CONTEST and Cupcake interview with Elisabeth Allwein of Cheryl & Co.

Today's interview is with Elisabeth Allwein of Cheryl & Co., where you can order mail order cupcakes. Click on the images below to be taken to the appropriate items.

And yes, as part of Contest Week (a little slow going but so it's turning into Contest Weeks), we've also got a giveaway at the end of this post for a $50 Cheryl&Co. gift certificate. You have until Tuesday, October 14th at 11:59 pm EST to enter! U.S. addresses only. You can get a maximum of TWO entries by following the instructions below.

How to Enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post with your email address telling us what you'd buy from Cheryl & Co. with the gift certificate.

AND/OR

2. Link to this post from your blog, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc. and send us an email at cupcakestakethecake@yahoo.com (subject line: Cheryl & Co.) with the link (we will not be sending confirmation emails.


Halloween Cupcakes


Halloween Cupcake Cookies

Name: Elisabeth Allwein
Title: Product Development Director
URL: http://www.cherylandco.com

Can you tell us a little about Cheryl & Co. and your position within the company?

Cheryl&Co is a food and gift company specializing in delicious baked goods in lovely, high-end packaging. The company was started 27 years ago by Cheryl Krueger and her brother Jim, using their Grandmother Elsie’s recipes. My job is the best ever—I get to develop all the cookie, brownie, muffin, and cupcakes recipes—and then I get to eat them!!

When and why did you decide to start selling cupcakes, and what kinds do you offer?

We have been selling cupcakes in our 10 retail stores for about a year and they have been very successful. In the stores we offer the chocolate and vanilla base, and for toppings the sky is the limit—ours stores carry many kinds of our buttercream frosting (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, lemon, peanut butter, even cinnamon) and lots of yummy toppings (Reeses cups, sprinkles, chocolate chips, M&Ms, candy buckeyes)—so if customers want to they can get a special combination made just to their taste. Cheryl felt like there was also a need for a cupcake that was delicious, pretty and could be successfully shipped to our catalog customers. We introduced cupcakes to our catalog this fall.

What has the reaction to your cupcakes been from customers? How popular are they compared to the other desserts you sell?

At our stores the customers love them and they are one of our most popular desserts—especially the chocolate cupcake with candy buckeyes on the top. They are selling well in the catalog since their introduction.

Please tell us more about your packaging and the shipping process. What kind of testing did you have to do regarding the packaging? What areas do you ship cupcakes to and what’s the timeline for delivery?

The cupcakes are carefully packed in a decorative silver box that is quite sturdy. Inside the box is a little tray that holds the cupcakes in place during shipment so the icing isn’t smashed. We test shipped many dozens of cupcakes in various packaging—and at first they arrived unrecognizable as cupcakes! Our shipping crew finally figured out the best way to do it—dry ice and an insulated bag, along with next day or 2 day air. Success!! We ship all over the country 1-2 day air.

Do most customers tend to buy just cupcakes or do they buy cupcakes and other products? Is there anything else you’d suggest pairing them with?

At the stores, the customers buy cookies to give as gifts and the cupcakes they usually keep for themselves! We suggest a big glass of cold milk as an accompaniment.


Birthday cupcake cookies

You also offer cupcake-shaped cookies, which are very cute. How did those come about?

These shortbread cookies were developed with a local designer. The gift is quite popular with our customers.

Can you tell us more about the cupcakes you’re offering in partnership with 1-800-FLOWERS?

Moist tasty cake, yummy creamy icing—I think those are the most important things to know! They taste great, they arrive beautifully and the packaging is very pretty—we are quite excited about this offering.


Signature Cupcake Assortment

Currently you offer vanilla and chocolate cake and frosting; do you have plans to expand to other flavors?

Yes, we will expand our offerings as we receive customer feedback. I think red velvet would be a good choice.

Why do you think cupcakes have become so popular in recent years?

Cupcakes are the perfect dessert—portable, snacky and fun. Best part, you don’t have to share!


Grand Finale Frosted Snowflake Cupcakes (available November 4th)