Meet Soraya and Daniel Medina of Heavenly Bites

Today we’d like to introduce you to Soraya and Daniel Medina.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My husband and I are big foodies and we love desserts. I love desserts so much that I went to culinary school back home in NY. We started an online shop but soon realized NY was too expensive to open a bakery. The following year we visited AZ because our friends moved there. We fell in love with AZ right away, we loved how AZ is still growing and people support small businesses. So we packed our things, our furry son and moved to AZ. We drove from NY which took us 3 days, it was a great road trip.

In 2006, I had an allergic reaction from a vaccination, which brought on health challenges including a near-death experience. With lots of research, I realized many toxic ingredients are in foods we put into our bodies daily. Obtaining a Pastry Degree allowed me to create healthy desserts without toxins and this why we serve organic desserts today.

You can find us at the farmers market in Phoenix and Tempe, we’re also in some coffee and ice cream shops through the valley. If you like to shop online, you can order online and we can deliver it to you.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s never a smooth road when you’re starting a new business. You will always be faced with challenges and obstacles but without that, you wouldn’t be an entrepreneur. You have to get up, wipe your tears/sweat and keep it moving. Never give up on your dream, especially if you’re close to accomplishing it. You soon realize you can’t do everything, you need help! I hired different people who offer their expertise. You also realize that money goes fast, you need working capital in order to grow.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Heavenly Bites – what should we know?
Heavenly Bites offers organic desserts with gluten-free and vegan options. We don’t use refined sugars, refined flours, preservatives or GMOs. We bake our desserts fresh and you will taste each ingredient in every bite. We are known for our famous gluten-free Black Bean Brownie, our flaky Scones, and our delicious Banana Bread.

We proudly serve our labor of love. Our number one goal is to educate the public that they can have healthy desserts without sacrificing any taste. With Heavenly Bites, you can satisfy your cravings without feeling guilty.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Without my husband Daniel Medina, we wouldn’t be here. He has supported me along the way and has been a big part of the business. Whenever I feel like giving up he’s there to lift me up again. We actually take our turns on doing that lol We have our good and bad days. He is the COO of the business and my right hand.

Another person who has helped us is Doc Brown. You may know him for his delicious gelato and sorbet, Doc Artisan Ice Cream in Tempe. He has welcomed us with open arms when we 1st visited his ice cream shop. He told us when you guys are all moved to AZ and ready to go contact me. We did and he’s been our angel ever since. He let us use his commercial oven and introduced us to a lot of people when we 1st started. Until this day we still work with him. We are so happy we met him and very thankful for him!

Pricing:

• Black Bean Brownie is $3.50
• Slice of Banana Bread is $2.50
• 1 Scone is $2.50

Contact Info:

• Website: www.heavenlybitesaz.com
• Phone: 602-687-6268
• Email: smedina@heavenlybitesaz.com
• Instagram: instragram.com/HeavenlyBitesAZ
• Facebook: facebook.com/heavenlysweetsaz

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