Virginia Beach mom starts online vegan bakery

VIRGINIA BEACH

A passion for sharing the tasteful treats that fit her family’s healthy lifestyle prompted Virginia Beach resident Tonya Deveau to open an online business.

The home-based, fully licensed and inspected vegan bakery just began its second year of operation, and, for Deveau, the future looks sweet.

“I am in this for the love of it,” she said. “I try to keep it easy and affordable for my customers, so we can keep on baking.”

My Vegan Sweet Tooth is run from Deveau’s home near Bow Creek Golf Course and is a full-range, online shop. Deveau bakes up everything from garlic cheese biscuits to wedding cupcakes. Among her top sellers are cinnamon rolls, vanilla and red velvet cupcakes, mega chocolate- chunk cookies and Amish white bread.

“I had to figure out fast how to satisfy my sweet tooth,” she said of her decision to practice a vegan lifestyle, in which no animals or animal products are consumed.

“They taste so good that most people don’t even know they are eating a vegan cookie or cupcake.”

Deveau develops her own recipes. In addition to being vegan, many items are available as gluten free.

“We also do sugar free, soy free and organic by request,” she said.

She appreciates at least 24-hours advance notice, as all baked goods are done to order. The online site offers pickup or local delivery.

Deveau credits the bakery’s growing success to her husband Rob Deveau and children Madison, 11, and Darin, 8.

“We do most everything as a family, and opening the business was also a collective decision,” she said. “The kids are home-schooled, so I can work around their schedule.”

Having the children at home has proved to be a benefit to Deveau’s endeavors. “They come up with a lot of ideas, and they are great taste-testers,” she said, with a smile.

A percentage of My Vegan Sweet Tooth profits is donated to charity.

“A while back, the kids sold cookies around the neighborhood to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund, and I wanted to continue contributing through the business,” Deveau said.

My Vegan Sweet Tooth offers catering for special events, including weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and business meetings. Delicately decorated cupcakes, luscious pies, cakes, muffins and fudge are among some 80 offerings.

David Girardin, youth ministry leader at London Bridge Baptist Church, is a vegetarian, not vegan, but he is a believer in Deveau’s baking.

“I buy her products because of the quality, taste and value,” Girardin said.

He first experienced My Vegan Sweet Tooth’s baked goods as a gift.

“I tasted her gingerbread cookies and was sold,” he said, adding that carrot cake and whole-grain breads will be his next purchase.

“Her bakery is as good as home-baked,” he said.

For more information about My Vegan Sweet Tooth, call 339-2794 or visit www.myvegansweettooth.com.