[A] POPULAR baking business has shown it has the perfect recipe for success, as it expands into various shops around Cumbria.
If I Knew You Were Coming, based in Warcop, is the brainchild of husband and wife team, Chris and Katie Hauser.
They launched the business in May 2015, primarily selling their baking kits and subscription gifts online. However, due to growing demand for their products, combined with the surge in popularity for baking as a result of programmes such as the Great British Bake Off, their products are now also stocked in a number of shops.
If I Knew You Were Coming’s most recent expansion is to Cranstons Cumbrian Food Hall in Penrith.
Katie said: “We are delighted to be selling our products in Cranstons. We initially approached them in the hope that they would be interested in stocking a range of our products in their shop, as we knew that they champion local companies. We met with Caroline Dinham, the store manager and showed her our products and told her about our company.
“We were ecstatic when we got the go ahead, it has been really exciting. We have had a really good reception from customers at Cranstons so far, particularly from gift buyers and home cooks, who love our recipes and the ease of our baking kits.”
The kits available in Cranstons include cranberry and white chocolate cookies, chocolate chip and orange cookies, lemon drizzle muffins, strawberries and cream muffins and caramel and chocolate muffins, as well as their two most popular products – chocolate brownies and artisan brownie mix in a jar.
Together with Cranstons, If I Knew You Were Coming baking kits are also available from Chestnut House in Pooley Bridge and The Ark at the Cloisters in Appleby.
Chris added: “We would love to increase our list of stockists and are always looking for new places to stock our products. During the countdown to Christmas we also attend a large number of local Christmas craft fairs.
“Our baking kits and subscription gifts are especially popular presents for Christmas. We have definitely noticed a baking revival over recent years. We believe programmes like the Great British Bake Off has made baking fashionable and has inspired people to bake and try out new things. We have taken our passion for baking and have worked hard to produce a range of baking kits with quality ingredients and great flavours.”
Chris and Katie will be hosting a tasting day at Cranstons from 11am to 3pm on Saturday 4th November, where customers will have a chance to sample their recipes and bakes.
