Inspiring Conversations with Melissa Mcintyre of BOUJEE’S BISCUITS LLC/ BOUJEE’S BISCUITS BARKERY

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Mcintyre

Hi Melissa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In 2021, my family and I visited friends in Texas. The friend’s dog, Sophia, had to find a new home, so I knew our house was missing something. We had been home from our latest visit for less than a month when we drove back to Texas to pick her up.
We quickly figured out that Sophia had some severe food allergies. After some research and testing, we avoided foods with chicken and gluten. Haylee, the youngest of my family, has celiac disease. I knew how to cook and bake for her. The dog treats in the store were expensive, and I was a single mom. The baking batches of recipes began. Family and friends were our taste testers. The dogs unanimously loved what I was creating.
The COVID pandemic has changed the landscape of career choices, and it felt right to move in this direction.
My mother died from lung cancer shortly before my baking began. In her honor, I wanted to give back to the community. My mom had a heart of gold. She loved feeding people experiencing homelessness and those struggling in the community. Slowly, we added more causes.
My boyfriend moved into the house in 2022 and nicknamed Sophia Boujee. Boujee’s Biscuits LLC was born. As Boujee’s Biscuits Barkery has started, we have had over 20 human-grade, all-natural, limited, limited-ingredient treat recipes.
So much has changed since 2021. Most of the kids have moved out to live their adult lives. Ryan and I married in 2023. Haylee, our youngest of seven children, is going to enter college to be a veterinarian in the fall. She has taken on a co-owner in a training role. We have hosted a few events and attended a local farmers market.
We have a fantastic online community and have made friends with many of our dog families. We even have a following in New Jersey.
What started as a possibility has grown exponentially. We have donated over $5,000 to help many rescues, food pantries, and community causes. We have an amazing community of people who have stood by us and love collecting the charms we add to our treats.
We will soon have a store space where we will sell human and dog treats.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nothing worth fighting for is without challenges. The finances of a single mom can be a struggle. I worked extra hard to pay the bills and still make enough money to get ingredients. I gave away thousands of dollars in treats to get our name out there.
Michigan has very strict fees rules for pet treats. We had to learn to navigate the world of feed with testing and restrictions. Adapting recipes for better shelf life and finding new and fun ways to keep our dream alive has had its set of unique challenges.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We make most of our ingredients in house. Our flours and butters are made in small batches. We also cater to any size pooch. Even those who are elderly and need a softer treat. We add personal touches and treat every pup like family.
We do 100% of our own advertising, graphics , deliveries, digital art , packaging , shopping and baking.
By adding a charm to every package, it is our little gift to the human side of our business. Boujee on a budget is a mainstay of our business.
Our Pup Popper , our air fried donut holes are our #1 seller. Followed closely by Elvis Pawsley and Pawsberry Shortcake. Both of the those ingredients are like a human smoothie baked into dog treat form. We add no fillers and it is a guarantee that there will never be any cross- contamination.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
We consider our customer base friends and family. We network by having fun and promotions through giveaways and fun online chats.
The best thing for us has been word of mouth. As a woman-owned business, there have been other local business that have inspired me. Finding like minded people passionate about their cause has been instrumental and inspiring.

Pricing:

• Pricing is $2 an ounce for every recipe
• Delivery is free for all orders over $25

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Boujees-biscuits.myshopify.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boujeesbiscuits?mibextid=ZbWKwL