Last week 50 Bradford residents were gifted with a free decadent iced cupcake dropped off on their doorsteps by 23-year-old local, Chance Campbell, owner of 'Take a Chance: Baked Goods'.
Campbell says he got the idea from a business marketing course he is currently taking at school, as well as taking queues from local businesses in the area.
“Other business owners always told me sometimes you have to give a little to get a little,” explained Campbell. “A lot of people are going through rough times right now… so, I just wanted to do something nice and get my name out there.”
Campbell lost his grandfather to cancer last year and can relate to people losing their loved ones, especially during the pandemic. With everyone being stuck at home right now, he felt it was the perfect time to do something nice for the community.
“It’s still something tough, not being allowed to leave your home and dealing with grief,” notes Campbell.
Campbell hand wrote each note attached to individual cupcake boxes and drove around last week selecting random homes to give cupcakes to. His logo and contact information were provided on each cupcake box.
“I tried to spread the love around the town in different subdivisions,” notes Campbell. “I did get a lot of positive feedback!”
Campbell says one woman reached out to him after receiving one of his free cupcakes and informed him that she had just lost her mother 10 days prior and the cupcake gave her a moment of joy. Another local resident told Campbell that she had just picked up her pet’s ashes and had been bawling her eyes out, so the cupcake came at the right time.
“What really hit me was we randomly picked doorsteps of people going through really significant hard times,” says Campbell. “But I also picked homes of families who were celebrating something, like a family who welcomed a new baby… It was so nice to get that feedback.”
The surprise cupcake drop-offs came in a variety of flavours made by Campbell himself, including cookies and cream, salted caramel, chocolate with M&M’s, chocolate chip cookie and Oreo, birthday cake, as well as plain chocolate and vanilla because “some people prefer the classics” saya Campbell.
Campbell has lived in Bradford his whole life and has always been passionate about the arts and food. He is a graduate of the Baking & Pastry Arts Management and Culinary Skills program at George Brown College and is currently completing a restaurant management program while running his ‘baked goods’ business on the side.
Campbell began his baked goods and catering business with orders for just family and close friends. Through his Instagram and Facebook accounts, Campbell started posting pictures of his creations which gained the attention of community members and from there, the orders started to come in.
“I love giving gifts,” shares Campbell, claiming he has always been a really good gift-giver. “I’m not looking to be the best in town and show off, but to know I’m making someone’s day makes me happy!”
Campbell completed one of his work placements at local bakery Sweet B’s with owner Bonnie Aguiar and says he enjoyed learning from her experience.
“Every cake I do is a little bit with more knowledge… it’s definitely a ‘learn as you go’ process!” laughs Campbell, adding that he is not afraid to pass on business to other bakeries if he knows someone else can give [the customer] what they want. “My customers trust me and give me creative freedom, so it lets me sit there and look at the cake and decide on the best placement for things… it’s all about the placement!”
Campbell shares that he does outsource some items for his cakes such as cake toppers from Vinyl Obsessed and Bella Paper Designs, and sometimes will use fresh flowers around his cakes from the Flower Merchant or Mid-Valley Gardens in the Holland Marsh.
“People are supporting me and they’re also supporting others which is great,” notes Campbell.
Once his schooling is complete, Campbell dreams of opening his own bakery and café in the area where he can share his love of baking and cooking with the community.
“Thank you Bradfordians for ordering cakes from me, your support is what will lead me to reach my goals,” says Campbell.
To view more creations from Take a Chance: Baked Goods, visit their Instagram @takeachance_bakedgoods.
