Like an ice cream truck for cookies, this Bradenton business brings the sweets to you
You may have seen a giant white van roaming the streets of Manatee County the past few months. It's got pink accents and other designs, but what makes it stand out is there are cookies inside — big ones that "make your heart happy," according to the owner.
Cindy Unzicker began her Bite Me Cookies by Cindy business as a passion project in 2015. In January, she took her baking to the next level by adding a large van into the mix. Now, she gets flagged down for sweets everywhere she goes.
"It's my primary vehicle so people stop me all the time for cookies," Unzicker said. "I get thumbs up at red lights. People think I'm an ice cream truck and everything."
Even though the cookie van has become part of Unzicker's public identity, it's a secondary job for her. During the day, she works as the investor relations and event manager for the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corporation.
Bite Me Cookies started as a way to supplement her income and provide a cushion for her retirement. And it's a delicious way to do so.
"Who doesn't love a good cookie? They make people so happy. There really isn't an occasion where a cookie isn't welcome," Unzicker said.
To purchase Bite Me Cookies, you can find Unzicker and her iconic van at large events such as the Teller's coffee shop grand opening on Friday or the Fourth of July celebration in Palmetto featuring the Charlie Daniels Band. She delivers cookies and also sells platters for events such as weddings, baby showers and client appreciation.
Unzicker said she has always liked baking and her recipes are mostly self-taught. She offers five cookie flavors — chocolate chunk, oatmeal raisin, chocolate peanut butter, white chocolate macadamia nut and peanut butter. Each 6-inch cookie goes for $3, except the macadamia nut cookies, which are $4.
There are more sweets available from Bite Me Cookies, as well. Unzicker also sells party platters that customers can customize with their choice of pecan delights, peppermint chips, chocolate peanut butter balls and more. Platters range from $35 for a small to $100 for a large.
While going mobile is still a relatively recent development for her business, Unzicker said she doesn't anticipate moving to a brick-and-mortar location in the future. Instead, she hopes to outfit the van with an oven and refrigeration for cookie baking and storage on-the-go. She says a physical location would require longer hours and prevent her from attending big events.
"Being mobile like I am now is the way of the future. You take it to the people. It gives me the flexibility I need with my schedule since I'm pretty much a one-woman show," Unzicker explained.
When Unzicker's business picks up around the holidays, she gets the help she needs from friends and her 80-year-old mother. She said she went through 120 pounds of brown sugar last December.
Only the best ingredients are used to bake Bite Me Cookies products, Unzicker says. There are also no preservatives.
She also has partnered with the Bradenton Area EDC to donate cookies to John and Amanda Horne's Dive Into Reading program at Anna Maria Oyster Bar.
For more information on ordering from Bite Me Cookies, call or text (941) 812-2238. You can also email BiteMeCookiesByCindy@yahoo.com or follow the business at Facebook.com/OrderCookies.