Steve Abrams, Owner and CEO of Magnolia Bakery, spoke to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the very first time. "We are currently very close to closing a deal in the Kingdom and we should open there this year,” he revealed to Arab News in an exclusive interview.
Magnolia Bakery first opened in 1996 on a quiet street corner in New York City’s West Village. Magnolia has always been beloved for its classic American baked goods, vintage decor and warm, inviting atmosphere. From LA to Dubai, it is the epitome of vintage and most cherished bakery.
"When my family and I bought the bakery from its original owner in 2006, it was still the one shop in the West Village. Over the past five years, we’ve expanded to eight worldwide, including five locations in New York and one each in Los Angeles, Chicago and Dubai. Soon, we’ll also be opening up stores in Qatar, Lebanon and Kuwait, among other countries,” said Abrams.
“While Magnolia is credited with launching the ‘cupcake craze,’ we’ve always been a full-service bakery, serving nearly 120 varieties of freshly baked desserts. Today, there are certainly many shops specializing in cupcakes, but we are proud to offer our customers a broad selection of desserts," he added.
The internationally famous brand are asked to do different types of press, shoots, interviews, charity and events on a daily basis. Sarah Jessica Parker munches on them in Sex and The City as do other beloved celebrities.
However, Abrams declared: "We are very careful not to exploit the brand in any way that works against the brand equity. As much press as you see, it is only a small fraction of what we could do and anything we do has to work within the context of the three ‘facets of Magnolia.’”
If you have the zest for life and equal craving to quench the thirst of life and find the perfect blend of a sweet treat, then welcome to the seventh heaven and thousands will vouch for that. If you have not had the red velvet cheesecake, you haven't had anything.
Magnolia’s classy, fashionable and famous collection of pies, cakes, cupcakes, cookies, bars and icebox treats are a treat for the senses that you have not yet discovered.
Get ready to experience a trip on this magic carpet. Magnolia cupcakes are a heavenly treat of Red Velvet, Devil's Food, Coconut, Lemon, Caramel, Banana, Hummingbird, Carrot, German, Pumpkin, Truffled Chocolate, Sno-cap, S'mores, Orange, Snickerdoodle and Gingerbread. Magnolia’s cookies are a wonderful mix of Cracked Sugar, Brown Sugar, Chocolate Chunk, Peanut Butter, Oatmeal Raisin, Coconut Macaroon, Lemon Cornmeal Shortbread and Iced Molasses. Indulge in their lip-smacking pies: Apple Double Crust, Apple Crumb, Seasonal Fruit Pies, Pumpkin, Pecan or Black Bottom Pecan and Fruit Crisps.Brownies, bars and the flourless chocolate cake make Magnolia a compulsion if not an obsession. It is hard to decipher the difference.
We we asked Abrams how he revolutionized and retained the essence of Magnolia, he answered: "We took the bakery from a mom-and-pop shop to an internationally, well-known, luxury lifestyle brand. Along the way, we professionalized all of our systems, standardized the recipes for consistency and focused on customer service. We have always prided ourselves on being open to all demographics — everyone is our customer. Sweets are a universal desire and every culture has a favorite. Through global travel and brand awareness, we have found that our products resonate across the world. We are really, at our heart, the quintessential corner bakery and are part of the fabric of the neighborhoods in which we have locations.
“We get very involved with the community in a myriad ways, including working with the local schools and charities, donating leftover product at the end of the day to shelters and partnering with local cultural institutions in creative ways. We also bake all of our products in each store all day in small batches. That is a rarity these days and resonates strongly with our clientele," he added.
He mentioned the three most essential facets of the bakery are a fusion of integrity, customer service and quality product.
No compromises on a Magnolia promise. You can walk in and be sure you will fall in love. The magic works.
Flourless chocolate cupcake with vanilla bean icing, chocolate chip cookies and the apple crumb muffin.
— Besides Qatar, Lebanon and Kuwait, Magnolia is also closing deals in Jordan, Japan, Russia and Morocco; and are working on deals in Mexico, Brazil, Greece and Turkey.
