When it comes to cookies, there’s no one quite like Cookie Dude.
When Alexis and Martin set out to create Cookie Dude in 2019, their goal was to make a delicious, affordable cookie.
“Back then, we’d explore different options for cookies in various cafes and mall kiosks to find that the cheap ones are very sub-par. And the expensive ones were good but way too expensive,” Martin said. “With that in mind, Alexis went on a mission to develop a cookie to be both good and affordable.”
After months of trial and error, they perfected the recipe for their flagship Half-Baked Cookies: Original Half-Baked Cookies (milk & dark chocolate), White Chocolate, and Dark Chocolate Cinnamon cookies.
The Cookie Dude cookies are toasty on the outside and ooey-gooey on the inside, making them a new and unique cookie experience.
What Makes Cookie Dude so Special?
It all comes down to the passion and care that goes into every batch.
The owners of Cookie Dude are still very hands-on with all aspects of the business, from baking to manning the stall.
“I absolutely love connecting with our customers,” Martin said. “My favorite though is manning the stall and connecting, having chats, and most importantly, seeing the joy they get from eating our cookies!”
Cookie Dude has built a community of cookie lovers in just a short time. To the owners, this says a lot about the value of their products. And it’s this dedication to quality that makes Cookie Dude stand out from the competition.
Rising Above Challenges
Like most small businesses, Cookie Dude had its share of challenges in the early days. The biggest challenge, according to Martin, was capital.
“Having started this business out on a limb, with both Alexis and I starting Cookie Dude right after deciding to quit both our full-time jobs, we had little money to fund the business’s needs for marketing, building online infrastructures, and getting better help and equipment,” Martin said.
Slowly but surely, Cookie Dude overcame these challenges. They registered the business, built a website, and got better equipment.
Being Open to Opportunities
Despite having low capital and a depressing few months when the business was paralyzed due to the ECQ lockdowns, Cookie Dude refused to give up. They kept finding ways to improve their business.
Eventually, they landed partnerships with companies like SM and Prosperna, which helped them grow their business even further.
The turning point came when they were accepted as one of the startups in the SM Startup Market.
“We’ve been there since February this year, and we’ve been growing ever since in credibility and customers,” Martin said. “That said, we still have even bigger plans for the future.”
Learning From Mistakes
When developing a new business, learning from your mistakes is important. For Cookie Dude, that meant investing more money into marketing.
“With the knowledge I have now, I realize the importance of investing a lot into marketing to get an ROI in running an online business,” Martin said.
Martin learned this the hard way, but he’s applied it now to his hybrid online/offline cookie business. Thanks to this change, Cookie Dude is thriving and continuing to grow.
Turning Hobby Into a Legitimate Cookie Business
When Cookie Dude first started, it was just a hobby. But everything has changed since then.
“Everything except for the quality cookies has changed for Cookie Dude since launching,” Martin said. “From what seemed to be just a hobby, we’re now building a very legitimate, credible business with an amazing team and an amazing product.”
The brand has been on its A-game with improved marketing and operations and a growing team.
Cookie Dude’s Big Plans for the Future
It doesn’t stop there because Cookie Dude has big plans for the future!
They want to expand their business and get more wholesale clients catering to cafes and restaurants.
They’re also looking for an investor to help them grow even more. They’re hoping to improve their online performance and efficiency in production.
With more funding, they plan to improve their branding so that more people know about The Best Half-Baked Cookies in the South!
Working With the Right eCommerce Partner
When Martin and Alexis restarted their business in the middle of the pandemic, they knew they needed to make a big move to stand out from the competition. That’s when they turned to Prosperna.
“Prosperna has been integral to us adapting to the hurdle of the pandemic,” said Martin. “They offer a great product that helps both ways, for the customer journey to be as easy as possible and for added credibility as an online store. But also for us, the business owners to track and fulfill orders.”
The value that Prosperna offers is incredible – and it’s affordable too.
“Not only do they have a great product,” he added. “But they also have an amazing team who was very hands-on in our training and extremely helpful to this day in terms of marketing assistance.”
That combination is why Cookie Dude owners, Martin and Alexis, have been working with Prosperna for two years now. And why they are choosing to stick with Prosperna for a very long time.
Prosperna, Your Partner to eCommerce Success
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Cookie Dude is just one of many Philippine businesses that have succeeded with Prosperna.
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