Team Spotlight – Melissa Newell

February 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Welcome our newest team member…Melissa Newell - Employee Spotlight

1. Tell us your job title and a little bit about what you do every day at work.

Customer Care Representative, provide excellent customer service to our customer’s, input orders for Coolbakers

2. Have you always been in this industry? If not, what brought you where you are today?

I have not, before motherhood most of my jobs were in office management and operations, along with project management.  For the past eight years I have been a full-time stay at home mom.  With my youngest one getting ready to start Kindergarten I began looking for something that would still allow me to be a full-time hands on mom to my girls but also allow me the flexibility to be a working mom.

3. What’s something you love about working at Coolbaker’s?

MY TEAM, they are wonderful and the flexibility. I have found my perfect job.  Also the Cinnamon rolls & chicken salad are to die for.

4. Tell us a little bit about what you do for fun when you’re not at work.

My hobbies are watching my girls competitively swim, scrapbooking our family memories, snow skiing & scuba diving.

5. If you could do one thing for a living that had nothing to do with your current job, what would it be?

Being crafty and having an Etsy business.

6. UK or UL?

U of L but I still cheer for the blue.

7. What’s your favorite food on the Coolbaker’s menu?

Cinnamon rolls, & chicken salad

8. What’s your standard coffee shop order?

I don’t drink coffee but when I visit Starbucks I love their hot chocolate.

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Valentine’s Day | Love It or Love to Hate It

February 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Oh, the age old debate: Valentine’s Day, love itValentine's Day or love to hate it. Before long there will be red and pink hearts and roses and teddy bears and chocolates and, well I think you get my point. Hallmark’s own personal Black Friday holiday will be in full force. And there are those on both ends of the spectrum when it comes to their feelings of this ‘special’ holiday. As a 24 year old male (that is the disclaimer for this article: continue reading at your own risk!), I think I am predisposed to hate this holiday. The spending of absurd amounts of money, the trying to live up to expectations that shouldn’t even exist and only do exist thanks to the likes of Cosmo magazines, and the planning, oh the planning.

I can count the number of romantic Valentine’s days that I have experienced on one hand. And when I say one hand I mean like two fingers. But ever since Vincent Van Gogh gifted his ear, relationshipped men everywhere have been failing on the 14th of February. So why do we buy into a Hallmark holiday that is less a romantic expression of love and more like Cupid putting a gun to your head? The same reason we sit through movies like Eat, Pray, Love and The Notebook: because we are suckers who love our gals. And because we sometimes take our better halves for granted.

I don’t necessarily hate this holiday. Although, I also don’t love this holiday, either. So, here’s my pros and cons list. What are your feelings about this holiday?

Hate it

Crowded restaurants, overpriced food, naked cherub decorations, cheesy mainstream gifts…it is so predictable. If I am lucky enough to get reservations at my favorite restaurant (this also assuming I have a date), it is no longer the quaint, private, romantic space it normally is. Tables have been place so jam-packed next to each other that it is next to impossible to move, much less have a private conversation. The over-priced Prix Fixe menu, small portions, and of course it conveniently leaves off my favorite dish.

The Money. Enough said.

The expectations. I certainly don’t want to be included in one of those excruciatingly numerous Cosmo-ish articles on Mistakes Men Make On Valentine’s Day.

 

 

Love it

I am very creative, and I like to think that I can come up with something unique that will make her (even more) head-over-heels. This is (as previously stated) the one day of the year that the gauntlet is thrown down, if you can think of it, then it has likely been done. Trying to find a way to overcome that and really blow her away takes a certain creativity and brashness. I like to think I have it. I like challenges.

If you do wind up being cheesy, it is the one day that it is completely acceptable!

Candy. I love to eat.

I have a date and you don’t. (This point only works if I do, in fact, have a date. If not then this point belongs under the hate column.)

It gives me a reminder to tell others in my life how I care about them. Valentine’s Day isn’t all about romance. It gives me a time to tell my Mother and sister that I also care for them. It’s a good reminder.

Why should we celebrate love just one day of the year, or when corporate America tells us to? We should do it all the time. But we don’t. So we should at LEAST do it once a year. One is better than none! If anything, we should have more Valentine’s days, not less. Like once a month. 12 celebrations of love instead of zero. You do the math.

I love being able to go above and beyond every once in a while. I am not a frivolous spender, so having a day where I am supposed to frivolously spend is probably helpful to my relationship.

