THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 27, 1996 TAG: 9604270347
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
A Virginia Beach woman who rose to cookie-baking stardom after moving to the U.S. Virgin Islands two years ago is poised to start popping her tropical confections out of production line ovens here.
Vicki Phelps, founder of Caribbean Cookie Co., will turn out her first mainland-made batch June 1 at a big new bakery in Oceana East Industrial Park. The 8,000-square-foot plant, now in the final stages of interior furbishing, will employ at least 12. Once production is full tilt, Phelps' company will produce more than 1,200 dozen cookies a day.
Caribbean Cookie corporate offices will also be moved from St. Thomas to Virginia Beach.
The decision to relocate the burgeoning business was based on economics and a need to maintain customer satisfaction. About 90 percent of sales are on the mainland, so placing production and distribution closer to the market cuts shipping costs. Labor and rent are much lower in Virginia Beach, as well, Phelps said.
There's also the issue of reliability.
Last winter, during the company's busy holiday season, the St. Thomas factory had to use a generator for power after Hurricane Marilyn struck.
``Buyers like Neiman Marcus want a company they can rely on,'' said Phelps.
The company is expanding rapidly. Distribution has been taken over by a Miami office and cookie production at the St. Thomas plant is at a maximum. Phelps and her 12 bakers fill orders placed by U.S. gourmet food outlets. Clients include the Ritz Hotel chain and Disney World.
Their goodies include ``Pirate's Pleasure,'' full of white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts and mango, and ``Tropical Treasure,'' a combination of pineapple, banana, coconut, chocolate chips, rum and cashews.
``We've gone into overdrive,'' said Christy O'Campo, media director for the company, from her St. Thomas office.
Phelps, 37, turned a lifelong passion for baking into a business success by spotting a market niche, doing her homework and enlisting her family's help. The business' fast growth also stems from Phelps' sharp eye for what's in vogue. She capitalized on Americans' increased interest in gourmet cookies and focus on Caribbean culture and foods.
A former buyer for Leggett department store, she moved to St. Thomas in 1995 with her husband, Chet Phelps, and 8-year-old son, Chase. Six months later she launched the cookie company.
Vicki Phelps, inspired by the abundance of natural ingredients on the lush, tropical island, researched local recipes. Phelps' innovative recipes combined tropical fruits, nuts and spices with traditional American cookie batter.
Chet Phelps, a former Navy pilot and owner of a Virginia Beach computer business, became trouble shooter for the cookie company, and Chase Phelps took over the awesome responsibilities of taste tester, giving thumbs up or down to new combinations as his mom experimented.
Almost before the Phelpses knew it, they needed 12 full-time employees to meet demand - nearly 1,200 dozen cookies a day.
The Phelps have no intention of turning their St. Thomas ovens off, or even down. In fact, they plan to open a cafe and retail shop there.
But the couple will move back to Virginia Beach. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by CHARLIE MEADS, The Virginian-Pilot file
Vicki Phelps is returning to Virginia Beach to open her Caribbean
Cookie Co. bakery.
by CNB