Family’s booming cookie business is a sweet treat for Scunthorpe High Street

Since establishing The Cookie People Company in January 2018, owners Andy and Toni Robinson have amassed more than 38,000 followers on Instagram.

Now the husband-and-wife duo want to replicate that success in their home town after negotiating a three-year lease with PPH Commercial for the former Yorkshire Bank unit on Ashby High Street.

Mrs Robinson, 30, said: “Our move to a bigger premises on Broadway has been great because it’s allowed us to take on more staff, improve our baking capacity and increase our opening hours.

“In the next three years, we’d love to boost our local reputation so that it’s on a par – or bigger – than than our social media following.

“The people of Scunthorpe have been very complimentary about what we do and the new shop has definitely made them more aware of our products and what we do.

“We’ve enjoyed a crazy few years of unexpected success, but hopefully the next few can prove to be just as fruitful.”

Having initially opened as an online business, the couple were inundated with requests for specialist cookies from around the world and have managed to successfully transfer that popuarity to the Scunthorpe high street.

Five new jobs have been created by the move to bigger premises, which has paved the way for extended trading hours. They now open on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm – but often sell out of their cookie-dough treats hours before closing time.

Their online popularity – and instagrammable delights – regularly attract customers from across the country, who queue before opening time to guarantee their cookie fix.

It’s a far cry from the days when Toni, a former sports massage therapist, would bake cookies at home to sell at farmers’ markets and Andy, 32, worked as a carer.

Sam Fallowfield, who negotiated the deal for PPH Commercial, believes the success of The Cookie People should act as an inspration to other local businesses and entrprenuers.

Mr Fallowfield said: “The Cookie People continues to enjoy massive online success and it’s great to see their high street shop is bucking the recent national trend of retail struggle.

“Toni and Andy are a great example for others about what can be achieved when you work hard and strike the right balance between online and in-store sales.”