What If Your Recipe Could Change the Industry? How Bell’s Reines Gourmet Cookies Broke Into Retail
What started as a simple food blog to remember recipes has blossomed into a thriving gourmet cookie business that's now gracing the shelves of the Smithsonian museums and Ronald Reagan Airport. In this episode I kick back with Tanisha Thompson and Angel Thompson-Cephas, the dynamic mother-daughter team behind Bell’s Reines From starting as a food blog to building a thriving brand, they share their journey of entrepreneurship, working together as family, and how their cookies landed in major retailers, museums, and airports.
The Sweet Beginning
In 2018, Angel launched Dulcet Scintilla, a food blog created for one simple reason: so she didn’t forget what she made in the kitchen. What began as a personal recipe repository quickly grew into something much bigger when mom Tanisha started fielding requests from friends and family wanting Angel's delicious creations.
"My mom goes, 'Hey, such and such wants that cookie you just made, or such and such wants that bread that you just made. You should sell these,'" Angel recalls.
From there, the duo experimented with everything – short ribs, catering, personal chefing, and even cupcakes. But it was the miniature cookies that truly sparked joy for Angel. "I don't know, it just gave me joy making miniature things," she says.
Breaking Through: The Pivotal Moment
After facing rejection from farmer's markets, the duo's breakthrough came through Shop Made in DC – a woman-owned business showcasing local artists and food makers throughout the DMV area.
"That was our big break," Angel confirms. "They put us in all of their stores and then that's how we started to be a part of their corporate gifts."
From that single partnership, everything changed. A Fox 5 producer spotted them in-store, leading to media coverage. One press release at a Hyatt event created a domino effect that landed them in:
Two Smithsonian museums
Ronald Reagan Airport
Walmart.com
"From one event. From a press release and one event," Tanisha emphasizes. "You just gotta keep showing up."
The Product That's Making Waves
Bell's Reigns specializes in soft gourmet mini cookies that check all the boxes:
Nut-free (crucial for allergy sufferers)
Vegan options available
Gluten-free varieties
Portion-controlled for guilt-free indulgence
Aesthetically beautiful packaging
Their current lineup includes:
Snickerdoodle (my favorite!)
Oatmeal Raisin
Chocolate Chip with Sea Salt
Vegan Chocolate Chip
Lemon (described as "a ray of sunshine")
"We wanted to make sure that it was a guilt-free pleasure," Angel explains about their miniature sizing. "Less calories, less sugar, and it's cute."
The Challenges of Growth
Success brings its own challenges. As more people discover Bell’s Reines, the requests have started to roll in for extremely large cookie orders. While it’s great that their cookies are in high demand, it also exposes the reality that the company has a need for a larger commercial kitchen in order to keep growing.
But despite massive order requests, Bell's Reines is taking a measured approach to growth. Instead of jumping to investors, they're:
Participating in business programs
Taking advantage of Maryland women-owned small business resources
Pursuing small business loans to maintain 100% ownership
Getting properly certified (recently achieved women-owned business certification)
"Everything 100% is still ours," Tanisha states firmly about their ownership philosophy.
Lessons for Aspiring Food Entrepreneurs
Do Your Research
Understand your state's cottage food laws
Get proper certifications (food manager license, business certifications)
Know the regulations for your specific product category
Start Small, Think Big
Begin as a cottage food company if possible (up to $50,000 in Maryland)
Test your market locally before expanding
You don’t need a business plan to get started
The Power of Packaging
Working with an experienced design company helped Bell's Reines learn the importance of packing when it comes to Consumer Packaged Goods:
You have 4-6 seconds to catch a customer's eye
Invest in professional branding that tells your story
Consider shelf presence from day one
Always launch with an odd number of products (they started with 3)
Networking is Everything
"You just gotta keep showing up," Tanisha advises. "You don't know what's gonna happen. You just gotta keep being consistent and recognize that you're in the right place at the right time."
The Future is Bright
With their sights set on federal contracts, their own production facility within two years, and the infrastructure to handle those million-cookie orders, Bell's Reines is positioned for explosive growth.
Their motto says it all: "Life is sweet. Savor the small things."
As they continue building their cookie empire, Tanisha and Angel prove that with the right combination of family love, business savvy, and exceptional products, even the smallest cookies can create the biggest dreams.
Where To Find Bell’s Reines
Want to try Belle's Reigns cookies? Visit bellsreines.com. Follow their journey on Instagram.
