Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Dennis.
Jamie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My story started six years ago and almost 800 miles from ATL. Living in my home state of NJ, I switched to a vegan lifestyle and was having a great time swapping all my savory recipes, as I have always found cooking easy.
Baking was a different story. I had never been very good at baking, so “veganizing” sweets was a struggle. I had always been a cookie lover, so I started there. After so many failed attempts (and one young family member declaring “these cookies aren’t good”) I decided to spend time studying recipes and the science of baking, and eventually I had a delicious creation. I brought them everywhere – parties, family dinners, work luncheons- and had great feedback with all the new flavors I started testing. Many began jokingly saying that I should sell them, but I waved them off.
In spring 2017, my husband’s job landed us in Atlanta. I transferred stores with my retail management position, but never fully found my footing here, both in my career and personally. I decided I needed to get involved locally, and looked into the vegan food and animal rights scene. I donated cookies to 2 local vegan-based events, met a few new people, and started to feel at home in my new city. After a workplace injury late that summer, my husband and I decided that I needed to get out of retail and actually start “selling those cookies”. I found a local event happening that fall (The Atlanta International Night Market) and jumped in headfirst. I spent months getting my business started from the ground up. I had a fabulous time, and amazing feedback, at that first event. I kept growing the business with the help of my husband, slowly but surely, while holding down two part-time jobs. I started working two farmers markets, offered delivery, launched online ordering with nationwide shipping, and began wholesaling. Finally, in the beginning of March this year, I took on my business full-time, and this past spring hired my first employee!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I have had my fair share of both. I am beyond grateful that my product has been so well-received, that for most people, one bite in and they’re hooked. It has allowed me many opportunities, such as great wholesale partners that let me bring my treats to the masses (big thanks to Freezecream, Plant-Based Pizzeria, and Yōm). The biggest struggle for me has been learning how to run a business…while running a business! You often hear about people who worked on a product or plan “for years” before launching. I needed to figure out all the steps to starting a food business (which is anything but easy), in a few short months. It’s a constant battle of determining how to grow while also running all the day-to-day such as finances, customer service, events, supplies, emails, phone calls, social media, and most importantly- making the cookies! Don’t get me wrong- I love challenges, and this keeps me on my toes.
Please tell us about Jamie’s Cookie Dough.
We are a locally based online company that specializes in all things cookies while being 100% vegan. Our product line is ever-expanding (recently added amazing fudge brownies to the line up) but our best-known products are our edible cookie dough and our cookie creme pies. The edible cookie dough is safe to eat raw – no eggs of course, and we heat treat the flour- but it can also be baked up into yummy cookies. Our stand out item has been our variety of cookie creme pies: 2 soft and chewy cookies sandwiched around fluffy vegan frosting. They are available in an endless combo of flavors, but the Oatmeal Creme Pie has its own cult following. Best of all, this flavor is made without gluten or soy.
We love being a vegan dessert company that surprises vegans (“Everything is vegan?!?”) and non-vegans (These are vegan?!?”) alike. It always makes my day when someone gets a cookie, tells me how good it is, and THEN notices the word “vegan” on my sign. We want to show the whole world that eating vegan is easy AND delicious.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I definitely would have taken a few business and baking courses, but I can still (and will) do that!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jamiescookiedough.com
- Phone: 678-926-8742
- Email: jamiescookiedough@gmail.com
- Instagram: @jamiescookiedough
- Facebook: @jamiescookiedough
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