It is common knowledge that there is nothing better than a delicious piece of cake made from scratch. After all, when she was told that the people of France were starving for lack of bread, didn’t Marie Antoinette famously reply, “Then let them eat cake”?
Yes! Eating cake is a wonderful experience. When reflecting on her own love of bakery desserts, entrepreneur Melissa Jenkins — an N.J. native — recalls her many childhood trips to the South where her mother grew up. It was actually these trips that served as an inspiration for Melissa, and spawned the ideas that have made her company so popular.
“I was always on the lookout for unique flavor ideas. One of our first creations was a raspberry red velvet cake, and from there we branched out with inventive combinations like blueberry lemongrass, amaretto orange blossom cupcakes, and raspberry coconut pistachio cake pops.
“Somewhere along the way, the classic carrot walnut cake made its way into our lineup — and it quickly became our most popular cupcake. I’ve never been a big fan of eating vegetables, so turning carrots into a dessert felt like the perfect loophole. I liked to believe I had convinced my mother that enjoying a carrot walnut cupcake was a clever way to get my veggies in, though she probably never fully agreed.
“Today, the carrot walnut cupcake is still one of our top sellers, sharing the spotlight with our fan-favorite signature sugar cookies.”
And, as they say, the rest is history!
Celebrating the eighth anniversary of the launch of BAM Desserts in 2025, Melissa can take pride in the success of her unusual approach to desserts.
Interestingly, Melissa did not begin her career as a baker extraordinaire in culinary school. Instead, she relied on her background in graphic arts and her experience earning an MBA in Global Management.
“I knew we would always rely on simple and healthy ingredients for all our products,” Melissa noted, “but it was equally important that our desserts present as works of art. Our customers deserve both an amazing visual and taste experience,” she said as she summed up her dedication to offering distinctive products. From sophisticated dessert tables to cakes and cupcakes and much more, the customized sweets available online and in-store are one of a kind. So much has happened in the last eight years.
It is exciting to celebrate BAM Desserts’ accomplishments, but it is essential to understand the obstacles as well as the opportunities facing Melissa as a minority woman in business.
The onset of the pandemic in early 2020 drastically changed the landscape for all retailers, and especially for those in the food and beverage sector. Demand dropped significantly while the availability of goods was decreasing — with costs rising. It was a dangerous formula for any business, but it was particularly tough on a new company. When combined with the escalating cost of utilities like gas and electricity and other infrastructure expenses, the situation seemed overwhelming.
But Melissa was not about to give up. She learned to adjust to the changing environment. First, she began by navigating around the obstacles of finding staff and reducing/eliminating product lines. At the same time, she redoubled her efforts and reinforced her desire to work her way through the business world as the advantages of diversity and inclusion (D&I) shifted.
It was necessary for her to adopt a more strategic approach to the menu. She was also committed to developing a team of loyal staff to help the business thrive. With a laser-like focus on their core competency, Melissa and her employees continued to hold fast to their mantra: “Get ahead of it.”
With this in mind, they were able to maintain a competitive edge, introducing online ordering and pick-up to give shoppers the ability to order customized items without having to do it in person along with offering nationwide shipping.
They have continued to adhere to their main objective of baking attractive desserts using simple recipes that can be easily duplicated by the team. As the product line has expanded, there are also new options that address evolving customer demands — such as peanut-free, vegan, gluten-free, and, coming soon, “sugar-free” desserts.
It takes a team to succeed
As a small business owner, Melissa relied on her team to support her mission and to help the dessert shop gain traction. Their knowledge and commitment enabled her to focus on building the business.
Along with establishing a presence in the local neighborhoods and becoming known for their philanthropic endeavors, she is also able to invest time in attending trade shows and building meaningful connections within key niches. As the founder and face of BAM Desserts, it has been critical for Melissa to meet in person when possible with potential customers and demonstrate the important differences between her company and its competitors.
Currently, BAM Desserts is popular across a wide range of corporate industries, welcoming those in the pharmaceutical industry and the growing television sector among their most recent clients. Providing luscious-looking and tasting desserts from their commercial kitchen for product launches, employee and customer appreciation gifts, celebrations, openings, and more, Melissa is planting a flag in these areas while expanding into other sectors as well.
The most important suggestions for building a sustainable company
Looking back on the first eight years of her extraordinary journey, Melissa emphasizes four critical takeaways that can help all start-ups and growing or seasoned companies:
- Have a great team in place. Listen carefully to their advice and ideas; don’t micromanage — trust their insights when they challenge you.
- Stay focused. It’s tempting to keep trying new things, but hold to your core competency — avoid mission creep.
- Always be dependable. Follow up with relationships and foster connections.
- Be humble, sincere, and appreciative. These attributes speak volumes about your value to the community.
Ever an optimist, Melissa is excited about the emerging opportunities ahead for BAM Desserts regardless of the obstacles they will have to face in the coming years.
Be sure to visit BAMdesserts.com the next time someone says to you, “What, you have no bread? Well, then, eat cake!”