 

So that’s my tug-of-war over this ‘holiday’. What are your thoughts? Do you love Valentine’s Day? Does this holiday make your head spin with possibilities? Or, do you have some reservations (not dinner reservations) about your feelings over this holiday?

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Knowing your customers…really knowing them, takes time and experience

February 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Billy, Olanda and Taylor have been with our Coolbaker’s Louisville location for quite some time. When you’ve been around the block a time or two you develop a keen sense of what your customers need and want. Maybe even more than they do.

It’s not uncommon for our staff to catch things, like when a customer who orders our fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies every Monday for a staff meeting, accidentally ordered oatmeal raisin. (No offense to the oatmeal raisin lovers, but the chocolate lovers wouldn’t have it.) Our location managers, delivery drivers, and prep staff catch those little misses to make for a better experience. They will pick up the phone and call the customer, just to verify that the order is correct. One of two things normally happens: the customer thanks us for catching the mistake, or they just might be cool with oatmeal cookies that day. Maybe they’re turning over a new leaf. At any rate, they’re always glad we cared enough to ask.
It’s the small details that make the big difference. Anybody can get the big things right. Does your office catering, business catering, food-go-to place(needs some work using search terms) do the small things for you?

At Coolbaker’s, our job is to make you, the office manager or administration, look fabulous. Tell us how we can do that better.

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New for 2012

January 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Oh, 2011 was a great year! We had a lot go on around here at Coolbaker’s and paved the way for some exciting new changes and additions for the brand new year. Don’t worry, you will still be able to get your favorite Coolbaker’s meal, we didn’t get rid of anything. However, we added some really cool new items that we know you will love.

For the new 2012 year we have rolled out our new pulled pork and pulled chicken BBQ sandwiches! These yummy sandwiches are enough to feed a whole group. We are offering the sandwiches in one and two pound servings (which serves about 4 and 8 people, respectively). These platters also come with all the fixings as well, including sliced red Vidalia onion, pickle chips, and extra BBQ sauce on the side so you can slather it up as much as you want. And of course it all comes with all the plates, napkins, and silverware that you will need. Our creamy red-skinned potato salad and our crunchy coleslaw make perfect pairings to really make this a great meal. And of course the BBQ is served up nice and hot, right to your office by one of our wonderful delivery team members.

Also, we are working on getting a full out nutritional breakdown of our menu items. We know just how healthy our food is, especially compared to those other guys, and we want you to know as well. We’re aware many people (including some of us here at Coolbaker’s) have made New Year’s resolutions to lose weight or eat healthier, and we want to do everything we can to help you stay true to those resolutions. How many other caterers say that they want to help you keep your resolutions? Yep, we’re just that cool. So stay tuned to our blog and our website for that information, as it will be available very soon.

We are going to really be hitting the social media realm hard this year, with all kinds of free stuff and special offers only available through our Facebook, Twitter and here on our blog. So be sure to follow us on those pages so you can take advantage of all the really cool specials! And be sure to shout out to us on our Facebook wall and via Twitter and tell us whatever you want to say. We want to hear from you!
If you normally place your orders via telephone, then you may notice that some of our Customer Care team has changed around. We have expanded some positions and brought on some new Customer Care folk. They are awesome! We are certain you will get to know them, but we will also be posting some short bio’s of the new team shortly, so be certain to check back for that as well.

We’re extremely excited for 2012 and we can’t wait to continue helping you with all of your office catering needs throughout the year! Feel free to comment here, or on our Facebook page, or email us if you have any suggestions on what else we can add or change.

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Happy Holidays

December 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

From all of us at Coolbaker’s.  We wish you a joyful holiday and a prosperous New Year.

Here’s to a safe and joyous holiday season for you and yours.

‘Tis the season for spending time with family and friends. In the spirit of the holidays Coolbaker’s will be closed Saturday, December 24th and will be re-opening Tuesday, January 3rd to allow our employees to spend time with their families.  See you in 2012!

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What To Do When The Weather Outside is Frightful

November 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

If you’re anything like me, you indulged excessively over the Thanksgiving break.  With all the turkey, stuffing, and pies, it’s almost impossible not to.  And now your likely sitting at your desk, as I am, trying to figure out how to feel better about what you put your body through this past weekend. And with the looming December holidays already less than a month away, I feel a holiday food relapse lurking around the corner.Holiday Exercise

The problem is the weather also brings on the feeling of not being able to get out, be active, and work off the extra feast flab.  It’s dark already upon leaving the office and entering into the winter abyss; it’s too cold, or rainy, or both to go for a hike; and personally, I’m not going to be getting up at 4am to do any type of strenuous activities.  It’s that time of year to find a way to still be active, even while dealing with all the joy (and calories) the holidays have to offer.

