‘When we discovered LOLA’s back in 2007, it was such an exciting moment for Selfridges. The cupcakes were a revelation – wondrous colours and flavours. LOLA’s is a vibrant brand driven by passionate foodies Victoria and Romy. We look forward to their continued success.’
Ewan Venters, Food Director, Selfridges & Co
In the beginning we had nothing but an idea, ambition and a box of empty cupcake cases. We lived across the road from each other and started baking in our mothers’ kitchens, taking orders in our bedrooms and making deliveries in our cars. There really was no written recipe for us to follow; a combination of the right timing, some good luck and two incredibly determined minds meant things evolved quickly and organically. Within a year we managed to fill the empty cupcake cases, move out of our home kitchens and set up a LOLA’s production bakery in Primrose Hill, London.
Life before LOLA’s was very different. You would have found Victoria at her desk at Goldman Sachs where she worked as part of the Credit Derivatives team. After five years, Victoria decided to trade her knowledge of finance systems to explore her more creative side in the cupcake market, which was starting to establish itself in the UK. She had the idea of setting up a cupcake company and when orders started rolling in, she asked a family friend, Romy, to join her. Romy had recently graduated with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Her passion for journalism and frontline reporting was sidelined when she was presented with this new opportunity. The risk and excitement associated with starting a new business from nothing was adrenaline-inducing enough to satisfy Romy and the two became partners. The business became official in September 2006 and LOLA’s was born.
We’re both from very relaxed and warm South African families who love entertaining. It took us a while to realize that this was the inspiration behind LOLA’s. When we began, our knowledge of the science required in baking was minimal. As a result, we learned a lot in a very short space of time and we called on all of our resources to help. We tried and tested hundreds of recipes and methods before we mastered LOLA’s signature taste and unique style: uncomplicated yet sophisticated.
Our motto was simple: to handcraft the best cupcakes that you have ever tasted. And we hold ourselves to this standard every single day. To achieve this goal, we source the finest ingredients to ensure that the freshness and quality of our product is never compromised. Fortunately we now have a team of specialist bakers and decorators who continue to amaze us every day with their creativity, passion and skill. We always remain true to our mission statement, which states that we ‘believe in preserving the quality of freshly baked cakes in a world where all things natural and simple have been replaced by complexity and obscure chemicals’.
We have an obsessive attention to detail and never compromise on taste or quality. Our goal is to show each and every customer LOLA’s wow factor. Whether you make your purchase in one of our stores, online or over the phone, our wonderful team in the office and our store retail assistants are trained to leave you feeling uplifted from having been a part of the LOLA’s experience.
We have expanded our retail outlets across central London and today have our own standalone store in Mayfair, which we refer to as ‘LOLA’s Personal Touch’, and concessions in Selfridges, Topshop and an outlet in Harrods, as well as our online store, which helped us get the business off the ground on Day One.
We leave nothing to the imagination; our daily range consists of 17 different flavours and our talented product developer spends months coming up with enchanting and innovative creations. We have extended our range to include everything from personalized and bespoke cupcakes, to themed cupcakes – and our ideas don’t stop there. From dinner-party tables, through airport security, on your wedding cake stand or on the boardroom table, LOLA’s has the perfect cupcakes, whatever the occasion.
Like any business, LOLA’s comes with its challenges. On a super-busy day our team might make up to 7,000 cupcakes and 60 large cakes. Every day is different and we’re always looking at what we can do next to ensure we stay ahead of the trends in such a competitive market. The most challenging part of our job is trying to be on top of everything. Not only do we need to understand how to bake and decorate the perfect cupcake, we’ve also had to learn how to be accountants, lawyers, psychologists, HR specialists, marketing and branding professionals, building surveyors, customer service experts – and the list goes on! However, LOLA’s continues to be the most incredible adventure and we have loved every minute. Every so often we take a step back to appreciate what the business has achieved. We are incredibly grateful for the experience and excited for the future.
We are thrilled to be able to share our knowledge and day-to-day experiences of the LOLA’s baking world with you through our recipe book. This book is filled with 65 of our handpicked recipes, a few of LOLA’s top secrets, a sprinkling of tips and a topping of helpful hints. We hope that it inspires you to make cupcakes with LOLA and that each beautiful cupcake brings you as much joy as it has brought us.
