Zaneta Riley wants to provide customers with a personalized sweet treat through her business, Cop a Pop Cake Popz.
Ever the entrepreneur, Riley said she has tried her hand at sewing, furniture building, and other ventures, but decorating has been a favorite of hers for a while.
“I like the intricate detail too. I knew you could do that detail on big cakes, but I didn’t want to do it on that big scale. So I felt like cake pops were good and so cute, and you could be creative too,” Riley said.
Cop a Pop makes more than cake pops with rice krispy treats, dipped pretzels, marshmallows, Oreos and cake “pucks” on her menu. Focusing more on the “personal treats,” she doesn’t aim to make cakes or cupcakes but rather to make something that is meant for one to enjoy.
With this focus, each of her individualized treats comes with a custom theme the customer orders. Customers place an order asking for the cake inside and a theme for the set.
The theme could range from superheroes to sports teams or even a smiling sun. But if she notices a logo may look better on a cake “puck,” shaped like a hockey puck but smaller, she may transition it to that to complete the job.
Riley has seen the community welcome her business well over the last two years of business. Even when she was testing the model during the pandemic, she said she would give a pop to essential workers or even today to first responders.
She says her personalized approach comes from being an introvert, though many don’t believe her. She said that even while vending, she tries to provide a wide array to ensure her customers get the best treat for them.
“Seriously, I treat everyone with love. Customers won’t get it any different than how I would serve my kids when I do ones for my kids,” Riley said.
She said this goes back to cooking and baking from her home. Riley wants her customers to feel like they received a homemade personalized treat that’s special for any occasion.
“It’s special to me that they chose me and didn’t have to. So I want to give them something just as special,” Riley said.
Right now, her treats are not available gluten-free or vegan. However, she is working on recipes that meet nutritional needs. Currently, she is perfecting her business to accommodate nut allergies by not having any cross-contamination.
Riley sees big things for her business going into year three, such as planning to be at the Farmer’s Market if possible and then introducing other menu items. In the meantime, Riley said customers can contact her on Facebook here.
