Founded in 2004, Crave was born from a simple idea: to share baking that feels just like home. Nestled in the heart of Calgary, they still crack every egg by hand, measure each ingredient with care, and decorate every treat with love. For Crave, it’s not just about sweets—it’s about creating joyful moments and meaningful memories with every bite. We spoke with founders Carolyne McIntyre Jackson and Jodi Willoughby to hear how their passion for baking has become a staple of connection and celebration in their community.
What is your business called and what does it do?
Crave exists to produce quality baking that is as scrumptious and special as the people who share it. Over the past 20 years, our baking has helped people connect, reminding us that each batch and bite is special and full of beautiful memories. That’s why we still crack each egg, measure every ingredient, and decorate by hand—because the little details make all the difference.
What made you want to do this work? What problem did you want to solve with the business?
We started Crave with a simple, heartfelt passion—to share great baking with the people we love. For us, baking is about creating moments, memories, and connections over food that feels like home. From the very beginning in September 2004, we believed that real ingredients make all the difference. The butter, the eggs, the flour—everything that goes into our cupcakes, cookies, cakes, loaves, and squares comes straight from the kitchen, just like it would at home. That’s what makes Crave special.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
At the heart of our brand are families, because we are one of them. Our customers believe in the joy of gathering, the power of celebration, and the simple happiness that comes from sharing something sweet. Whether it’s a birthday, a graduation, or just a moment worth remembering, we’ve seen how cupcakes bring people together. That’s why we’re committed to making the best cakes and cupcakes—because every celebration deserves something special.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
We bake from scratch in our retail shops in Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, and soon, Kelowna. We’ve also expanded with our Bake at Home line, which includes cake mix, frozen buttercream, and frozen pre-portioned cookie dough, so people can bring a little Crave magic into their own kitchens. Most recently, we celebrated 20 years of baking excellence by sharing our tried, tested and true recipes in our cookbook, Crave: Cupcakes, Cakes, Cookies and More from an Iconic Bakery, available at bookstores across Canada.
Where in the city can we find your profession?
Crave bakeries are located throughout Calgary at the following addresses:
● Kensington: 1107 Kensington Road NW
● Willow Park: 10816 Macleod Trail SE
● Crowfoot: 57 Crowfoot Terrace NW
● Aspen Landing: 318 Aspen Glen Landing SW
● And opening June 2025, Kelowna!
You can also find our Bake at Home products at many grocery stores, including:
● Sobeys, Safeway, and IGA
● Superstore
● Calgary Co-Op
● Lina’s
● Sunterra
● NoFrills
● Freson Bros
● Bridgeland Market
● Luke’s Drug Market
● Penny Fausta
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
Why does Crave baking taste so good? Crave’s baking tastes so good because we create with real, high-quality ingredients and no shortcuts. The secret is simple: real butter, real eggs, and real love go into every cupcake, cookie, cake, loaf, and square.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
The best part of what we do is that we create baking for people to share with others or have for themselves, and it is worth eating every time. The worst part of what we create is that we do not recommend you eat our baking every day!!
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
We did not really have a joke about our profession, so we found this funny one about cupcakes!
What’s the difference between a baseball cupcake and a baseball muffin? The batter.
Where can we follow you?
Website | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
This is a tough one because we love so many local companies. We picked two because there are two of us. We love Amborella Floral, located off Macleod on Manchester Road and Monogram Coffee, located around Calgary.
