We love getting to know the people behind the businesses in this amazing city – we caught up with Lucy Carrett and the team at Cheesequake to find out more about what they have to offer:
1. Hi Lucy, so what prompted the start of the business? Lockdown allowed my partner and I to get creative in the kitchen. I’ve always been a keen cheesecake maker but never considered turning a hobby into a business until we suddenly found ourselves with a lot of time on our hands! What started as a quick logo design back in March soon snowballed (after many recipe trials and taste tests!) into launching the company in July. What really prompted the start of Cheesequake was our inability to ever agree on a dessert flavour to share – we found all cakes, cheesecakes and puddings came in a standard size with a minimal choice of flavours. We wanted to create a dessert solution that wasn’t limited to just one flavour.
2. What does Cheesequake offer its customers?
We currently offer next day dessert delivery in Hemel Hempstead and the surrounding areas but also deliver further afield for a small fee. Our “Baby Quakes” come in selection boxes of 6, 12 or 24 and our “Girth Quakes” are sold individually. We have both vegan and gluten free options and aim to cater for all tastes and dietary requirements. All cheesecakes are handmade to order and each recipe is a Cheesequake original!
3. What kind of customers do you work with? Are there any types of businesses you collaborate well with? We cater for all kinds of customers – whether it’s people just ordering a 6 box for themselves and a loved one as an evening treat or a wedding reception of 60 people, no order is too small or big for us. Obviously lockdown restrictions have put a hold on our larger orders but we hope to continue catering bigger events in the future! Our customer age range is typically between 25 to 50 but we have had customers as young as 4 enjoying our delicious products!
4. What’s the toughest part of running your business?
There’s not enough time in the day! I would love to make cheesecakes all day everyday (and the volume of orders we are currently receiving means we usually are!) but juggling being in the kitchen with all the background work involved in a start up business means time is very stretched.
5. What piece of advice could you give to another business owners?
Structure your days well and ensure you are touching on every aspect of starting a business – the products, marketing, finance, legal, customer service… each part is as important as the other!
Yum!
