Crave Cupcakes, the iconic Calgary-based bakery known for its from-scratch cupcakes, cookies, and cakes, is expanding with a move from its original location in the Kensington neighbourhood to a new spot combining the bakery with a coffee shop called CeCe.
Co-founders Carolyne McIntyre Jackson and Jodi Willoughby, sisters who launched Crave in 2004, have expanded over the years beyond their original Kensington location. The company now boasts locations in Edmonton, Saskatoon, and a new bakery/cafe in Kelowna.
The brand recently opened its new location in the Hillhurst neighbourhood, just west of where it had been for years since its opening.
At its grand opening this week, Jackson said the concept of a coffee shop with a bakery was launched in June in Kelowna.
“Kelowna is a little bit different with one full space but here it’s kind of two different spaces,” she said.
“This was a really good opportunity. It actually started with the Kelowna space. When we went to Kelowna we saw this beautiful space but it was big and we thought if we’re going to take this space we can’t just do cupcakes, we also need to do coffee. It started there. The Kensington block is getting a huge renovation. So we started looking in the area. It needed a renovation, you’re sales are going to be not maybe what they should be, hard to park. We then decided to move the location. This space was available and we thought we can do the coffee shop next door.”
Jackson said the square footage at the new location is about 2,500 square feet combined with the two concepts.
Does she foresee the concept evolving into more locations?
“Maybe, we’ll see how it goes. I think it will be interesting because Kelowna is so different. Kelowna is one big space where this is two separate spaces. It’s going to be interesting to see how the two of them operate.”
In addition to their physical expansions, Crave introduced a new Bake at Home line, available in over 150 grocery stores across Alberta and British Columbia. The line includes cake mixes, frozen buttercream, and pre-portioned cookie dough—all made with the same high-quality ingredients that Crave is known for.
Crave also launched its first-ever cookbook, “Crave: Cupcakes, Cakes, Cookies, and More from an Iconic Bakery.”
In Calgary there are four stores. Kelowna was the brand’s first new location in 12 years.
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