Kimberly has been a professional cake decorator for many years and is obviously thinking beyond the box. She has firsthand experience with the time it takes to transform a wedding cake into a work of art, as well as the care required to transport it safely to the reception. With an average multi-tiered wedding cake costing $800.00 and over, even the smallest mistake may be costly.
Kimberly chose to use her expertise to create reusable Fun Cakes instead of a decorated wedding cake, because a decorated wedding cake is more for decoration than to feed the guests.
The Founder of FunCakes
Kimberly Aya, a professional baker who formerly had a bakery in Europe, is the founder of FunCakes. Aya got the idea by looking at the wedding cake cutting ceremony. The bride and groom can cut the fake cake all the way to the last slice since there is one real cake slice in the middle.
Kimberly has spent her whole life baking and creating cakes. She’s worked as an educator at the SECCHIA Institute of Culinary Education, had a cake business in Europe, and appeared on Rachel Ray, The Today Show, Regis and Kelly, and other shows.
She became acquainted with American wedding cakes when she initially arrived in the United States. She launched Fun Cakes because she couldn’t believe how costly they were. The stages of a cake are created using Styrofoam. Brides pick a cake that complements their Fun Cakes design at the back of the showcase.
In the 1990s, Kimberly Aya started Fun Cakes, a bakery in Europe prior to appearing on Shark Tank. Her family soon relocated to Michigan where she pursued her business goals by owning a bakery.
As part of her advertising effort, she made different prop cakes to exhibit at a conference. Due to the accuracy of the props, most on goers expressed their wish to buy them in place of the more expensive and actual cakes.
Although it required a lot of work, Kimberley chose to give it a shot as a new business concept that involves selling real-looking cakes to budget-conscious couples. After a front page story was published, the newly created FunCakes Company got immediate attention.
Sales increased as a result of media coverage, and the business earned a lot more exposure. Six weeks after the article was published, Kimberley was asked to make an appearance on The Today Show, and the media’s curiosity about her work has never wavered.
Kimberly is the world’s only cake “baker” who does not use an oven. People can save up to 75% by using Fun Cakes instead of a large, actual cake. That kind of money can be better spent elsewhere, whether you’re organizing a wedding or a special event.
Kimberly started by preparing the imitation cakes for display before handing out a regular sheet cake for visitors to slice and serve. The important thing to note is that there was no discernible difference.
FunCakes on Shark Tank
Kimberley believed that participating in Shark Tank would be a terrific way to expand her firm, and she knew how to get them to notice her. She accompanied her application with a themed cake (representing Shark Tank), and her unconventional approach paid off. Kimberley shortly received an email verifying her application. Koray and Kimberly were on Shark Tank to ask for a $285,000 investment in return for a 25% share in FunCakes. However, FunCakes’ founders exited the stage without landing a deal with the Sharks. Apparently both parties reached an impasse.
Update on FunCakes after Shark Tank
Despite the sharks’ rejection, Korey and Kimberley were hopeful about being on the show. Due to the product’s niche nature, Kimberley predicted that FunCakes would have problems obtaining a shark investor before the show aired.
The Sharks’ rejection of Kimberley’s business plan was primarily due to their inability to guess the size of the prospective market due to a lack of competition, according to Kimberley.
The sharks, on the other hand, were humming a completely different story. According to Mark Cuban, Kimberley and Koray’s departure from the tank gave the appearance that the issue wasn’t with the firm, but with the founders.
Nonetheless, FunCakes continues to expand its operations, but has yet to clinch a deal on Shark Tank. They signed a deal with SpartanNash, a retailer, in May 2016. SpartanNash is a retailer with over 160 locations. Kimberley is actively looking for further retail partnerships. She publicized the relationship with SpartanNash in 2016 through FunCakes’ online presence, which includes numerous social media platforms and a professionally designed website.
FunCakes’ debut into SpartanNash and the demand for their cakes may be exceeding expectations. Aya’s Fun Cakes business continues to grow slowly but gradually. Although the future is not known, the sharks probably regret passing on such a profitable opportunity. When FunCakes first appeared on Shark Tank, it was valued at $1.14 million. FunCakes has a net worth of $1 million as of 2022.
Our Review of FunCakes
The Fun Cakes are works of art that are designed to resemble the genuine thing. Aya carefully made a little space to insert a few pieces of genuine cake for the Bride and Groom to share their traditional slice of cake together. The guests will be content with a piece of standard cake while also knowing that they are helping the new couple save hundreds of dollars.
FunCakes is still going strong four years after it first appeared on Shark Tank. The brand celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2017 and announced that FunCakes are now available on Amazon.
To imitate actual wedding cakes, FunCakes are three-tiered sweets made of Styrofoam layers, topped with authentic fondant icing. They’re not only simple to bring to the event, but they’re also far less expensive than an actual traditional cake.
Renting out a fine made wedding cake centerpiece from FunCakes is a cost-effective option for couples to save money. The main cake is constructed of actual fondant and looks and feels just like a real cake, with the exception of a compartment where a little piece of fresh cake for the ceremony can be stored. After the couple conducts their ceremony of cutting the cake, the guests are offered a conventional sheet cake from a local bakery or wholesale store.
Their cakes include actual fondant and gum paste coverings, much like a real cake. The only difference is that their cakes have foam within. Each cake features a concealed chamber in the back that may be used to store an actual cake. This way, the couple gets to cut the cake easily and even take a few bites. The cake is then reeled to the back, where fresh sheet cakes are prepared for the guests; thereby, saving you a lot of money.
Pros of FunCakes
- Saves cost
- Easy to cut
- Looks exactly like a real cake
Cons of FunCakes
- Difficult to prepare
Are There Any Alternatives?
- NY Cake
Our Final Thoughts
FunCakes Rental is revolutionizing the future of wedding cakes and has been quite successful in their journey. Cakes are also provided by FunCakes for a variety of corporate events, including those held by famous brands such as Budweiser and Calvin Klein.
Since the show’s debut, over 180 Jewel Osco supermarket stores in Illinois have sold three-tiered cakes. Following its participation on Shark Tank, FunCakes’ sales and popularity increased. The company is in its 14th year of existence in 2022, and generates $1.1 million in annual revenue.
FunCakes is a thriving business with a Hollywood presence. The firm has also been featured in films, including The Hangover, and on television. The website offers a wide range of cake alternatives, from weddings to other celebrations, and the cakes may be transported to any location.
