In the heart of Seattle, Tres Lecheria has evolved from a freak bakery into a major player in the wholesale market, supplying grocery chains with their beloved tres leches. This transformation is a testament to the vision and resilience of its co-owners, Vincent Beretta and Kevin Moulder.

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Initially, Vincent's career was in cloud SaaS sales, but when his path crossed with Kevin, an experienced cake decorator, they used their individual skills to launch their first business venture. They started by opening Cube's Baking Company, which focused on cube-shaped pastries such as “cubcubes” (cube-shaped cupcakes), pretzel cubes and muffins. However, it was their tres leches desserts that saw explosive popularity and this was the turning point. Vincent and Kevin upside down their focus entirely on this product, renaming it as Tres Lecheria. Listen to the episode below to hear live from Vincent.

Their decision to rely on tres leches cakes paid off. They secured a deal with New Seasons Market, expanding from one store to all 18 chain locations. This success was a springboard for further gROWTHwith Tres Lecheria now in 80 stores and aiming to expand to another 80.

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The transition from a local bakery to a wholesale supplier was not without obstacles. Vincent emphasized the importance of maintaining product quality, even when considering co-packers (companies contracted to package products for their customers) to meet growing demand. “No one is going to treat your product the way you treat yourself,” he said, emphasizing the need for strict quality control.

Vincent knows that Tres Lecheria's customers have high standards and are not afraid to contact him with their concerns. It showed how customers act as “cheerleaders” and even “fairies,” providing valuable insights into product performance and store displays.

“We hear from everybody now,” he said. “Customers let us know if a store doesn't have a flavor they want or if there's a product display problem. Their feedback is invaluable.”

Financial acumen has also been instrumental in guiding the growth of Tres Lecheria. Vincent emphasized the importance of making decisions based on data as it expands.

“You have to track the expenses and know the numbers”, he stressed. “It's the only way to tell for sure which products to invest in.”

Once your business is ready to expand into new counties, or even states, Vincent cautions other entrepreneurs to be mindful of how they strategize for growth geographically. Testing the waters with a temporary location or other promotions can help businesses determine the demographics of each area and whether they match them. the target market.

“Can you run ads that will bring this neighborhood (to another country)? Can you do an open air once in a while, like a farmer's market in a place you want to try? We have a little problem with that , when we were trying to expand in California, you can't recreate the exact same thing that made you successful in the first place.

Tres Lecheria's journey is a testament to the power of adaptability and customer engagement. As they continue to expand, Vincent and Kevin remain committed to these core values:

• Adjust and rotate. Be ready to shift focus based on market demand and product performance. Sometimes narrowing down to a specific product or service can become a successful niche.
• Maintaining quality. Ensure that product quality remains high, even as it grows. Interview partners involved from manufacturing to distribution about their quality assurance procedures to ensure the end product meets your standards.
• Engage customers. Use it customer feedback to guide product development and business decisions. Knowing your customers as your business evolves will help you stay connected with them and maintain their loyalty.
• Plan for growth. Anticipate future needs and build capacity accordingly. Consider where you'll be in three years and how much space, inventory and staff you'll need.

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Editorial contributions by Kristi Lindahl

This article is part of our continuity America's Favorite Mom & Pop Stores™ series highlighting family-owned and operated businesses.