Additional Coverage:
- How a husband and wife built a million-dollar business selling cinnamon buns without spending a single cent on marketing (businessinsider.com)
From Grandma’s Recipe to Million-Dollar Buns: A Local Bakery’s Sweet Success Story
What started as a nostalgic baking session in their kitchen has blossomed into a confectionery empire for Nikki and Mike Ashkar. Their New Jersey-based bakery, Mav’s Top Buns, named after their firstborn son, Maverick, has defied expectations, selling over half a million cinnamon buns and raking in more than $1 million since the beginning of 2024.
“We went from selling cinnamon buns from a U-Haul truck to making over $1 million in about a year,” Nikki Ashkar shared, highlighting the rapid ascent of their business.
The journey began five years ago when the couple decided to recreate Nikki’s grandmother’s cherished cinnamon bun recipe. Little did they know, this venture would evolve into a bustling bakery, producing up to 1,000 buns a day on busy weekends.
At $10 a bun, Mav’s Top Buns offers a premium product, a price Nikki defends by emphasizing the meticulous, labor-intensive process. “You’ve got to know your worth,” she stated. The secret to their highly sought-after buns lies in a 72-hour dough resting period and a double application of their proprietary vanilla bean and cream cheese frosting, ensuring “every single nook and cranny” is deliciously covered.
The Art of Building a Brand (and Some Seriously Good Buns)
With a background in marketing, Nikki understood the power of branding. Eschewing a simple “Mike and Nikki’s buns,” she strategically chose “Mav’s Top Buns,” positioning their creation as “the best cinnamon buns in New Jersey.”
This belief, she explains, is deeply ingrained in their product. “When you believe something so intrinsically about your product and what you bring to the table, you become that.”
Remarkably, the Ashkars have achieved this phenomenal growth without a dime spent on paid marketing or influencer promotions. Their secret weapon?
Authentic, engaging social media content. Nikki began posting photos and videos on their Instagram account in 2020, some of which quickly went viral.
One early post garnered 80,000 likes, despite some initial “offended” reactions to how she held the bun. Nikki quickly learned to embrace the online chatter.
“The more viral you get, the more people are going to comment whatever they want to comment, and it’s good for the algorithm, it’s good for us,” she noted.
Their social media strategy is a delightful mix of delicious visuals, quirky personality, and sometimes, a dash of edginess. One of their most viral posts, for instance, pairs standard bun visuals with an unexpected, profanity-laced audio clip.
While initially hesitant about its boldness for a family business, Nikki found that being “authentically ourselves” resonated deeply with their audience. Beyond the edgy, their feed also features mouth-watering buns set to metal and rap music, and even some dancing videos, showcasing the couple’s fun-loving spirit.
Juggling Buns, Babies, and Business
Opening a bakery while eight months pregnant with a newborn, and then navigating late-night bakes and long customer lines, paints a vivid picture of the Ashkars’ dedication. Nikki and Mike’s journey is a testament to balancing the demanding worlds of entrepreneurship and parenthood. “I think that’s what people really grabbed onto, and that’s why they love to support us because they know how hard a mom and dad work,” Nikki explained.
Through burnout and sleepless nights, Nikki credits perseverance and authenticity as her driving forces. She recalls challenging moments, like rolling buns by candlelight during a power outage, as crucial tests of their resolve. “It really separated the men from the boys, where if you keep going, you will succeed,” she affirmed.
The sweet legacy of Mav’s Top Buns is already inspiring the next generation; the Ashkars’ three children are reportedly mimicking the family trade, rolling miniature buns with Play-Doh at home. It seems the future of top buns is in good, tiny hands.