Turning the world onto cookies

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This article was published 26/01/2022 (1587 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If anyone spots a big blue monster with a penchant for cookies wandering the streets of St. Boniface in the near future, there might be a plausible explanation.

Vicki Melo, the owner and operator of the Sugar Mama Cookie Company, will soon be opening a storefront location for her business at 184 Provencher Blvd. Described as a cute and colourful shop and bakery, the goal is for the enterprise to eventually include a café in the spring, although the uncertainly caused by the pandemic means the timeline isn’t set in stone at this stage.

What is for sure is that the married mother of three is passionate about making cookies and sharing her culinary creations with her growing list of customers. Melo currently rents space in commercial kitchens and sells her products online (and delivers). As well as offering a large selection of cookies — including chocolate cake cookies, cinnamon roll, funfetti, ginger chews, pumpkin pecan, and red velvet white chocolate, to name a few — the Sugar Mama Cookie Company can also do mini cookie platters and custom cookies for different occasions.

“I really, really believe in this business,” Melo, who lives in Bridgwater Trails, said recently. “It will be the first of its kind in Winnipeg. “I’ve been to places like it in Toronto, Vancouver and the U.S., but not here. We’ll have endless options, and endless flavours — pretty much any sweet dessert from anywhere around the world.”

Melo’s passion for what she does shines through when she talks about her hopes and dreams for the business, and part of her plan may include tweaking people’s perceptions about cookies.

“Cookies are my favourite dessert ever, and I’d like to try and turn the world onto cookies and change perceptions. Cookies can be a decadent and luxurious dessert,” she said.

In terms of her new premises, the business will be located in between Chocolatier Constance Popp and the former site of the Wayne Arthur Gallery.

“It’s a really great location. I used to live in Mexico City — my husband is Mexican — and everywhere takes two hours to get to. This is such a great neighbourhood, and it’s so close to downtown and The Forks,” Melo added, noting she’s painted the front of the building pink.

Go online at www.sugarmamacookiecompany.com for more information or visit @sugarmamacookiecompany on Instagram.