Lake Forest-Based Hungry Monkey Baking Company Launches Social Distancing Treat Boxes Nationally on Talkshoplive® with Howie Mandel
The Hungry Monkey Baking Company, LLC., of Lake Forest, Illinois is selling "Social Distancing Treats Boxes" to send to friends and loved ones who are socially distancing. Orders are coming in from across the country thanks to being featured by Howie Mandel, comedian and America's Got Talent judge, on an online shopping show, talkshoplive®, https://talkshop.live. As the online show's first featured business on April 1, The Hungry Monkey has been flooded with orders. Mandel's show was created to help small businesses survive during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hungry Monkey Baking owner/baker Cindy Kienzle said that she normally sells her products primarily locally at all five Sunset Foods locations, at Olivia's Market in Chicago, and via home delivery through Fresh Picks.
"When the mandate to observe social distancing became prevalent, stores started selling out and people were calling me directly to package gift boxes to send to friends. "They wanted to share our crazy good, small-batch, natural sweets with loved ones (or themselves) across the country. As a result, I developed the ''Social Distancing Treats Box"-which also keeps our bakers working," she said.
The boxes sell for $26 and feature Hungry Monkey's signature and top-selling items: Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (14 oz.), Original Banana Bread (14 oz.) and two bags of incredibly rich and dense Triple Chocolate Brownies bags (9 oz. each). The Social Distancing Treats Box is only available online at talkshoplive®, https://talkshop.live/. They also offer a reduced price on shipping.
"I was incredibly blessed to be featured by Howie Mandel in an hour-long showcase to support American small businesses," said Kienzle. "He encouraged viewers to purchase a 'Social Distancing Treats Box' for loved ones and those working in the emergency services and on the front line during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the orders poured in, I was touched that many did, indeed, send our treats box to people working in the front lines all across the country."
Online networks, including her hometown's Facebook Moms' site and talkshoplive® have proved to be invaluable resources in saving her business during these unprecedented times.
Kienzle says: ''We can't thank Howie and the team at talkshoplive® enough for helping small businesses like ours survive in these challenging times. This is a game-changer for us, and we will forever be grateful."
"To show our appreciation, we are donating 100 loaves of our banana bread in Howie Mandel's name to the staff working on the front lines at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital. Additionally, a portion of sales through talkshoplive® are going to the No Kid Hungry charity.
About talkshoplive®
The talkshoplive® platform enables businesses & entrepreneurs to create live shows that allow consumers to experience their business and products and enables them to interact in real time.
About Hungry Monkey Baking Company
It took Hungry Monkey's founder, Cindy Kienzle, 25 years to start her baking company. Almost everything good in her life came late - she married her husband at 47, had a baby at 48 and started Hungry Monkey at 50, named for her daughter, Lily.
She created a chocolate chip banana bread recipe that friends, family and coworkers loved. Everyone always told her she should sell it, but since she had a secure marketing career, she continued to share it with friends, co-workers & family.
After losing her longtime marketing position, fate intervened, and The Hungry Monkey Baking Company, LLC. started in 2010, almost by accident-a friend encouraged her to bake her signature chocolate chip banana bread for a local two-day charity event benefiting children with learning disabilities. Since her daughter has some challenges, it seemed like a perfect fit.
The banana bread sold out both days. Soon after, people were calling, asking if they could stop by to pick up a loaf or two from her home. People needed their "fix," and a month later, The Hungry Monkey Baking Company, LLC., was born. A month later she rented a commercial kitchen, started selling her goodies in two farmers' markets, selling out weekly.
Kids, moms and dads, along with the local press, continued to spread the word. In the early days, friends, family-and even customers-would come to help her wrap, box and deliver products.
The cakes/breads and brownies became an instant hit; three months later a Chicago suburban grocery chain, Sunset Foods, asked to carry her cakes in all their stores.
Hungry Monkey is available in grocery stores, and home delivery through Fresh Picks in Illinois & Wisconsin. They also do corporate gifting nationally and online sales through talkshoplive®.
"It's been a very fun and challenging ride, and I've learned to believe in myself again and to never give up. Some dreams take longer to come true. What I've learned most is that, like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, I always had the power to live my dream (with a little help from many fairy God Mothers, good friends & family, one very supportive husband and an inspiring child)." - Cindy Kienzle, Chief Baking Officer/Owner, The Hungry Monkey Baking Company®, LLC.