Thursday, March 31, 2011

Happy Easter!

I think decorated Easter cookies may be my favorite of all the holidays.  There's something about a bright yellow baby chick or a smiling bunny face that just makes me feel happy!  Since Easter falls late in the year we get a little extra time to show off our decorated Easter cookies and Easter cookie gift bags. 

One new item we're offering this year is a jumbo decorated rabbit.  It stands 8" tall and comes in a gift bag with baby chicks and decorated egg-shaped cookies. 
 
And we have our signature cookie cake on display at the bakery.  It's all decked out for Easter.  Stop by and have a look!

Our Signature Cookie Cake


On a side note, April 2 marks the one year anniversary that we moved into our current retail location.  And you loyal customers already know that June 22 is the one year anniversary of opening our doors to the public.  Thank you!


Monday, March 21, 2011

Our Mission Statement

A mission statement is a "statement of purpose" or "guiding hand" for a business.  In business school we are taught that it is one of the first things a new enterprise should define.  After all, how will you know "what to do" if you don't define your purpose from the beginning?

Good or bad, we did not write a mission statement when Michael's Cookie Jar opened for business in the autumn of 2006.  Back then we operated out of a shared commercial kitchen in Tomball.  We knew at some point a mission statement would be a good idea, but at the beginning we were satisfied following our instincts and simply make "cookies that are beautiful to the eye with a taste that exceeds your expectations."  That meant using real ingredients, like butter, sugar, eggs and natural flavors.  It also meant using time-honored culinary techniques. 

As we approach a milestone (on April 2nd we will celebrate the "move in" date to our current retail location) we have finally defined our purpose! 

Writing a mission statement is not easy.  It must be concise, accurate and inspiring.  We knew there had to be something about great tasting cookies in the mission statement, but we wanted to be a little more than that.  After all, cookies are not produced in a vacuum.  It's really about people: the people who make the cookies, the people who eat the cookies and the community it creates.

With that, we present the "Official Michael's Cookie Jar Mission Statement."  You feedback is welcome!

Michael’s Cookie Jar is dedicated to graciously serving our community exceptionally delicious cookies made with love, care and natural ingredients.
 
We will accomplish this by: 
  • Creating an environment that nurtures our people and nourishes our community.
  • Respecting, developing and rewarding the labor, talents, and dedication of our people.
  • Using time-honored culinary techniques and real ingredients like butter, sugar, eggs, flour and natural flavorings.
  • Charging a fair price with the expectation of a reasonable profit.
  • Giving back to the community that supports us.
  • Accepting that every member of this organization plays a vital role in achieving these common goals