Sweet success | Sales of Wicked Whoopies climb
The kerfuffle around the Legislature’s debate over whoopie pies has subsided, but not the sales of Maine’s now-official state treat.
According to David Bouchard, vice president of Isamax Snacks Inc., the Gardiner-based bakery that makes Wicked Whoopies, sales are growing as the pastry continues to draw national attention. This month, Wicked Whoopies was featured in a Redbook magazine piece on guilty pleasures; was notified it made Inc. magazine’s 2011 5000 list based on revenue growth; and founder and President Amy Bouchard continues a monthly appearance on Home Shopping Network.
“The publicity we got from all the talk at the Legislature was great for us,” says David Bouchard. “It was nationwide exposure and it was huge.”
Five years ago, the husband-and-wife team moved the company from a 1,700-square-foot facility to an 18,000-square-foot building, doubling its capacity to make the chocolate-and-cream treat. Today the company makes 8,000-10,000 whoopie pies a day and last year reported sales of $2.25 million.
“We’re distributing now throughout New England, but we hope to expand to New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, down the coast … to really go nationwide in our distribution,” says Bouchard. “We have been very careful not to grow too fast, despite opportunities to grow faster. We’re comfortable taking small steps, one at a time.”
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