Today we’d like to introduce you to Christal Gore.
Hi Christal, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Growing up, I spent a lot of time helping my mother in the kitchen. One of my favorite things to do was scour through her giant recipe book for cake and cookie recipes. My baking adventures didn’t begin then; unless you consider boxed cakes for bake sales. However, years later, I moved to China to pursue studies and missed my mother’s banana bread. I baked some of my own, shared with a few friends, and they insisted I had to sell it! One of my friends actually got me a customer 2 weeks later that I had to supply a few loaves every Sunday. This small business gradually grew from only selling banana bread, to also selling cakes and cupcakes, and from Shanghai, to other cities around China, for about 6 years.
After leaving China and moving to Maryland, I continued baking for my family. The love of baking doesn’t die that easily. Our diet changed to plant-based and vegan, so I adapted my baking accordingly. Due to the pandemic, I was homebound with my toddler. I was still baking and always trying new cookie recipes, so I thought, why not try my own business again?
My first event was a street market, and the response was exceptional! My idea was validated after selling ALL my cookies within 1 and a half hours! Following this event, I participated in a few other markets and sold out each time.
Currently, I sell my cookies through my website and do pop ups as an opportunity to meet new and past customers. I’m also preparing to be a regular at the Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street farmers market once the season begins. Really excited to serve my community!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Overall, it’s been a relatively smooth road. The main struggles I’ve experienced were based on a lack of community (since I was new to the city), fully understanding the cottage food laws, and navigating how to operate legally. One other struggle would be sourcing certain vegan ingredients. Still working on that…
It’s been a fun journey with tons of reading, researching, and picking the brains of the few people I’ve been honored to meet that had already been in my shoes.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
WOW Vegan Treats is a small-batch cottage food bakery in Maryland, with a focus on delicious vegan, soy-free cookies, with the option of gluten-free. We’re on a mission to spread joy one cookie at a time! Along the way, we hope to prove that vegan cookies can be equally, if not more delicious, moist and chewy than regular cookies.
We have a commitment to the community, and to the environment.
For us, spreading joy and serving the community go hand in hand. Through this small bakery, we hope to celebrate and show appreciation to members of our community, and contribute to projects and organizations whose goal is the growth and development of underserved members in the community.
For the environment, we try our best to exercise sustainable practices by reducing waste where we can, and only using recyclable and biodegradable packaging. All of our cookie envelopes, boxes, and even our labels are eco-friendly, and if you get the opportunity to check us out at a pop-up market, you will notice it in our setup. Just our small way to help fight this global warming crisis.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
No man is an island. I’ve been fortunate to meet a few incredible people during the 6 months I’ve been in operation. Daniel and members of the Lauraville-Hamilton Main Street have been an amazing source for information, market events and even connecting me with other businesses in the area to work along with. The team at Bramble Baking Co has been so open in providing advice and allowing me to use their space for pop-ups.
My husband has been a great supporter in many ways, along with my parents and siblings. Also, my friend Valeria, recently started a brand/community, so we keep each other motivated and grounded. It’s been an amazing experience.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.wowvegantreats.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wowvegantreats/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wowvegantreats/
