Oakland Fortune Factory

Oakland Fortune Factory is one of the oldest fortune cookie makers in the San Francisco Bay Area, and one of the last companies that still makes their products entirely by hand, combining modern flavors with centuries-old craftsmanship. The factory opened in 1957 and was acquired by Alicia Issvoran’s parents in 2016. After graduating from college, Alicia returned home to help her parents keep the operation going. Now, Alicia co-owns the business with her mother. The company has been featured in the New York Times, on ABC News, and in other regional and national media.


Challenge

After the mother-daughter team took over Oakland Fortune Factory, Alicia’s mother supervised the cookie-making while Alicia focused on creating new cookie combinations and building the company website. The business was significantly impacted by the pandemic, experiencing a 60% reduction in orders. Looking to increase their sales, Alicia and her mother sought out new retail customers for less-than-truckload (LTL) cookie shipments. In addition, they looked for opportunities with their corporate customers, offering an option for specially branded cookies that their customers could order online for upcoming events or to distribute to their employees or clients. Alicia and her mother reached out to CMTC for assistance with these new endeavors, specifically seeking resources, strategic planning, and business growth consulting.

Solution

CMTC worked with Oakland Fortune Factory from March 2021 to May 2021 through the California Manufacturers Accelerator Plus® (CMA+) Program. A CMTC advisor worked with Alicia to identify the company’s business challenges and provide one-on-one coaching as well as information about available funding and incentives. CMTC helped Oakland Fortune Factory with strategic planning and provided the company with avenues for business growth.

Impact

After completing their work with CMTC, Oakland Fortune Factory realized a sales increase of $79,872 and reported cost savings of $37,920. The company was also able to make capital investments of $44,025, retain five employees, and add one employee. Owner Alicia Issvoran noted that she looks forward to working with CMTC in the future.

“We could not be more satisfied with our CMTC mentor. The entire process from start to finish was exactly what we had hoped for and has helped us get a better grasp on the state of our business and how it relates to our industry.”

— Alicia Issvoran, Owner

Oakland Fortune