Cory Nieves – Mr. Cory’s Cookies
Cory Nieves, better known as Mr. Cory, is a Gen Z entrepreneur hailing from Englewood, New Jersey. His cookies have been stocked in large players in the retail game such as Amazon and Walmart, and as of 2021, Nieves and his brand are reported to be worth over $1.5 million.
Though his cookie business has been a raging success, his entrepreneurial journey didn’t start there. Founded on the hope of new beginnings, Nieves left New York to pursue a better education around 2009–but little did he know, his creative spirit would flourish in New Jersey. Without the abundant New York public transportation, Nieves knew that he and his mother would need a car. Thus, he began to sell lemonade in the summer and hot chocolate in the winter. Even though he may not have made enough to purchase the vehicle initially, the New York native’s startup appetite had been whetted.
Realizing that the choices of beverage restricted him to seasonal sales, Nieves began to introduce a new product to his expanding line: cookies. Cory and his mom started with at-home recipes, going through several iterations before finally finding the perfect combination–with up to five consistent flavors currently available for purchase. At this point, Nieves’ customer base started to grow, and the initial customer acquisition issue turned into a different kind of problem: expansion.
With a loyal following and four years of experience under his belt, Nieves’ looked to partnerships with major brands and personalities such as Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGenerous, launching what was once a lemonade stand into a seven-figure brand. Though not strictly a social entrepreneur, Cory Nieves captured the hearts of the public through his honest goals and underdog marketing. The American Dream represented in Nieves’ journey is summed up in one quote from his interview with Ebony: “If it’s not fun, then why even do it?” And for those who have followed his story from the start, he finally purchased the car.
Sources: Oprah.com, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Milwaukee Courier (2014), “The Profit Updates” CNBC.com (2017), Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Ebony.
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Awesome to see that even a simple idea, like making and selling cookies, can be so successful. Also cookies are the best
I find it crazy that a kid his age is able to earn over 1 million dollars by selling cookies. However, it shows that such a simple idea with a great marketing strategy can really turn into a good idea. I think this kid can definitely keep this going and make a lot more money just by using practical everyday ideas.
It is really fascinating how something as simple as a lemonade stand to help out his mother could turn into a successful business idea. As well as the partnerships he has with major brands is very impressive for such a young Entrepeneur.
I’ve never heard of Cory or his company before but after reading this I would be open to trying his cookies. I love the story of him trying to save up for his mom’s car, it’s cool to see a business start with no selfish intents yet grow to become something big.