face- book and MySpace pages, as well as a Twitter account that boasts more than 1,000 followers. “lt’s incredibly important to have an online presence,” Sondra says. “Eve1ything is so immediate now that you have to be connected to social media. l believe it’s actually more important than an ad or traditional marketing.” The Wonderland brand also receives a boost from its celeb- rity fans. When Whoopi Goldberg made a ringing endorsement of the bakery’s gingerbread cookies on The View, the bakery’s website was flooded with orders. After soon-to-be President Obama sampled one of the gingerbread treats, he ordered 6,000 Wonderland sugar cookies for his inauguration. Wonderland maintains its high profile by creating signature cookies for special events, most recently crafting a range of treats for the MLB All—Star Game post—game party. But what might push the Wonderland brand into national name recognition is an in—develop1nent TV show. Their production company is currently fielding offers from networks for a show that goes behind the scenes at Wonderland. “Things have really come together,” Sondra says. “The bakery’s growth, its loyal fan base, the opportunities that have come our way—it’s a great inspirational story.”
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