Innovation

Sweet Temptations is a cupcakery run by Jakki Prince located in Guelph, Ontario. Jakki’s business model is very innovative, which helps set her business apart from her competitors. Sweet Temptations is innovative as they are the first cupcake business in Guelph to become B Corp certified, have their own food truck, stay open 7 days a week, and offer gluten-free and vegan products without charging a premium. Some may say that there is no innovation in cupcakes, as this is a product that has already been created, but Jakki challenges this thought with the cupcakes she sells. When speaking about her business, Jakki said, “What our focus is, is being innovative and different with our products. We are cupcake centric, so we have 12 of the 18 flavors a day, and one way that makes us different is becoming B Corp certified. We were the first food business in Guelph to become B-Corp certified; we have our food truck, which is unique; we offer gluten-free and vegan in store you don’t have to pre-order them.”

Inspiration

Sweet Temptations is all about “making an everyday moment something really special.” This was Jakki’s hope from the start by letting everyone be able to celebrate any moment they wish. When creating Sweet Temptations, Jakki wanted to be innovative and to separate herself from her competitors. Jakki said she was inspired to reach for the goal of B Corp certification when she first saw a documentary called Not Business as Usual, which was about how B Corporations came to be a real thing in America, and this documentary truly moved her. Sweet Temptations can differentiate themselves and has always been about the community, and Sweet Temptations attends many community events and supports the community. Becoming a B Corp was the best option, as they met the standards to be one. Continuing their trend of helping anyone and everyone celebrate even the tiniest event, Sweet Temptations decided that being open 7 days a week, offering gluten-free and vegan options, and having a food truck to go anyplace would give them an edge on competitors and truly differentiate themselves.

Overall impact

Community plays a significant role in the success of the business. Jakki “fell in love with the community, the culture, and the vibe” of the city and decided Guelph would be the perfect place for Sweet Temptations to operate. Sweet Temptations purchases many of their ingredients from a network of local farmers across Wellington County. Her cupcakes also include gluten-free and vegan options to appeal to anyone who is looking for a tasty treat. Instead of investing in marketing, Sweet Temptations decided to invest their time and money in events around the community. The company has sponsored local soccer tournaments and even the Guelph Storm. They have also helped organize local events in the community such as Big Brothers, Big Sisters. She found that giving to the community has created a positive image for the company and has overall benefited in the success of Sweet Temptations.

The business model and innovation has evolved since its birth. Sweet Temptations has been operating for around 7 years; in the first few years, the company found success selling goods out of local farmers markets. Jakki networked with other vendors and farmers for years, and these important connections allowed her to expand operations to a storefront in Guelph back in October 2013. Since then Sweet Temptations has continued to grow; sales were up 19% from the previous year. In the long run, Jakki hopes to hire some new employees to free up some of her time to grow the business.

Business benefit

This innovation has benefited Sweet Temptations greatly, as it truly sets them apart from their competitors. Sweet Temptations offers a food truck that goes by “Sprinkle”; they are B Corp certified, open 7 days a week, and offer gluten-free and vegan options without charging a premium for them. All of these factors raise Sweet Temptations above their competitors so consumers choose them over another option. Being B Corp certified gives them an edge over their competitors, as it makes consumers aware of the positive impact Sweet Temptations has on the community. Offering gluten-free and vegan options and being open 7 days a week allows Sweet Temptations to truly let everyone celebrate anything with a cupcake, which is what Sweet Temptations is all about. With “Sprinkle,” Sweet Temptations can attend events that range from Rib Fest to music festivals to the University of Guelph campus, which they use for marketing and to gain more consumers. With these innovations, Sweet Temptations persuades consumers to choose them over competitors, benefiting their business greatly.

Social and environmental benefit

Sweet Temptations' innovation greatly affects the environment and society of Guelph. By qualifying as a B Corp, they show how much Sweet Temptations helps improve the community and environment of Guelph. Jakki had said they already met all the standards to qualify as a B Corp, but by actually applying and receiving certification, it just automatically lets the people of Guelph and surrounding areas know how beneficial this business really is to their community. Sweet Temptations believes it is important to support local businesses and farmers to help the society of Guelph prosper together. This is why Sweet Temptations uses products from local farmers across the county of Wellington. Sweet Temptations purchased a food truck in late 2015, when the city of Guelph passed a food truck bylaw. When Jakki purchased this food truck for Sweet Temptations, her goal was to be as environmentally friendly as possible, so she put time and effort into making sure the truck she chose would do the least damage to the environment.

Interview

Jakki Prince, Owner