Blue Chip Cookies
| Gourmet cookies | |
| Industry | Gourmet cookies, bakery |
| Founded | March 1983 |
| Founder | Matt and Lori Nader |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, United States |
Number of locations | San Francisco-Fisherman's Wharf |
Area served | Midwestern United States, primarily Greater Cincinnati, Kansas City, KS |
Key people | Donna Drury, Bob Heine |
| Products | Gourmet cookies – white chocolate macadamia, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, Black and White, Cinnamon Delight, sugar cookie and more |
| Revenue | Over $1,500,000 per year |
| Owner | Donna Drury, Robert Heine, Charles Horan |
Number of employees | 75 across all stores |
| Parent | The Blue Chip Cookie Company |
| Website |
www |
Blue Chip Cookies is a small chain of gourmet cookie bakeries and mail-order gourmet cookie businesses with headquarters in Milford, Ohio, United States. Current locations are Ohio, Kansas, Kentucky, and Bogota, Colombia. Founded in March 1983 by the Nader family (Matt Nader died in 1997), Blue Chip Cookies specializes in cookies and cookie cakes and created the first white chocolate macadamia cookie.[1]
History
The first Blue Chip Cookies store opened in March 1983 on Beach Street (Fisherman's Wharf) in San Francisco, California,[2][3] in March 1983. In 1986, the company began franchising stores in selected markets.
In 1986, Blue Chip Cookies opened a store in Cincinnati, Ohio, a result of the city's efforts to market its nickname, "Blue Chip City".[4][5] In 1998, Blue Chip Cookies was purchased by Edgewood, Kentucky–based B.C.C. Enterprises, a rare example of a franchisee that had grown larger than the franchisor.[4] A privately held Loveland, Ohio–based company, acquired Blue Chip Cookies in November 2005 and opened a new store in Historic Downtown Loveland the following year. In January 2007, Blue Chip Cookie Company, Inc resumed franchising and licensing with an updated UFOC.http://www.bison.com/press_BCC_Enterprises_11092005 [6]
In 2007, Blue Chip Cookies focused their attention on driving the online e-commerce business by opening an online store called www.bluechipcookiesdirect.com. The 3000 square foot e-commerce facility is based in Milford, Ohio, and have found the strategic decision was instrumental in the overall creation of a sweet new business channel. In addition, Blue Chip Cookies special niche is corporate gifts and marketing initiatives. Donna Drury, ownwer and Chief Cookie Officer says, "We make it easy for organizations to use Blue Chip Cookies as a gift with their brand or company logo the focus when the box is open. The "Best Cookies in the Country" delivers a multi-sensory message that is a SWEET reminder to customers, potential customers, employees, and other business associates, that your company cares and is unique! It will differentiate you from your competition."
Blue Chip Cookies is now licensing the brand, to include the proprietary recipes, to select retailers across the United States. It is is a Woman Owned Business.
References
- ↑ "NRN Liddle">Liddle, Alan (1989-03-06). "Cookie chain tests interior seating - Blue Chip Cookies". Nation's Restaurant News. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
- ↑ "Blue Chip Cookies". SF Weekly (Village Voice Media). 2001. Retrieved 2008-06-08.
- ↑ Chase, Jodie (2008-03-26). "Second Helpings: Blue Chip Cookies popular with lots of readers". Contra Costa Times (MediaNews Group). Retrieved 2008-06-08.
- 1 2 Lawley, Lauren (1998-07-17). "Cookie firm swallows parent". Cincinnati Business Courier (American City Business Journals). Retrieved 2008-06-08.
- ↑ "Cincinnati: many discounters say it's a 'blue chip' investment". Discount Store News. 1988-05-23. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
- ↑ http://www.bison.com/press_BCC_Enterprises_11092005