Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Brennan.
Hi Jennifer, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In 2015, after working food service and management for a number of years, I came to a point where I felt like I could do more. I was wanting more fulfillment. Tea and baking/cooking have always been a part of my life in some way, and when my coworkers started telling me that I could definitely sell the vegan pastries that I was sharing with them at work, I took the leap! I wanted to make sure that all of my products were made with the highest quality, and were sourced in a conscious way. I set aside $300, found a great small business to source all of my organic tea and tea inclusions, and started experimenting with flavor combos. I knew I wanted to serve organic cold brewed teas, and make all vegan pastries that even conventional eaters would prefer. I came up with a small pastry menu and 5 tea blends. Somehow, I lucked out and was able to get a spot at the Deland Artisan Alley Farmer’s Market, one Friday, and 2 days later, land a last-minute spot at the Deland Indie Market. After that first weekend, I made my total investment back, and was hooked. Now, I have my own commercial space in downtown DeLand, I sell me tea and pastries wholesale and retail, and make custom vegan cakes to order. I still set up every Friday night at the Artisan Alley Farmer’s Market, and every season at the Deland Indie Market, as well as other downtown DeLand events. 4 years ago, I was able to make my company my fulltime gig, and there’s no looking back! Having this business has also afforded me the opportunity put a smile on a kids face who wouldn’t normally be able to eat a pan au chocolate or custard tart, because of an allergy. Also, once a month I bake, donate, and serve at least 70 serving of vegan desserts to the Neighborhood Center of West Volusia, that provides food and housing to anyone who needs it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
These past few years have been challenging for everyone, due to the pandemic. For me, all of my markets and most of my wholesale customers were shut down, so I lost that dependable income for a while. I started my website, and bumped up custom orders just to survive. It was bleak for a while, but the local DeLand community really rallied behind our small businesses. I’m also just a 1 woman show, so everything falls on me. That can really be a struggle for small business owners. I’ve learned that making time for myself and building a friend network of other small business owners can really relieve some of the pressures of being an entrepreneur.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
When I started, I really wanted to bake vegan, non-gmo pastries, that really couldn’t be found at the time. I wanted to give a traditional patisserie feel, but then stun when customers found out they were vegan. Some of the products I specialize in are hand-made croissants, pan au chocolate, Danish, custard tarts, cakes, fruit curds, fudge, and of course all of my organic tea blends. I enjoy growing some of my ingredients as well. I’m known for my jams and marmalades, that are made with my homegrown or locally sourced fruits, and usually infused with my tea blends. I’m mostly affectionately named “The Scone Lady”, because you can’t have tea without scones,
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
When I started, there really wasn’t a lot of people producing tea or vegan products. So, in the beginning there was curiosity, but definitely some avoidance, just because I labeled my products “vegan” or “plant-based”. After a while, I realized there was a huge market for my products. Customers started hearing about me and finding relief that they could actually have a birthday cake made for their child who struggles with a food allergy! I believe the positives of risk-taking usually outweigh the negatives. You’ll never know, if you don’t try.
Contact Info:
- Website: centroteaco.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/centroteaco
- Facebook: facebook.com/centroteaco
Image Credits
Jennifer Brennan
