LillyBean by PastryBase
A Recipe for Accessible Desserts
Where: Richmond, VA
Project Type: Working Capital
LillyBean by PastryBase Baking Mixes and Kits are made locally in Virginia in a completely allergen-free space, ensuring that dietary limitations don’t have to mean a limitation on flavor. Following a long career as a pastry chef, Lebanese founder Jill Donaldson built PastryBase after developing her own food intolerances. She knew that health issues shouldn’t be the end of her relationship with dessert, so in 2017 she began whipping up kits in her home kitchen.
Named after the maternal grandmother who instilled her love of baking, LillyBean by PastryBase was born.
“It's been a great experience and it's been...It feels like we're sort of in this together now. And we're trying to figure out, how can we do other things together in the community. ”
Opportunity for Impact
Prior to 2020, Jill had great success selling baking kits through markets and trade shows. Exposure at trade shows meant she could reach a much wider audience, with opportunities nationally and even internationally. With the COVID lockdown in 2020, Jill turned towards online sales, seeing revenue growth with families stuck at home looking for ways to stay entertained.
By 2022 Jill was selling enough products to need a co-packer for blending products, having outgrown the equipment in her kitchen. But Jill soon realized finding a mid-size manufacturer with an allergen-free space seemed almost impossible on the east coast. When a space opened locally on the Hatch campus, Jill knew this was an opportunity to bring production back in-house, if she could secure the capital.
Unfortunately, the loan process with major banks was not only time-consuming but felt intentionally confusing. So when someone from the Virginia Department of Agriculture referred Jill to Bridging Virginia, she felt hopeful about the potential partnership.
Our Partnership
Bridging Virginia provided Jill with a $50,000 loan in order to bring manufacturing back in-house, locally in Richmond. This capital meant Jill would not have to sacrifice scaling her businesses to stay allergen-free. Instead, PastryBase now has an allergen-free facility in Richmond, allowing them to produce, hire, and purchase locally.
Beyond Capital
Securing this space means PastryBase will have space to expand, and they are already seeing the benefits. With this growth comes the opportunity to hire more local employees, continue locally sourcing ingredients, and even offer their space to other businesses with similar allergen-free needs. In 2019 LillyBean won the SOFI Award for Best New Product from the Specialty Food Association, and PastryBase has been featured by outlets like CBS 6, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, B Side Collective Magazine, and Uncommon Goods. Jill continues to live by her favorite quote, “Bake the world a better place,” as she serves her community with accessible, sweet treats.
JOYEBELLS
Sweet Treats Lead to Sweeter Success
Where: Hatch, VA
Project Type: Working Capital and Business Support Services
Joye B. Moore has been impressing friends with her sweet potato pies for more than 30 years. The secret to these delicious pies is in a family recipe passed down over 6 generations. So in 2019, when unexpected budget cuts put Joye out of work, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to capitalize on the popularity of these sweet treats. With years of experience in administration and marketing from an independent music career, Joye knew she had the skills and products to turn her pies into a profitable business: JOYEBELLS.
“It was the sustaining lifeline that we needed to be able to bridge inventory, supply and demand and be able to stay afloat to make it to the next quarter.”
Opportunity for Impact
After launching JOYEBELLS in October 2019, Joye found herself already needing to rethink her distribution strategy as the pandemic hit in early 2020. Wielding her instinct for customer demand, initiative, and a basket of pies, Joye found a way to get her products into grocery stores, one of the few businesses still operating at the time. Still, JOYEBELLS, like many other small businesses, faced a cash flow problem as the pandemic persisted.
Our Partnership
Joye found Bridging Virginia (BVa) through a recommendation from the Metropolitan Business League, a local business association and partner of BVa. Joye wasn't sure if she would be able to get a loan in time from traditional banks, which would leave her unable to buy the inventory she needed to fill orders. After learning about Joye's needs, Bridging Virginia knew they had the right tools to help.
After this first successful partnership, Bridging Virginia found even more ways to support JOYEBELLS in 2021. When Joye was offered an opportunity to expand, but that required the ability to deliver frozen goods, she turned to BVa. Bridging Virginia obtained cost-effective financings for the truck, allowing Joye to reimburse BVa rather than financing the truck personally. Later in 2021, Bridging Virginia provided JOYEBELLS with technical assistance in the form of strategic planning and cash flow projection, allowing JOYEBELLS to receive a $100,000 line of credit from a local mission-aligned partner.
Beyond Capital
With Bridging Virginia providing support through mentorship, technical assistance, and strategic planning, Joye was able to focus on marketing and client growth. Because of that JOYEBELLS grew from retailing in 46 stores in 2021 to over 640 stores in 2022. The continued success of JOYEBELLS is a testament to Joye's hard work and initiative, and Bridging Virginia is honored to be part of her story.
Most recently, Joye was named one of Inc. Magazine's 100 Female Founders, 2022 Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year by the Metropolitan Business League, and 2022 Rising Star of the Year by the National Association of Women-Owned Businesses.