Start-up no pie in sky operation
ComfortCake^® lands major contract

By Herbert L. White
THE CHARLOTTE POST

Amy Hilliard believes there's profit in comfort food.

ComfortCake^® Co. LLC, a Chicago-based confection company, has landed its first major contract with United Airlines. Not bad for a start-up whose slogan is "Pound cake so good, it feels like a hug."

Founded by Hilliard, ComfortCake^® has come knocking on the U.S. food industry door with a prestigious first client in United Airlines. Hilliard, a marketing and new products expert, has provided innovative thinking to major companies like Gillette, Pillsbury, Burrell Communications Group and L'Oreal U.S.A.,

She established ComfortCake^® in January with the simple mission to "deliver the most flavorful, highest-quality desserts to consumers worldwide." Given United's inaugural order for 550,000 slices, ComfortCake^® is well on their way toward accomplishing it.

Hilliard, a Detroit native, has no illusions at all about what this important piece of business means to ComfortCake^®.

"The significance of the order to the company is very important," she says. "United Airlines represents both to the industry and to the trade a company that has very high standards, and for us to be able to meet those standards with our first customer says a lot in terms of the people we have supporting Comfort Cake." It also speaks volumes to the unwavering spirit of the airline and the air travel industry, given recent events.

"In terms of the current environment of air travel and the safety issues, it's good news that United has kept their food service going," Hilliard said. "And because the name of our company is ComfortCake^®, it hopefully adds a little bit of comfort to people as they're flying in these times."

The bottom line to ComfortCake^®, however, is its taste. The pound cake recipe, continuously improved and refined over nearly two decades, is a carefully guarded family secret that Hilliard is certain will position the company as a major player in the marketplace in very short order.

"The recipe is my own, and I've been perfecting it for 20 years," she notes, "but I did definitely incorporate some of the secrets of my elders in the process. They gave me some little tips about how I could make the cake even better which I've added to my recipe, so I'm sure that they're up there smiling down at me for sharing the flavor with the world."

Consumers worldwide will be able to savor ComfortCake^®s of varying sizes, varieties and flavors aboard United flights and at other food service outlets that serve baked goods and via the Internet at www.ComfortCake.com.

Clearly, the product's taste is especially good, but Hilliard emphasizes that part of the goal is just to makes people feel good, too. "I think that it's a really timely thing for the company to have this product out there now that is a comfort food, she said. "People universally love pound cake, and considering that our slogan is, 'Pound cake so good, it feels like a hug,' everybody can use a little hug these days. So, I think it works really well." What will also contribute to the success of Hilliard's brand is having a major client on her roster that she can build upon.

"Certainly, having such a prestigious first client is something that we're very happy about," she says. "I really wanted to start of with a major customer that would signal to other people that we were serious about this, so when United called for us to bid on their dessert business, I did it unhesitatingly. I knew that if I could secure this account, it could mean tremendous things for the credibility of ComfortCake^® right off the bat, and prove that we can produce high-volume, high-quality products."

Established in January, ComfortCake^® Co. develops and produces all-natural gourmet pound cakes worldwide. This is the second company founded by Hilliard, the first being The Hilliard Group, a six year-old strategic multi-cultural marketing, consulting and product development firm in Chicago.