Searching for Specialized Sweets? Sugarplate has them.

Look no further. Whether it’s a creative special-occasion cake or everyday cookies and cupcakes that meet your child’s special dietary needs, Sugarplate has the answer.

Founder Ajay Bavle created Sugarplate, an online marketplace for small Valley bakers, as a local alternative to supermarket cakes and baked goods. His daughter has an egg allergy, placing most traditional baked goods out of reach. Searching for an alternative, Bavle realized how hard it was to find and connect with specialized local bakers, especially those working out of their homes under Arizona’s “cottage law.” Since special-occasion cakes are needed only a few times per year, it’s difficult for consumers to keep up with what’s available. Bavle combined this personal motivation with his tech skills and voilá, Sugarplate was born in March 2017.

Sugarplate customers can search for sweets by location, category or dietary requirements, make their selections and then pay online. The orders are picked up at the baker’s location (or, in some cases, arrangements can be made to have them delivered). Bavle says the bite-size cookies, cupcakes and treats have proven to be the most popular on an ongoing basis, but when a special occasion such as a birthday party comes up, his customers are enchanted by the whimsical cakes on offer.

His biggest challenge has been that the bakers are too busy to find time to work with him on the onboarding process. The ones he represents are hardworking creative types who prefer to spend their time in the kitchen rather than marketing their goods. But he’s managed to bring eight bakers online so far and has more in the pipeline.