With Winter Fancy Food Show (WFFS) 2022 fondly in our rearview mirrors, I can’t help but think of the last WFFS in 2020, the same show where I first met Angelina McClean, Co-Founder of Wake-N-Bagel. Angelina, along with her mother and Co-Founder Francesca Fericano, first debuted Wake-N-Bagel at the 2020 show, the retail brand of its Little Shop of Bagels bakery. Since then, the mother/daughter duo has brought a new flavor to the lineup of their innovative, frozen thaw-and-bake bagels: Raisin-Cinnamon.
“Our new packaging went over great. With its smaller footprint on freezer shelves and the same contents inside, it’s a win-win for customers and retailers,” Angelina tells Deli Market News. “Our new Raisin-Cinnamon flavor received a lot of positive feedback from those who sampled them. Many people told us things like, ‘Great packaging,’ ‘Great chew,’ and ‘Love the name.’”
As noted in the release, the newly revamped retailer-friendly packaging is shorter to enable more options for placement on freezer shelves. Wake-N-Bagel products are found in the frozen section of retailers such as Whole Foods, Metropolitan Markets, and Market of Choice stores in Oregon and Washington. They can also be found as far away as Hong Kong, in City Super stores.
“It was so great being a part of the Winter Fancy Food Show in person after two years. You can get a lot done communicating through technology these days, but meeting your contacts face to face is certainly more satisfying,” elaborates Angelina. “The camaraderie between exhibitors is always a special thing, and we’re grateful for the new friendships we made and the knowledge that was shared.”
The Plain variety of Wake-N-Bagels is now also available for foodservice customers who are looking for a high-quality, artisan, thaw-and-bake bagel made with organic flour.
“A lot has happened since we first launched our product back in 2020. Like most people, we’ve had many challenges due to the pandemic, but we managed to open our new Wake-N-Bagel facility, continue running our original Little Shop of Bagels, and build some great new relationships in the CPG industry,” says Angelina.
Wake-N-Bagel’s thaw-and-bake frozen line is made from a family recipe with over 27 years of success in the retail and wholesale bakery Little Shop of Bagels in Ashland, Oregon. The women-owned company brings the experience of fresh, authentic bagels into home kitchens.
“We’re happy the Winter Fancy Food Show was able to happen this year in person and look forward to more in-person events!” Angelina concludes.
Here at Deli Market News, we can’t wait to see our industry friends and taste the newest innovations hitting the market, so stay tuned as we report on the latest.
