Working in Clark County: Donna Suomi, baker and co-owner of Killa Bites
RIDGEFIELD — For Donna Suomi, baking is much more than just a hobby.
On a weekday before New Year’s, Suomi, 42, toured the small kitchen, which was damp from multiple ovens full of Chocolate Lovers’ Biscotti, slowly decaying to perfection. The other three bakers were busy working on other tasks. It could have been a scene from the popular TV series “The Great British Baking Show”.
The smell spread from the kitchen to the gym, located in the Ridgefield Civic and Civic Center. There was a loud beeping sound from the kitchen.
“Timer!” yelled cook Yolanda Nelson as Finland rushed to check the cookies.
Suomi is a part owner in Killa Bites Inc., a part-wholesale and part-catering business that rents space from the Ridgefield school district.
Killa Bites’ four-person team made spherical, raspberry cheesecake-flavored desserts called cake bombs and caramel apple popcorn that would be delivered to companies like Chuck’s Produce and Ilan.
Finland helped guide other women in their work.
“I try to pull back more,” Suomi said. “I want to teach them the recipes I developed so they can continue. But I always end up being hands-on because often if I’m here I don’t have time to develop new ones or add to them.
Guild Bites
No physical store, but products are sold in various companies in the area.
Number of employees: 17.
Job prospects of the Labor Statistics Office: Employment of bakers is predicted to grow by 6 percent by 2028. “Bakers with years of experience should have the best job opportunities, and employment is boosted by the growing demand for specialty baked goods,” the office reports. In the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Ore., metropolitan area, bakers earn an average of $15.49 an hour, or $32,220 a year.
The newest cake bomb flavor: tiramisu.
“The most is done; give the other about four minutes,” he told Nelson and baker Tasha Wellcome, 20.
“He’s got a gift,” Nelson said of Finland as he molded more cheesecake bombs. “If someone’s different, they’ll find it. If there’s 300 in the pan, they’ll find the one that’s not fried well.”
Nothing but baking
Suomi grew up in the Hockinson area on a berry farm and started baking at a young age.
“It was just something I saw my mother do as a little girl. I grabbed it and always wanted to help him,” Suomi said.
After getting married at 18, she realized that was what she wanted for her career.
“I couldn’t think about anything but baking. I thought about going to school, but I just never did. I am self-taught through television shows and have worked at a bread and pastry bakery in South Carolina. That’s where I learned the inside of the whole kitchen,” she said. Eventually, she and her family retreated back to the Pacific Northwest to be near family.
WORKING IN CLARK COUNTY
Working in Clark County, a short profile of interesting Clark County business owners or employees in the public, private or non-profit sectors. Send ideas to Hope Martinez:
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Finland started baking one day a week and making takeaway meals.
“People came to get it, like word of mouth, family and friends. I would do the catering. Then I started a small biscotti business on my own at the farmer’s market,” Suomi said.
He took his biscotti to the Battle Ground Farmers Market one summer.
“I tried it. I wasn’t interested in business; I just wanted to be in the kitchen. Then I met Laura shortly after that,” he said.
Laura Jhaveri is the other half of Killa Bites. They “met in passing” around 2011, because Finland’s father’s company built his home, Jhaveri said.
Jhaveri began the journey to own the business after her late husband Akhil was diagnosed with ALS in 2011. (The Colombian described his journey in a special series of stories.) While Akhil was unemployed, Jhaver had to support his family. He recruited Suomen as a business partner, knowing his biscotti skills. Killa Bites opened in 2014.
“I contacted Donna and presented her with the cake bomb idea. It was like an arranged marriage that worked really well. We have complementary skills; he loves being in the kitchen and I love marketing and crunching numbers,” said Jhaveri.
She added that Killa Bites “gave me the identity outside of ‘caregiver’ that I definitely needed.”
Passion
Back in the kitchen, Suomi received a text message from Jhaver saying that Ilani needs an order of 50 cake bombs.
“Ilani is probably one of our biggest buyers right now,” Suomi said. Killa Bites focuses primarily on wholesale orders. The other half of the business is focused on catering. Its products are sold at businesses spanning the region from Lake Oswego, Ore., to Longview. They can be found at eight markets or grocery stores, 13 different cafes and three vineyards or wine bars, according to its website.
Jhaveri said last year they brought in just under $500,000 in revenue.
“For many years we didn’t pay a salary,” he said. “It’s a passion for both of us. We’re not in it for the money.”
Suomi worked at the station cutting long sheets of biscotti, which were baked again. Meanwhile, Wellcome and Nelson continued the cake bombs.
“He’s very patient. He’s very organized. He’s very friendly,” Nelson said. “And that’s really important when you’re jamming in the kitchen. When you’re jamming in the kitchen, he’s jamming in there with you.”
“He calls me a whirling dervish,” Suomi said of Nelson. “It’s someone who does many things at the same time and does it well, but spins around (like a dancer).”
“It’s just my happy place,” Suomi said. “I guess I have a perfectionist nature. I always want it to be this good. Even when I’m not working, I’m looking at cooking magazines or dreaming up new menus or new ideas for cake bombs.