Cookie Republic Delivers
Cookie Republic’s chocolate bombs are delicate chocolate shells encasing a mix of cocoa powder and other goodies. When added to hot milk, they melt down to create a unique hot cocoa treat.
As a purveyor of uniquely flavored cookies and hot chocolate bombs, Cookie Republic launched last month to glowing reviews. It also provided co-owners Billy Lee, Cindy Zhang, and Will Lai with a pandemic backup plan.
“I was laid off in late March,” says Lee, who worked with a prominent hotel for the past four years. “[The hotel] was promising me that we’ll be going back to work in June. And then they said we would be going back in October. Then in November they told me, ‘Sorry, you're gone.’”
Meanwhile, Lee’s girlfriend, Cindy Zhang, watched as her prospective career as a finance consultant was put on hold.
“I studied finance and strategy,” says Zhang of her education at Boston University, “so I was trying to get a job as a consultant in the financial industry. So I did several interviews and then the pandemic started.”
As roommates, Lee, Zhang, and Lai rode out the first few months of quarantine waiting for their future plans to resume. Zhang and Lee started dating at University High school, and Lai has remained close with them since their high school days in Irvine. After graduating, their tight friendship led the trio to move in together in nearby Lake Forest.
With all three laid off due to the pandemic, they found themselves stuck at home with a lot of free time on their hands. Like many of us, Zhang experimented with baking. As she turned out one delectable treat after another, she and her roommates wondered if her baking passion could turn into a baking profession.
The Oat-Kie Dokey cookie is one of Cookie Republic’s customer favorites for its healthy ingredients and clean flavors.
“We all had nothing to do,” says Lee. “Cindy [Zhang] was trying out cookies, and then we tried them and they were all really good. And then we all said, ‘Should we do something about it?’ Will [Lai] and I, we started developing the website and ideas, and Cindy was trying out the new products that we were going to sell.”
Zhang’s recipe experimentation lead her to a unique cookie creation: fresh, flavorful, and not too sweet. Unlike most intensely sweetened cookies, Cookie Republic’s treats are tempered for a healthier and more modern palate.
“It’s my habit to bake to my taste and personality,” says Zhang. “We go to all the dessert places, all the milk tea places, all the bakeries, and then I make my own version. We want everything to be simple, natural and healthy. And not too sweet.”
One of Zhang’s creations is Lee’s favorite: Cookie Republic’s take on the classic chocolate chip cookie.
“My personal favorite is the Choco Chip-Kie,” says Lee. “It's really special and very different. The cookies out there, people usually make them flat and doughy. What I like about our cookies is they’re not so sweet, but also very crunchy. It makes you want to have one after another one.”
Zhang’s favorite is called The Vienna, a deceptively complex chocolate-dipped cookie.
“The texture is really different,” says Zhang of The Vienna. “It’s got a couple layers in the center. You can taste different textures while you’re chewing.”
Once Zhang finalized ten different cookie recipes and seven different chocolate bomb recipes to sell, the gang decided to go for it. Starting the business required a crash course in food operation bureaucracy.
“We basically had no experience in opening our own business,” says Lee. “We had to see what we need to do with the Orange County Health Department to get the license and permits in the beginning. And then the marketing. It was a challenge for us to find new customers. So we were just doing a lot of research. We sent out flyers, the old fashioned way. And social media: Instagram, Facebook. We just tried a lot of different things to get our business going.”
Once Cookie Republic found its customer base, the roommates had to keep up with demand. For Zhang, that meant baking up a storm.
Cookie Republic’s goods are all baked by co-owner Cindy Zhang, and quickly delivered by fellow co-owners Will Lai and Billy Lee.
“We started in early December, and it was crazy,” says Lee. “Basically Cindy [Zhang] is doing all the cookies and all the chocolate bombs. She tried to teach me how to do it because we got so many orders. We were trying to help her out, but it was really all her in the beginning.”
Once the orders are fulfilled, it is up to Lee and Lai to deliver. Cookie Republic’s freshly baked goods require a quick turn-around and their delicate chocolate bombs must be carefully transported.
“So right now we just do deliveries in Orange County,” says Lee. “We have to deliver fast. At the beginning, we were thinking how are we going to do this, because the chocolate bombs need to be refrigerated. Otherwise they’ll melt. So we had to purchase a mini Igloo and then put some ice in it to ensure that they stay cold. We figured out a way. We have a problem, we solve the problem. Have a problem. Solve the problem. That's usually how businesses grow. ”
The team at Cookie Republic has big plans for its future. Zhang is experimenting with new recipes already.
“We will still carry things like chocolate bombs, but I’ll be making something new,” says Zhang. “Like cakes, but not just regular cakes. I'm still trying out new recipes.”
Zhang tries to offer items that are not just delicious and fresh, but also unique. One example is her nougat.
“That’s a kind of Taiwanese candy,” says Zhang. “They basically don't have it in America so we want to let people try it out. Not a lot of people have ordered it. They don’t know what it is. We sometimes give it out for free as samples. If they try it, people will probably be getting in the future.”
Lee’s hopes Cookie Republic’s future eventually leads to a brick and mortar store of its own. He looks forward to a post-COVID environment where they can shape the customer experience.
“We’re definitely trying to grow the business as big as possible,” Lee says. “And in the future, when the pandemic fades away and everything goes back to normal, we will look into an actual store. That will be our next step. People can sit down, enjoy their cookies or hot chocolate bombs or coffee.”
While running Cookie Republic is a stark contrast from their planned futures, the Cookie Republic crew is prepared to change course. Lee attributes his flexibility to his mother’s sage advice.
“You have to be ready for anything because you never know what's coming to you,” says Lee. “My mom always says that, and that's so true right now. She kept telling me, ‘Just always have to have a Plan B,’ and she's very right about that.”
Cookie Republic’s cookies and chocolate bombs can be ordered online for delivery in Orange County. The Vine readers can use a 15% off coupon with the offer code VINECITYNEWS15 (one time use only).