Yummzy offers a unique take on sweet treats by establishing itself as a ‘clean-deck’ dessert and cake baking operation that recently evolved to also produce the last word in ‘ingredient responsible’ choc hazelnut spread.
What began as a high-flying London eatery has subsequently metamorphized into a B2C operation that operates both within the M25 (and now nationally) producing small batch, artisanal offerings that adhere to a number of strict dietary principles (low carb/high protein, sugar-free, keto-friendly and vegan) without ever short-changing on taste.
The Thinking Behind The Brand
As someone who was diagnosed during childhood as a Type.1 diabetic, it’s fair to say that I have always been someone driven by a sense of injustice that people would be denied ‘sweet treat’ satisfaction due to their dietary or lifestyle needs. In the early days I was forever on the hunt for sublime, sugar-free treats but was constantly let-down by supposedly savvy choices that for all their positive noises were often awash with honey, fructose and dates, or maltitol or coconut sugar. Others that passed my strict sugar-free standards were often awash with cheap vegetable oils (palm) gluten-unfriendly fillers (yeast and wheat) that had unwelcome inflammatory side effects. Worst of all most that passed my strict ‘sugary scrutiny’ were bland.
How Did The Brand Build A Following?
Our time as a go-to London Café for in-the-know cake aficionados meant that we quickly built a passionate yet diverse following. We literally accommodated everyone from ‘wise owl’ nutritionists and health-conscious footballers, through to ardent gym fanatics, body builders and healthier living parents who simply wanted to reward their kids with the odd ingredient-friendly sweet treat.
The word started to spread followed by a very handy slither of press coverage including Men’s Health magazine
By now our portfolio was also starting to take shape including everything from donuts and gloriously gooey brownies to every conceivable shade of cupcake (matchanilla, pistacia & hazelnutty) to biscotti, all-singing cake slices, muffins and our notoriously nibbly teasecakes (that’s right cheesecake without the cheese!).
Hardest Problem To Resolve?
Like so many young, feeling-their-way brands the pandemic hit us like a sledgehammer. With commuter numbers drying up at an alarming rate, our sales started to dwindle at a time when London rental rents began spiralling. Like so many before us we took the decision to repivot into an avant-garde B2C online operator and slowly but surely we reassured our heartland following, grew our loyalist base and extended our reach. There is I’m afraid no substitute for buzzy retail space where the smell of coffee and cake envelops our cakey sub-conscious however there’s little question that a mushrooming online presence is helping to spread the word and extend our appeal.
Any Lucky Breaks?
It’s important to be even-handed when revisiting our roots and whilst the loss of a bricks and mortar eatery was a hard blow for a fledgling business, the emergence of our Yummtella spread has been a revelation.
Yummtella’s emergence was a complete quirk of fate when one of our café loyalists asked if we could assemble a jar of the spread we popped inside our handmade chocolates. The customer as we all know is usually right, so we agreed without knowing that news of this random request would spread creating a new headline hero for us. In late 2022 the Yummtella jar took on a new look, ditching its homemade jar of jam vibe for a stylish spread of substance that wouldn’t look out of place in a highbrow food hall or deli
Our dreamy choc hazelnut spread uses single-estate chocolate from Latin America, generous volumes of hazelnuts and natural sweeteners erythritol and stevia. We never ever resort to lazy bulkers, sweeteners, palm oil or ‘sugar by another name’ maltitol.
Next Steps
Whilst there’s plenty more stretch within our new B2C model we understand that we need to create a small number of retail hero brands that are as at home in a Selfridges, Fortnums or Partridges as they are in a well-to-do farm shop, a foodie-fanatical deli, a generously packed hamper or 3rd party online outlets!
Plans are also afoot to spread our wings yet further over the coming months to include best-in-class nut butters and a Mayan Hot Xoclate!
What Tips Would You Share With Others Looking To Start Their Own Entrepreneurial Adventure?
- Treat people as you’d like to be treated! you’ll be amazed just how inter-connected your sector is. Food & drink is certainly a business arena jam-packed with familiar faces.
- Go with your gut and don’t be afraid to stand out from the crowd because entrepreneurship is no place for beigeness. Stick tightly to 1st principles because cutting corners a quick win just isn’t worth it.
- Don’t look too harshly on setbacks because they’re offering a starting point for NEW success
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