Triple Y Cakes and More by Yessy to open own shop by December
Triple Y Cakes and More by Yessy, a participant of the Puerto Rico Community Foundation’s (PRCF) Small Business Incubators and Accelerators Program, will establish an official manufacturing and distribution location by December, the owners said.
The PRCF program is executed by the incubators of three nonprofit organizations: CRÉALOS of the Office for Human Promotion and Development in Arecibo; Headquarters of the Solidarity Incubator of Women of Islands, in Culebra; and Center for Microenterprises and Sustainable Agricultural Technologies, in Yauco.
The new company is still deciding between a physical building location or a food truck and is looking to distribute its products in locations like supermarkets, gas stations or others.
“That agency has helped me take this step, the step of deciding to work for my goal, of dedicating myself full-time to baking,” said Yessenia Novoa, owner of Triple Y Cakes and More by Yessy.
“Last year, I sold about 100 cakes, and having contact with the incubator has greatly helped me to identify, organize and determine my entire organizational chart,” Novoa said.
The local family company started after an investment of $600 and equipment donations, and prepares a variety of desserts, such as personal cakes placed in a one-pound package, cupcakes, popsicles filled with chocolate, tres leches (sponge cake soaked in three types of milk) cups, polvorones (a crumbly Spanish shortbread cookie), and wedding cakes, among others.
Novoa took pastry courses in 2008 to start creating treats for her daughters’ birthdays, and then decided to take on baking as a part-time job, since she currently works as a social worker in a school in Arecibo.
“After several years making cakes, I want to make myself known and that more people have the opportunity to enjoy my desserts,” Novoa said.
Her packaging is distinctive, designed for individual servings, and is ideal for gifting, small group celebrations, or satisfying a craving.
In 2019, Triple Y Cakes and More By Yessy distributed their products to Agranel Supermarket in Santana, Arecibo, and last February Novoa began distribute her cakes to another Arecibo supermarket, Los Pinos, owned by the Agranel supermarket owner in Santana.
Triple Y Cakes and More by Yessy uses ingredients sourced from local shops. Novoa can make up to 10 cakes per week, and spends more than $1,000 on local produce. She receives help from her family to distribute her orders.
The PRCF’s SBIA program is an initiative supported by the Puerto Rico Department of Housing through Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grant funds funds, in which currently two of the three incubators are offering entrepreneurship workshops to 38 participants.
The third incubator has already closed its second cycle, and 17 people completed the workshops.
The participants of the three incubators are from 20 different towns in Puerto Rico and have businesses or business ideas related to various industries, including agriculture, food, crafts, costume jewelry, accounting, care services, speech therapies, among others.