  1. First and foremost, have fun and enjoy yourself.  It is a special occasion, so just have fun and eat a little of everything and anything you want.   Life is meant to be enjoyed.  It is only one day and one day will not ruin your progress if you are indeed motivated to stick with your fitness routine.  Also, eating whatever you want should make you feel a little guilty (it works for me) so that you are sure to be in the gym the next day.
  2. Don’t expect to make your New Year’s resolution to loose what you gained a couple of weeks ago.  Let’s be honest, you might not stick to it.  If you do stick to it, just imagine where you would be if you would have combated the holiday filling before New Year’s.  Plus, and this may be the biggest one, you’re not the only who’s making that resolution (shocked?).  The gyms get overly crowded at the beginning of the year, making it even more difficult to go when you know you’ll be combating people just to get your workout in.
  3. Make it a family affair. As you gather together with your family, plan active things to do. Walk around the neighborhood to look at holiday decorations. Play football before the big meal at Thanksgiving or Christmas. Plan contests with the kids to see who can run the farthest or who can do the most push-ups or jumping jacks.  Its fun!
  4. It is just about impossible to get me up two hours earlier in the morning to go hit the gym hard.  Between having to get the kids up and ready, dealing with worse traffic due to inclement weather, and whatever else you may have going on in the mornings, for many going to the gym before work just isn’t an option.  However, waking up every morning to 15 minutes of calisthenics is much more workable.  You don’t have to get out of that comfy bed extremely early, don’t have to leave the house, and it only takes 15 minutes!
  5. Completely change your fitness routine during the holidays.  If you’re a runner, start lifting, and if you’re a lifter, start running. If you haven’t been in the gym in years, get yourself in there! This change in routine will force your body to adapt to a new stimulus, thus promoting a higher calorie burn.

Perhaps, one or more of these tips will help you to overcome the ‘holiday hungries’.  What do you do to curb the addition of calories?  Let us know what works for you?

Filed Under: Desserts, Exercise, Stress release, Uncategorized

Facebook Contest – $100 in Free Coolbaker’s

November 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Back in October we ran a Facebook contest to see what you all thought about Coolbaker’s.  The response was awesome, and we just can’t wait to do it again.  We finally concluded the giveaway and we are pleased to congratulate Lacy Everett on winning our Facebook contest for $100 in free Coolbaker’s food!  Thanks everyone for partaking, and keep a look out for more contests in the near future!

Lacy, enjoy your free food from us, and treat the office to a free breakfast or lunch.  We bet your co-workers will think you’re awesome for doing it.

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We couldn’t have said it any better!

November 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Coolbaker’s Customers get vocal

We love hearing from our customers!  So recently we asked them to share with us some of their experiences with Coolbaker’s.  We were overwhelmed!  They emailed us, posted comments on our Facebook and Twitter page, and even picked up the phone and called us.  What better way to tell the world what we do than to let our customers do the talking.  Here’s what their saying:

“Impressed w/ timeliness!!!” –Louisville


“Thought it was near perfect, timely, good food, order accuracy, names on boxes, just include a few more chips and it would be perfect! ”  –LouisvilleWe want to hear from you

“You have an awesome service especially because it’s fresh, tasty, timely AND you offer options in meal prices. This worked great for our office’s Ladies Lunch where individuals had to purchases their own meal; I had to consider different lunch budgets. Will use you again for office meetings.” -Louisville

“Thank you so much Kate and Amy for an easy and still awesome luncheon. Everyone was very satisfied. I really appreciate your courtesy and am very impressed by your attention to detail. Thanks again, I know we will be talking again soon. (People here love good food) ”
–Louisville

“Simply WONDERFUL – Taste and presentation! Thanks a BUNCH – WILL order again!”
-Louisville

“Everything was perfect!! Thank you very much!!”
-Cincinnati

“I order LOTS of food deliveries. I DID appreciate that the order was delivered on time, and in a manner that could easily be used to set up for the group.
Service was good. Thank you.”
-Indianapolis

“The entire experience was very good.”
-Indianapolis

“Just keep doing what you do.
I already have recommended you.”
-Nashville

“We love Coolbaker’s and have had great experiences with you all (really really great!). The person who delivered our food was right on time, super nice, and easy easy to work with. I really appreciated her!”
-Nashville

“I really appreciate the professionalism of your staff. We had to modify our order a couple of times and change our delivery time. Everything was handled to our satisfaction.”
–Nashville

“It was great being able to order something better than pizza with only a few hours notice. Everyone who ate the food found it really good. Will definitely order from you again.”
–Nashville

If you’re looking for an office catering company that can be the “bees-knees” (their words, not ours), then you might want to check out Coolbaker’s for yourself.

