LIVONIA, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Just Baked, a Michigan based specialty cupcake shop and bakery, announced today it has received additional capital and resources from a local investment team, comprised of executives from the Garden Fresh Gourmet (GFG) management. Just Baked Founder Pam Turkin made the announcement.
The team, which includes Garden Fresh’s President Jack Aronson, CEO Annette Aronson, Vice Chairman Dave Zilko, Creative Director Mike Griffen and COO John Latella, have committed to help fund and provide the retail expertise for the national franchise expansion of Just Baked Cupcakes stores across the country, along with a wholesale retail program in approximate 10,000 grocery stores over the next two years. Financial terms of the deal were not released.
“We feel extremely lucky to receive this opportunity to grow and expand our business,” said Pam Turkin. “What attracted us to the GFG team beyond their investment capital was their vast knowledge, expertise and resources of the retail and wholesale industries. We could not have selected a better partner for this venture.”
Started by Pam and her husband, Todd, in 2009 with a single bakery in Livonia, Just Baked has grown to six stores throughout Southeast Michigan and with this deal, will have approximately 50 franchises by the end of 2012 and 200 nationwide by 2014, according to Todd Turkin.
The retail program will provide six of Just Baked’s top flavors in a two-pack for grocery stores. Those flavors include: Vanilla Stuffed, Chocolate Stuffed, Chocolate Dream, Red Velvet, Carrot and Cherry Chip. The two-packs will run $3.99 retail and will be in grocery stores throughout the Midwest beginning in May, 2011 and nationwide by the end of the year.
“We wanted to provide the Turkins and Just Baked with the additional capital, resources and retail expertise they need to grow and succeed,” said Zilko. “We truly believe Just Baked is an incredible brand in an emerging market and will be a huge hit in area grocery stores and in other markets beyond Michigan. We look forward to offering the financial and intellectual resources to build Just Baked into a national household name.”
Just Baked cupcake shops offer over 30 different flavors of gourmet, jumbo cupcakes including: rocky road, s'mores, white chocolate raspberry and the famous “Fat Elvis” cupcake. In addition, they offer several traditional, buttercream mini cupcakes. All of their cupcakes are made fresh daily using the best ingredients.
About Just Baked
Just Baked, a specialty cupcake shop and bakery, has six locations in Southeastern Michigan to serve cupcake lovers. Since it’s opening of their first bakery in Livonia in January 2009, Company Founders Pam and Todd Turkin opened five additional locations: Ann Arbor, Novi, Royal Oak, Canton and Brighton locations. For more information, please visit, www.justbakedshop.com or call 248-255-1441.