Juniors Daniela Rosales and Brianna Ruiz are doing something sweet during the coronavirus pandemic.
The pair have created their own online confectionary business, Sweet Treats DB.
Since July, the young entrepreneurs say they have managed to bake, package and deliver their goods to more than five customers a week consisting of friends and family. On average, the business generates over $400 a month in revenue with expenses kept down to $160 a month.
Since opening in May, the pair has worked to stay true to their mission of bringing affordable treats to the Fullerton community. One of Sweet Treat DB’s specialties is cupcakes, priced at $1.50, significantly lower compared with confectionary chains such as Hapa Cupcakes & Cakes, which charges $4 for one cupcake.
“For the first two months or so, we would feel bad about our pricing so we would charge for things too cheap,” Ruiz said. “Now we sell at more reasonable prices but still make it more affordable than some stores that sell the same things we do.”
Despite their current success, Rosales and Ruiz say they initially struggled to find balance as students and young business owners when the 2020-2021 school year started.
“The worst part was managing our time with our school and our business,” Ruiz said. “After some time we got the hang of it, and it became a lot simpler.”
Overcoming these challenges have brought the pair even closer together and have made them determined to persist in their baking endeavors. Rosales and Ruiz say they plan to continue their online shop as long as they can and hope that it can last until their senior year.
Many customers are drawn in by Sweet Treats DB’s Instagram posts, which feature colorful arrays of homemade cake pops ($1.50 each), custom cakes with lightly frosted lettering ($40-$60 each) and chamoy-covered apples adorned with vibrant red chili limón powder ($3 each).
“Brianna told me for a while she was going to start her own business, and I saw that they were selling on their Instagram business page so I ordered six green cake pops, which were really good,” junior Jameel Sidiqui said. “Their business is really productive; as friends, they’re having fun, but they’re also making money.”
Rosales and Ruiz aim to support their customers by keeping treats fresh and accessible to all who want a bite.
“Our treats and desserts are affordable, and we keep it like that to take more customers in our community,” Ruiz said.
Sweet Treats DB takes orders through its Instagram page @sweettreatsdb and delivers throughout Fullerton. Confectionaries can be accommodated for special events like birthdays, weddings and more.
This story originally appeared in the Oct. 30 print issue, which can be read here.
