Corktowner goes entrepreneurial with Yum Delish biz

What started out as a love for chocolate-covered strawberries is turning into a bountiful small business for Monike Welch called Yum Delish.

The Corktown resident works in customer service for Blue Cross Blue Shield during the day. In 2008 she began making chocolate-dipped creations in her off time, laying the groundwork for what is now Yum Delish. She recently completed D:hive's BUILD program, a part-time program that teaches the basics of entrepreneurship, and hopes to turn Yum Delish into her full-time job one day soon.

"We do all types of chocolate-dipped treats," Welch says. "We will also soon be doing baked goods."

Welch points out that there is a growing market for edible arrangements, which are basically artistic sweets for things like Valentine's Day. Welch is currently running the business out of her loft but plans to move into a mall kiosk next year and her own storefront by 2014.

"There is definitely a market and it mostly caters toward women," Welch says.

Source: Monike Welch, founder of Yum Delish
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.