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Office Catering – Where Convenience is Key

November 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When it comes to catering for the office, we all know that convenience is the key. If it isn’t super easy and super accessible, who has time for it? Throw in the fact that many corporate events involve a large number of people, and it’s no wonder that price, convenience, and quality quickly become limiting factors. After all, you not only have to assuage the appetite of a hungry crowd, but you have to keep the cost to a minimum. As if all that isn’t enough, along comes the question of how do you keep the entire group happy? You can’t really expect to order the same meal for everyone and maintain a happy crowd, can you?

Introduce the boxed lunch. Where spectacular value (they’re guaranteed to be less than $10 a person!), meets great quality (premium meats, cheeses, and breads), meets simple convenience (everything is self-contained).  Oh, and let’s not forget that pleasing all the picky eaters has never been easier: with over 10 different sandwiches to choose from, 7 different breads and wraps, 4 different flavors of our freshly baked cookies, along with a host of vegetarian options to top it all off, there really is something here for everybody.

Include the options of different types of cheeses and chips we offer, that’s 4,704 unique possible box lunch combinations!

$9.79 gets you the Premium Boxed Lunch, which contains a premium sandwich or wrap, chips and a fresh-baked cookie.

$6.79 gets you the CoolValue Boxed Lunch, containing a sandwich, fresh baked chocolate chunk cookie, and small side of chips.

Either option is assured to be a crowd pleaser. With so many choices to choose from (4,704 to be precise) you’re guaranteed to have a successful catering experience regardless of the crowd you’re working with. Not only is there something for everyone, but because the boxed lunch retains its convenience so well you’re never stuck with messy leftovers and piles of food being put to waste. Of course, the food isn’t the only thing being self-contained; the bill is too. You know exactly what you’re getting and exactly what you’re paying for, so ordering isn’t only easy and cost effective, but it’s hassle free too.

No more guessing about how many pounds of this and how many slices of that you’re going to need, instead, you know exactly what you’re getting and exactly what you’re paying for. With catering convenience like that right at your doorstep (that’s right, it’s delivered right to your doorstep), what’s not to love?

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Team Spotlight- Kyle Graham

October 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Our marketing specialist and wearer of many hats.

1. Tell us your job title and a little bit about what you do everyday at work…

I am the Marketing Specialist (affectionately known in the office as “the marketing dude”) at Coolbaker’s. I am charged with making sure everybody knows about Coolbaker’s and the unique services we offer. My daily activities change, well, daily. I write Coolbaker’s emails, design content for the website, update menus and track Coolbaker’s Facebook and Twitter pages, (insert shameless plug here) that you should most certainly visit, after reading this.

2. Have you always been in this industry? If not, what brought you where you are today?

I have long been intrigued and interested in marketing, public relations, graphic design and web design. With the multiple interests have come multiple different opportunities and experiences. I’ve had experience in the fields of agriculture (school and an internship in France), non-profit organizations (school and internships), and I’ve even had a few seconds in the real world. While attending the University of Kentucky, I worked my way through school by serving tables and tending bar, all four years of school, so I have had previous experience in the service industry.

Coupling that knowledge, my skills learned while attending university, and my passion for everything marketing, PR, and social media, I found an immediate home with the Coolbaker’s family.

3. What’s something you love about working at Coolbaker’s?I get to do what I enjoy. There is nothing better than doing what you love, and I completely intend on making a career out of doing what I love. So so far it is going well!

4. Tell us a little bit about what you do for fun when you’re not at work.About me in a few words: I enjoy playing ice hockey and graphic design. I’m intrigued by all (good) things marketing, an avid sports fan, and a wanna-be bourbon aficionado.

5. If you could do one thing for a living that had nothing to do with your current job, what would it be?A. Photo-journalism
B. Golf course reviewer (that’s a job, right?)

6. UK or UL?
C-A-T-S, CATS CATS CATS!

Filed Under: Uncategorized
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