I remember baking cookies with my mom
Usually on weekends so she could supervise my ingredient mixing and eventual dealings with the oven. I have fond memories of storing fresh baked cookies in empty oats canisters and huge up-cycled mayonnaise containers (a family of 6 goes through a humorous amount of mayo, let me tell you). Sneaking into those containers to get cookies was one of the greatest thrills of life!
I remember my first entrepreneurial bout with cookie sales (well, second really- I am a former, highly decorated Girl Scout with cookie sales that soared into the thousands yearly, no joke, ask my parents-- they sold them). When I was a Junior in High School I earned the opportunity to study abroad in advance of college and briefly lived in China! (more about that some other time. ^_^) As you are probably aware, that sort of thing can be
E X P E N S I V E, so my mom did what she did best, make a way. We baked and sold cookies.
Not just any cookies. When I think about it, these cookies were BAK'D!
BAK'D with only the BEST locally sourced ingredients
Cookies available at AFFORDABLE prices
Crafted with KINDNESS and globally sustainable practices
Incredibly DELICIOUS homemade flavor and charm
They were a hit! In fact, we sold SO many orders, I was able to take quite a bit of spending money with me (if you know anything about the USD to RMB exchange rate...) I still have souvenirs from almost 20 years ago!
So now, here we are, well, (my parents are deservingly retired from the cookie biz and living their BEST lives, no more lifting heavy Girl Scout cookie boxes for my dad) here I am, making cookies that are BAK'D with YOU in mind!
When starting this brand it was super important to me that our cookies could be enjoyed by anyone, anywhere, anytime and that they were of better quality than something you'd find factory-manufactured on a grocery store shelf. There are no chemical preservatives, shelf stabilizers, or anything that would unnaturally extend the life of any of our products. I knew I wanted BAK'D products to be enjoyed by adults at the office, my own children at school on the playground, and anyone at home needing a snack break without all the excess sugar.
Supporting the health goals of those I love has been a driving force in the research, development, and production of cookie options that are low sugar , gluten free, and plant based. My parents, youngest brother, and some close friends manage life with diabetes. Providing options that are inclusive of their dietary needs is non-negotiable.
EVERYONE deserves equitable access to quality foods that does nourishing things for their bodies. Period.
Every single batch is uniquely crafted yet consistent and made with sustainable baking practices (trust me, my husband is vocal about the energy bill...)
I also knew I wanted to make a difference and pay forward many of the opportunities afforded me. The Cookies For All Cause (our ZERO WASTE initiative) and BAK'd Outdoors Fund is how we connect with communities and champion travel for girls and young women. At BAK'D, its not just cookies. We're changing the trajectories of lives, one cookie order at a time.
