Caramel Coconut Cookies inspired by a national icon and household name.
Roderick Walker and his daughter Kai began baking for fun. Baking in the kitchen together was a way to share quality time. After perfecting recipes and receiving rave reviews from friends and family, the father and daughter baking duo decided to convert their cooking talents into a full-fledged business.
“We began focusing on keto/low carb with no added sugar, gluten free, and vegan cookies after doing lots of research,” said Walker. “There were many products that we tasted that did not meet our expectations, so we set out to create our own recipes. When we first started baking, I was eating everything and putting on pounds,” said Walker. “I knew I wasn’t going to stop enjoying our creations, but something had to change. Since developing low carb and keto recipes, I’ve lost 75 pounds.”
Life before Kai: a baker and business are born
Walker began baking before Kai was born. “My wife craved a certain cookie while she was pregnant with our little baker, and I could never find it. So I started to experiment and created the cookie she craved,” said Walker. After Kai was born and grew older, she too had the baking urge but also loved to cook. At age 6, Kai wanted to start a business making cookies and other baked goods. “We invested some seed money into her idea, and it has grown into what we do today,” said Walker. He started up operations in a shared community kitchen based in Houston’s Heights neighborhood. Right as orders started coming in, the pandemic struck closing the kitchen.
Sweet cravings: Owner Roderick Walker says his recipes like this Keto carrot cake made him healthier.
Coming to Westchase
Walker needed a new space and found it in Westchase District. Following an extensive search around the city, he selected 10846 Westheimer in the Corner at Lakeside. “We did not want to stop baking and end what we started. We found this location and it has been a good move for us – we are a specialty baker meeting the needs of our customers,” said Walker.
All in the family
At Kai’s Baking every family member participates in the business. Kai shares baking duties with her dad and arranges sales. Her mom takes care of advertising, marketing, and operations. Walker is responsible for the day-to-day operations. His brother-in-law, Mason, performs quality control, packaging and shipping.
Kai’s Baking makes savory and sweet items that provide options not just for keto/low carb, but for people trying to regain their health through weight loss. “We have trainers that recommend our product because it supports the diet their clients need – low carb with adequate protein,” said Walker. “We also make vegan options that are dairy-free, egg-free, and gluten free. Our goal is to offer options that make lifestyle changes more palatable no matter if it is a personal change or required for health reasons.”
Serving customers
Orders can be placed on the Kai’s Baking website – kaisbaking.com. While pre-orders are common, customers can also customize orders by selecting items not on the menu that week or for special occasions. “We have reps that place orders for physician offices, and offices that are ordering for a low carb coworker,” said Walker. “We keep pretty busy and our customers usually pre-order so that items are not sold out. They appreciate that their order is waiting on them when they arrive.”
KAI’S BAKING
10846 Westheimer Road
832-583-7894
kaisbaking.com
Open 10:30 am to 4 pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday; 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday
