Premium distributors of freshly baked cookies
"Starting its operation in the year 1969, Paradise Bakery became the first outlet in the United States to offer freshly prepared cookies. These soon became the cookies sold at McDonald’s franchises everywhere. One of the founders of the bakery went on to produce and supply the cookies across the nation. The man behind the idea was Robert Duggan."
Overview
In 1976 the founders of Paradise Bakery & Cafe created their first freshly baked cookies and muffins in Long Beach, California. They were one of the first premium distributors of fresh-baked cookies to the U.S. market and won major clients including McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Disney World.
As their success grew, they expanded their menu selections; delicious brownies, croissants, quiches, breads, soups, salads, and sandwiches were added.
Paradise Bakery became one of the leaders in freshly baked cookies. Bob Duggan inspired the concept, put the people together, invested the capital, and came up with both the recipes and the idea of a fresh-baked presentation. Bob personally created the recipe for the “Chocolate Chip Chipper” because he wanted the cookie to stay soft and gooey. This cookie, along with the company’s other delicious products, was made available worldwide.
In 1987 Paradise Bakery was sold to Chart House Inc. and is now owned by Panera Bread, a well‐known restaurant chain. The story of Paradise’s growth and eventual sale is the subject of a module at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
In 1981 Duggan’s partners, the Patterson brothers and Carter Holmes, opened a Paradise Bakery location in Aspen, Co. The sale of the brand did not include the Aspen, store and it is still known as the Paradise Bakery. It has served as a gathering spot in the Volk Plaza for nearly 40 years, and to this day you can go there for a scratch-made treat. As many as 300,000 customers continue to visit the Aspen location annually, as the Paradise Bakery continues to make headlines in articles like this one in 2020.
