Meet Chloe Rhea | Founder of Not Guilttea bakery

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chloe Rhea and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chloe, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Since I was very young, I have always helped my dad in the kitchen. Whether he was making dinner or baking a dessert, I was always eager to do my part. As I grew older, I started to bake on my own trying recipes that interested me the most. When I became a teenager, I learned the importance of health and I started integrating it in my everyday life. Experimenting in my baking during the COVID quarantine, I substituted many ingredients for healthier alternatives. Whether it was a gluten-free flour or a low glycemic sugar, I always noticed how good I felt in comparison to when I ate the commercial baked goods. Slowly, I perfected my own recipes, not only delicious but also fully guilt-free. Later in 2021, I came across the Delray Green Market and quickly fell in love with the environment and the ideology behind the artisanal products. Aspiring to be a vendor myself, I applied for the summer market, and upon acceptance, I had to create a Brand of my own. Inspired in all the different aspects of my life, I came up with a Logo that would tie together and demonstrate the purpose and meaning behind my brand. The sailor’s “knot” on my Logo, is influenced by my father’s love for sailing, and is used playfully to express the fact that our baked goods are entirely “NOT” guilty. The letter “U” is in parenthesis because Guilt without the “U”, gilt, means covered in gold, giving birth to our slogan “Golden pleasures without the Guilt”. Finally, the word “Tea” is replacing the original ‘ty’ in guilty, representing my birthplace, London, where Tea Time is a simple yet important part of our daily life. This strong Logo and a compiled selection of my own favorite recipes, was the beginning of an amazing and inspiring adventure at the Delray Green Market. The farmer’s market has been a great success and being able to sell my products for others’ enjoyment, continues to be a most amazing experience. I love sharing my story with others while also hearing what my customers have to say. I am extremely excited for this upcoming winter market.

What should our readers know about your business?
Not Guilttea Bakery’s most unique aspect is how we integrate healthy and wholesome ingredients into our baking, while maintaining incredible taste. We make sure that every single ingredient in my recipes is organic (when possible), premium, and of the highest standards. Many people think of healthy desserts as unappetizing and less satisfactory than their unhealthy counterparts. Yet, I purposefully created recipes that satisfy your sweet tooth while also allowing you to feel good, because of the clean ingredients. However, this hasn’t happened without obstacles. The greatest challenge that we face is creating these healthy recipes while ensuring that we also maintain a good taste and texture. Finding the perfect ratio of flour to oil to sweetener takes many tries to perfect. Especially as a student myself, I have limited time to dedicate to experimenting with recipes and it can sometimes be hard when balancing my business and school. This has taught me so much about time management, discipline, prioritizing, and how much effort and dedication it takes to create a successful business and the responsibility that having that business requires. I have learned so much about money, how to respect it, and the amount of effort it takes to make a profit. I have also learned about the importance of giving when you are in a position do so. I separate all my Income into 5 different different envelopes, one of them containing 5% of all my sales which I donate to “A Place of Hope”, a local charity that provides support to underprivileged children and families that have been subject to neglect and poverty. I have also dedicated my time to them by organizing Guilttea Baking “Mommy and Me” activities where these lovely mothers and their children come to bake healthy desserts together.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had one of my best friends visit me in Florida for a week I would first take them to one of the Boca beaches. Living in South Florida gives us the privilege of having the beaches less than a 15 minute car ride away. The beach and pool coupled with nice weather would definitely be the highlight of the trip. In the evening I would head to Mizner to have dinner at Villagio, go bowling, have a “paleta” at Cielito and watch a fun movie at the iPic Theatre. I would definitely take my best friend to Delray’s Atlantic Avenue, where you can find the most amazing shops and restaurants, some of my favorites being Roccos Tacos, Elizabethas. and Deke’s Cafe. I would take her to Palm Beach to discover the quaint beach-side communities and the beach town shops. I would take her to the Royal Poinciana Plaza, which has such an inviting atmosphere and where there are some of my favorite shops and restaurants like St Ambroeus and Stoney Clover. In Miami we would go to Brikcell City Center for all the fun shopping and have lunch at Casa Tua. There are so many fun things to do around South Florida.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my mother, who made this business possible and helped me turn my dreams into a reality. I am always inspired by my mother’s entrepreneurial spirit and her passion for creativity. I am fortunate to be able to have her beside me when I need her and for the amazing teachings she has to offer. Thank you for always spending all your Friday nights helping me bake and being my #1 helper at the market. I owe you everything.

Website: https://gilttea.com

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