Wafel-Bitte
Wafel-Bitte began as a cottage food industry, where Belgian Liege waffles were made at the home of Bailey M. Erickson-Nichols and Alexis Hope Nichols, using an authentic Belgian waffle maker and imported Belgian Pearl Sugar. They sold the waffles at various area events and farmers markets; Wafel-Bitte became so popular that their customers asked them to make the mix so they could make the waffles in their own homes. In October 2022, Bailey and Alexis obtained commercial kitchen space and started selling the mix.
The Alabama SBDC at UAH has been instrumental in our growth and a huge supporter. When we opened Wafel-Bitte in Sept 2020, we immediately reached out to SBDC in Huntsville and Michelle Kloske provided exemplary assistance. We initially received counseling on the cottage food industry and have also received assistance regarding training on many small business topics, health department contacts, commercial kitchens, becoming a vendor at the Army Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) and the new NDVSB Marketplace.
In October 2022, we garnered a great deal of attention while selling at large events. Stores in the area asked if we would be a vendor in their stores. We placed our product in approximately ten stores in the area, some retail, and some wholesale. We became a vendor at the Army Air Force Exchange Service and have pop up waffle events at various locations at Redstone Arsenal. We developed an online store as well.
In March 2023, we partnered with local coffee shops who purchased bulk mix and packaging from us. They make our waffles fresh in their stores and the customers love our waffles!
From May to June 2023, we worked with a graphic designer and updated our logo and packaging.
In July 2023, we became a vendor on Amazon. We also developed and started selling a gluten-free version of our mix which has been well received.
Challenge: We did not have a catering license to make fresh waffles so we partnered with local coffee shops who have the correct licensing and space to make and serve our waffles fresh.
To grow, we use any bit of training we can get our hands on and accept contact information and leads from the SBDC.
Wafel-Bitte is a women-veteran owned business which provides Belgian Liege waffle mix and ready to eat waffles. We opened on 9/23/2020. I proudly served in the U.S. Air Force and my daughter, Alexis Hope Nichols, now serves in the U.S. Air Force in Germany.
During COVID isolation, I used the time to teach my daughter how to open a small business. We came up with the idea of Belgian Liege waffles after my 8-year assignment in Germany. She has had an entrepreneurial spirit since a young age so before she left for the military, I wanted to teach her how to take a unique idea and follow it through. With the help of SBDC, I taught her how to test our idea, obtain a business name and license, obtain our LLC, use Quick books, and how to market our product.
Our goal is to have our product on store shelves across the U.S.A. Our next step towards that goal is to obtain our WOSB certification and then request our product be sold on the shelves of the Army Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) and the Defense Commissary Agency (DECA).