(Photo courtesy of Keto Cakes)
LAYTON — Two Davis County neighbors are happily struggling to stay on top of the demand for their cupcakes designed for people on the Ketogenic diet, as well as those sensitive to sugar or gluten.
With flavors like ‘Churro’, ‘Red Velvet’, and ‘Mint Chocolate Chip,” Keto Cakes bakes low-carb, gluten-free cupcakes with the goal of making them taste better than the original.
Keto Cakes was started in February by Allie Adams and Jessie Pond after the two had been eating ‘Keto’ a few months. They realized that finding treats which fall within the ‘keto-approved’ parameters was quite the challenge.
“We just love Keto, but the one thing missing was treats,” says Adams.
After toying with some recipes and making cupcakes for themselves, the two realized they were onto something. Adams and Pond rented a commercial kitchen in Salt Lake City, and started baking. Keto Cakes started taking online orders, and directing customers to set locations between Ogden and Provo to pick up their orders. After business picked up, the company increased production from bi-weekly to once a week.
Their grassroots marketing strategy has lead to sold-out orders nearly every week they bake.
“From the very get-go, it’s been social media and word of mouth,” says Adams. “We haven’t done any sort of advertising except for Instagram and Facebook.”
In addition to being effective for weight loss, some health experts agree that a Ketogenic diet can be beneficial to diabetics and those with celiac’s disease. Adams has heard several stories from people with a range of conditions saying they’re so grateful to finally have a treat they can safely enjoy.
“A mom came up to us,” says Adams, “and said ‘I’m so glad I found you. My son has epilepsy and he’s been on Keto, which has really helped his condition.’ But he can’t ever have a treat at school.”
The demand for Keto Cakes continues to grow at a rate any business owner would be thrilled with. The company bakes between 3,500 – 4,500 cupcakes every week to fill orders, and they’re looking to expand baking days to two every week. They also hope to open a physical bakery location in Davis County at the end of 2018.