It’s difficult for any new business to get a foothold in the market, especially in today’s economy. But hey, when you specialize in desserts and locate yourself alongside a growing university campus, how hard can it be to stay busy? Leigh-Ann’s Cupcakery, a dessert themed bakery specializing in cupcakes, is only three months old, but has already begun to make its unique mark on Brantford.

While their specialty products alone make them stand out, what makes the Cupcakery truly unique is what they give back to the community. Once a week, the Cupcakery donates unsold cupcakes to Nova Vita Domestic Violence Prevention Services. This amounts to roughly 60-80 cupcakes a week to women in need.

“They’ve [the women’s shelter] been very receptive so far,” says store owner, Leigh-Ann Di Fonzo.

Di Fonzo has been donating to the shelter even before her store opened, back when she and her cupcakes were a regular at Brantford’s Farmers Market. The Cupcakery’s success may be attributed to their desire to try something unique.
“If you look around at different dessert stores, you don’t see very many cupcakes,” says Di Fonzo. “We wanted to try something different.”

But the store’s desire to be different extends beyond what they sell, proven by their uncommon desire to help the community. When asked why she picked this shelter in particular, Di Fonzo stated, “we just wanted to get behind a cause.”
If you’re craving a sweet treat in between classes, you can find Leigh-Ann and her Cupcakery at 5-128 Nelson Street – just a short walk north-east of the Carnegie Building.