Today we’d like to introduce you to Rosa LePelch.
Hi Rosa, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
Hello! My name is Rosa LePelch and I’m the owner of Rosa Bakes, an 100% plant-based home bakery located in Centreville, Virginia. Around 7 years ago, my mom got diagnosed with breast cancer and it was around that time that the two of us became vegan. Her friend told her about a book called “Crazy Sexy Diet” by Kris Carr and so my mom bought it and gave it to me to read. In the book, Kris talks about her rare form of cancer and how she has transformed her life by consuming plant-based foods. From there, my three older brothers and younger sister became vegan. My dad has yet to join us but hopefully he will someday 😉 After learning that vegan treats do exist, on occasion we would drive to Washington D.C. to satisfy our cravings. But because D.C. is a little bit too far for us, I decided to get in the kitchen and start experimenting. After all, I have always enjoyed baking thanks to my mom, my grandma, and my brother Alex! In 2018, my brothers and I created Rosa Bakes but as I was in school and working part-time, I never got serious about it. Last summer I graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S. in Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, concentration in Dietetics. At that time, I told myself that I needed to make some money so I actually started my business! From then, I’ve been providing mainly the Northern Virginia (NOVA) area with vegan 6-inch cakes, donuts, cupcakes, cookies, and brownies. In the future, I hope to have a storefront in NOVA!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Luckily, my brothers and I have a little bit of experience on how to run a business. My dad has also been in the food industry for 42 years and is a former employee at the 5 stars, 5 diamond property, The Inn At Little Washington. Rosa Bakes would not be functioning without the help of my brothers and, of course, my amazing supportive parents. I myself, have also worked in the food industry as a busser, food runner, and hostess at Trummer’s On Main in Clifton, VA. But let me tell you, working in food service and running a food business isn’t quite the same thing. At Virginia Tech, I took a 3-hour class once a week for 6 weeks (thanks to a relatively new commercial kitchen called Millstone Kitchen) where I learned pretty much everything, I needed to know about how to get my food business up and running. Though I had a pretty good foundation to get things running, I still struggled with a few things. The first would be consistency with my baked goods. Aside from taking a culinary course in high school, I never actually took a baking class. With tons of trial and error and research, I learned how to get things consistent. My second challenge would be lack of proper equipment and space. Let’s just say my parents miss their kitchen… but they’ll be getting it back as I will be working in a commercial kitchen in the near future!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Rosa Bakes is an 100% plant-based business specializing in vegan baked goods. We make custom 6-inch cakes, yeast-raised and fried donuts, cookies, cupcakes, and brownies. I’ve had several people tell me that my desserts aren’t extremely sweet and I made it that way for a reason! Therefore, I would say that is what sets me apart from others. At the start of my business, I was known for my vegan donuts but now I would say I’m known for my cakes and floral cupcakes. We also offer Holiday Dessert Boxes which are perfect for sharing with a friend or loved one. I’m most proud of my floral cupcakes because they took a long time to develop/create! Each cupcake is named after a flower and I was very mindful of choosing the flower that is paired with the cupcake. You can see the description of the cupcake by clicking on its name in the “cupcakes” section of my website. In my opinion, I have unique combinations and flavors. For example, “Rosa” (which means Rose in Spanish) is a vanilla cupcake with rosewater buttercream! In the future, I plan to offer more gluten-free products and Whole Foods Plant Based (WFPB) desserts.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I think life is all about taking risks. In fact, I would say I took a big risk as I started my business in the middle of a global pandemic! I think they are important as they build character, and teach us valuable life lessons. You’ll be surprised with what you can achieve. The problem is that we typically tell ourselves that we can’t do what we want to, and we come up with a ton of excuses as to why we can’t achieve what we want. To be frank, I used to tell myself and others when I was younger, that I can’t do what I truly want to because I’m either not talented enough, or I don’t have the money to do it. Set your mind on a goal, write it down, look at it every day and night, and let the universe figure out the details. Be patient with the process and uncertainty! Deepak Chopra taught me that I should remain open to an infinity of choices and that has truly allowed me to appreciate and feel grateful for what is around me. I’ve definitely messed up many times. It’s literally part of life. But if you take a risk and fail, so what! You learned something and it will only make you a stronger person. I took a risk by not only starting my business in a pandemic, but also by not becoming a Registered Dietitian, which is what I originally had planned and went to school for. Things may not always work out in our favor, but I think there’s a reason for it. You just have to change your mindset a be open to an infinity of choices 🙂
Pricing:
- Donuts: $14-36
- Cupcakes: $10-56
- Cookies: $16-24
- Cakes: $50+
- Brownies: $18+
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@rosabakes.com
- Website: www.rosabakes.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosabakes
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosabakes
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosabakes
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rosa-bakes-centreville?osq=rosa+bakes
- Other: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM887FTT6/
Image Credits
Right Visual
