Local dessert shops are using a secret ingredient to attract customers: tradition.
In a rapidly expanding industry, shops are using the flavors of their own culture to stand out.
At Livin Sweet, a Mexican dessert shop in Belmont, employees are combining their own cultural traditions and their families’ legacies.
“My dad always wanted an ice cream shop,” said David Ibarra, an employee at Livin Sweet.
According to David Ibarra, Livin Sweet is “the only shop in Belmont that can provide very authentic Mexican flavors or Mexican snacks.”
This local emphasis on tradition coincides with the dessert industry’s rapid growth.
There was a 52% increase in new dessert shops from May 2023 to April 2024. Crumbl Cookie, the fastest-growing dessert chain in the United States, is leading this surge.
This growth is prompting a shift in popular types of desserts and in the stores selling them.
“Normal bakeries are getting replaced by boba shops and more unique dessert places,” said sophomore Anaya Goradia, a student who runs her own baking business. Goradia is also the president of the Baking Club at Carlmont.
As the dessert industry changes and rapidly expands, dessert businesses with a local emphasis on tradition are making efforts to ensure their business’ success.
Proud of its authenticity, Livin Sweet is using social media platforms to display their products and lead people to discover their store.
“We also got a white van, and we’re thinking about wrapping it with our information, so while we’re driving you can just scan it for our Instagram,” said Jennifer Ibarra, a Livin Sweet employee.
This business strategy may attract high schoolers who turn to social media for recommendations.
“My friends and I go to new places based on what we’ve seen on social media,” Goradia said.
Livin Sweet is also expanding its customer base by promoting itself at fairs, private events, and community gatherings.
“I want to get into those schools. I have to talk to whoever is in charge and work together with the schools,” David Ibarra said.
Livin Sweet has seen an increase in customers since their opening 2.5 years ago. However, their building’s current layout is limiting their ability to expand the menu and offer more snacks.
“Some items require different stations or equipment,” David Ibarra said. “For example, when you work with food, you have to have a hole in the roof to make sure the air goes out.”
Beyond the technical aspects behind these businesses, dessert shops are dedicated to providing a sweet opportunity to socialize with friends.
“It’s not really just, ‘I want to go get ice cream.’ It’s, ‘Do you want to go try this with me?'” Goradia said. “It’s not only about eating dessert. It’s also about hanging out with people.”
