Desserts are big business and today, more than ever, consumers are seeking restaurants that specialize in them.
There are concepts selling cookies, cupcakes, pies and frozen desserts and they’re trending. According to Chicago-based market researcher Datassential, dessert concepts grew their total sales by 12.3% in 2021, and some of them, like Crumbl Cookies and Salt and Straw, were among the most rapidly growing of all restaurant segments. Indeed, in 2022, Crumbl Cookies alone opened 365 locations.
Desserts became really popular during the pandemic, says Huy Do, research and insights manager, Datassential. “They are a mood booster and indulgent but also affordable and easy to find,” he says. They’re also popular because they look so good, he adds, enticing customers, especially younger ones, with social media photo ops.
London-based Floozie Cookies will open its first store in the U.S. this year. Images courtesy of Floozie Cookies
However, Do warns, if we enter into a recession, dessert concepts are likely to start hurting. “They face a lot of competition from retail shelves [and] dessert can also be an easy thing for consumers to skip.” Until then, here’s a peak a one growing dessert concept: Floozie Cookies.
Floozie Cookies is expected to open its first store in the U.S. this year in Southern California and already has its sights set on growing to 100 stores in North America within five years. The concept has proven itself in London, where it debuted in late 2020, and in pop-ups in Dubai. It will aggressively pursue franchising stateside working with Oakscale, a franchise development company, and TGP international, a hospitality branding and development company based in London. Floozie has also confirmed deals in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Canadian growth will happen concurrently with U.S. development, per the brand.
Floozie Cookies was created by Canadian-born pastry chef Kimberly LinCreated by Canadian-born pastry chef Kimberly Lin, Floozie offers seven varieties of vegan “stuffed” cookies as well as LTOs and other sweet treats. Each cookie has unique filling. The Cinnamon Crunch cookie features speculous cream filling, for example, while the Blackforest cookie offers a sour cherry compote filling.
Ryan Durishin, vice president of development, is leading Oakscale’s efforts to develop Floozie Cookies stateside. California is the focus market, he says, and he expects to build a base there as well as other major markets such as New York and Illinois. The concept fits in both urban and suburban locations — the latter mostly upscale lifestyle shopping centers. Oakscale is looking for proven multi-unit franchisees. The concept is so easy to operate that franchisees don’t need restaurant experience, Durishin says. However, the brand is still working out the details of its distribution plans; franchisees will either receive baked product directly or receive cookie dough to bake fresh in-house.
What’s important in franchisees are good leadership skills, the ability of Floozie to fit into a franchisee’s current portfolio of brands (which must be noncompeting), and companies or individuals who have the ability to scale and have an infrastructure in place.
Oakscale will consider single-unit operators, too. “We’re looking for people who are passionate,” Durishin says. “They just need finances; they need to be ingrained in the community, can get real estate, and know where this concept would fit.”
Floozie’s format is flexible, which opens up the spaces it can go into. Stores can be as small as 250 square feet but typically don’t require more than 800. “We have no hoods, no vents, and can look at unique real estate like kiosks or food trucks,” Durishin says. Ideally stores have 10 to 15 seats but even kiosks will have some outdoor seating.
Since cookies appeal to almost everyone, Floozie keeps it under the radar that the menu is plant-based so the concept appeals to everyone, vegan or not.