While companies such as Tiff’s Treats have become a staple for students craving quick and convenient sweets, a local cookie delivery service entered the market to provide a
homemade alternative.
Born to Cookie offers Austin made-to-order cookies and personal deliveries from its founder, Tanya Narithookil. Starting as a small business, she said she increased her following through connections with consulting organizations and social media influencers.
Although a nurse by trade, Narithookil said she decided to pursue her lifelong love for baking after getting married and moving from Dallas to Austin in 2018.
“That was a good opportunity to try something new and something that I’ve always had a passion for,” Narithookil said. “Austin is all about trying new things and a lot of newer businesses have been opening up in Austin, so I felt like it would be a cool thing to do.”
While Born to Cookie doesn’t have set hours, Narithookil said she delivers most weekdays from around 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends when she’s available. Customers can order by text, call or Instagram direct messaging.
“(What sets it apart is) just having a good product, having that personal touch, being very friendly, knowing your customers and being very flexible,” Narithookil said. “I try to have really good cookies and try to make sure it’s something people want.”
Born to Cookie sells four main types of cookies — chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, nutella white chocolate pretzel and peanut butter — and occasionally offers seasonal flavors. Prices range from $12 to $15 per dozen, with a consistent $3 delivery fee. To deliver to a customer who lives further out, Narithookil said she will require a larger order.
To get the word out, Narithookil reached out to organizations such as Consult Your Community at UT, which provides pro bono consulting services to local businesses. Suhina Chopra, finance and international relations junior, is one of the engagement managers at Consult Your Community and leads the team that works with Narithookil.
“She’s a very ambitious person,” Chopra said. “She’s very sweet and very open to new ideas, but at the same time she’s a small business owner running things on her own, so she has to look at things practically as well.”
Consult Your Community works with Narithookil to expand her business and consumer base by making connections to partnerships and markets around Austin. Additionally, Narithookil connected with social media influencers, such as Austin lifestyle blogger Shruthi Parker.
Parker said she only chooses brands to work with that she thinks are respectable, and Born to Cookie was a hit for her.
“What I like about Tanya is that she takes the time to make sure every single cookie is good,” Parker said. “That is one of the benefits of being a small business owner — you don’t lose sight of quality with quantity.”
In the midst of marketing and delivering across Austin, Narithookil said she enjoys making cookies for her customers because of the experience each cookie brings.
“There’s something kind of nostalgic about eating a good cookie,” Narithookil said. “Or if you’re having a bad day, sometimes it’s just nice to have a treat. It takes that away for a
little while.”
