Going Mobile

LOOKING TO FIND A WAY TO SPEND MORE QUALITY TIME TOGETHER, TRACEY Noonan and daughter Dani Vilagie, enrolled in cake-decorating classes back in 2010. Not only did they get the mother-daughter bonding they craved, but taking that class started the Massachusetts natives on a journey that would end with running a multi-million dollar cupcake business.

The pair’s baked treats got such rave reviews from friends and family that it inspired the duo to open the first Wicked Good Cupcakes shop in 2011. In Boston slang, “Wicked” means awesome, and the product is true to its name. Word got out that the mother-daughter team had a special product and the orders started rolling in. With requests to ship these fresh-baked cupcakes all over the country, they needed to find a way to keep them fresh longer. The solution? Mason jars. They keep the cupcakes fresh for 10 days, and you can freeze them for six months.

The duo hit it big when they presented their business on the ABC reality show, “Shark Tank.” They struck a royalty deal with Shark Kevin O’Leary (a.k.a., Mr. Wonderful), who helped grow Wicked Good Cupcakes to one of the largest cupcake brands in the United States.

In 2018, the duo started offering mobile franchising opportunities. Still baked from scratch at the Hanover, Massachusetts headquarters, the cupcakes are shipped to franchisees, ready-to-go and packaged in the collectible mason jars. “We have it down to a science. There are no baking skills required, but franchisees should be personable and enjoy being out and about to be effective in this business.” The mobile model has been very well received. “We’ve been to weddings, festivals, corporate events, you name it. Customers love the cupcakes—and the jars,” says Noonan. For Tracey and Dani, it’s been a sweet ride and a wicked-profitable one at that. For more information, visit www.wickedgoodcupcakes.com