Baked by Melissa will enter the home baking shelves of Target stores, while Target is trying to persuade consumers to spend more at their stores during this holiday season.

Starting from Sunday, Target will exclusively sell paper cupcake sets, paper cupcake holders, and a paper cupcake tray of this brand. All products are made to the signature one-bite size specification of this dessert company. The series includes three flavors of paper cupcakes: Christmas Tie - Dye, Marshmallow Hot Cocoa, and Red Velvet.

As this company entered the home baking sector, many food and beverage businesses were turning to consumer-packaged goods in order to boost sales amidst a challenging industry environment.

Some companies, such as California Pizza Kitchen and TGI Fridays, have been offering frozen food under licensed brands for decades. However, other chain restaurants, including Chick-fil-A and Dutch Bros, have only more actively entered the grocery product sector in recent years. For smaller companies like Momofuku or Carbone, having their products on supermarket shelves helps to expand their brand reach and allows consumers to try their products without the need for reservations at a lower cost.

Baked by Melissa was founded in 2008 by Melissa Ben - Ishay. Currently, it has 9 permanent stores in the New York area and ships mini cupcakes throughout the United States.

Due to the influence of Ben-Ishay on social media, this regional chain brand has also gained attention outside of New York. On TikTok, the accounts of Baked, by, and Melissa have over 2.8 million followers. Popular recipe videos have contributed to this growth, such as her green and goddess salad dressing recipes. The popularity of Ben-Ishay on social media has also led to collaborations with Ferrero and Wonder.

Ben-Ishay told CNBC, Baked, by, and Melissa that they had been discussing the idea of launching home baking products for many years, but it wasn't until a year ago, when she went to Target with her two children, that she decided to take action. She said that after browsing the baking shelves, she felt that Baked, by, and Melissa "should be here."

“I like baking cake mix. I really do. To be honest, sometimes I just think it tastes better,” said Ben-Ishay.

However, the pace of progress in the retail business is much slower than the usual rhythm of Baked, by, and Melissa.

For example, this dessert company managed to produce mini cupcakes with the Knicks brand just a few days after the New York Knicks won the NBA championship in June; however, turning the product into a retail item means "a lot of waiting, approval processes, and new partnerships," Ben-Ishay said.

12 months later, these ready-mixed paper cupcake mixes are finally available on the shelves, just in time before the crucial holiday season arrives.

For Target, the next two months are of crucial importance. The retailer is trying to regain its core customers after a disappointing holiday season last year. The typical Target shopper described by Ben-Ishay often bears a strong resemblance to her own self.

"We start with Target because I am a 42-year-old mother of two children, and I often go there," she said.