Producer Profile: Merci Beaucoup Cake Creations
In this Producer Profile, we caught up with Jeremy and Alona, owners of Merci Beaucoup Cake Creations. Merci Beaucoup Cake Creations specialise in beautiful French patisseries and desserts, with handmade macarons, tartlets , treats, deserts and cakes to order.
Jeremy and Alona took the jump into starting up their own business in 2013 after working for other people they wanted to create a more personal offering that showcased their skills and attention to detail. They began trading at local Farmers’s Markets and moved onto bigger shows such as Bloom, Gifted and the National Ploughing Championships.
Their USP is their attention to detail which can be seen throughout their product range including in their Blas Na hÉireann award for their Hazelnut Meringue which won Best in Meath in 2018 and also Best in Farmers Markets and their 2019 winner Raspberry Opera.
Everything they produce is homemade by husband and wife team Jeremy and Alona and they are happy with this as that way they can ensure high quality, consistent products.
They are well known for their delicious Macarons which sell out very quickly at Markets!
At the moment they aren’t supplying retail outlets as they want to concentrate on building their own customer base with a dream of opening their own outlet in the not too distant future.
Obviously like everyone Jeremy and Alona have experienced major upheaval with the Covid Crisis, but they have adapted their offering and delivery of products in order to reach people, as well as offering boxes of mixed patisseries and macarons. Jeremy says they have really been overwhelmed with the support they have received from their customers in the last few months.
On being a part of Boyne Valley Flavours for the past year, Jeremy says its been a major bonus to them as a small start up food business to have a network of other producers to work with, and that in particular being part of the Boyne Valley Shop on Great Northern Larder has been a huge bonus for them, as it has allowed them to reach new customers and provided another retail channel.
As for the negatives of being in the food business, Jeremy and Alona explain that its hard for them to compete with bigger businesses as their margins are small, and attracting investment into the business has been tough. But despite these difficulties they are making progress and are happy to continue to grow and develop their business.