history

It’s 1983. You’re a working woman with three young children. You’re busy, you’re frazzled, you barely have time to make your family’s meals. So, what’s a mother to do? If you’re Rowena Fullinwider, you say “I need some funky warehouse space and a couple dozen mixers!” So with barely a business plan, much less a business degree, Rowena’s was born. The rest is flour, eggs and butter history.

To be fair, Rowena’s bold move was more a leap of faith than a step off the cliff. After all, she had been wowing friends and neighbors with her baked goods for years, making delicious jellies and jams from the plum and fig trees in her back yard. But her real specialty—and the item that would become her trademark delicacy—was the sinfully good almond pound cake she made from an old family recipe. People started taking notice, and Rowena started taking orders. Rowena’s creations have since been featured in Bon Appetit, Southern Living, Gourmet Magazine, and on The Food Network.

Today, regular customers know that the arrival of a Rowena’s package means some sweet-eating goodness to come very soon. It also means stashing the box out of sight, lest the celebratory cake come to the table with a few big chunks missing. (Trust us, we’ve heard.) And what a relief to have such a delicious and easy plate of pleasure ready to set down for the family or friends. Why, it’s enough to bring a few moments of oven-baked bliss to a very hectic life.

So, that’s our story. And, like the thick, gooey batter of a Rowena’s pound cake, we’re sticking to it. The original Rowena is no longer with us and we’re sorry if you never got to meet her. You would have loved her enthusiasm, her fortitude and her spirit of innovation; and she would have loved to hear how much your guests loved her cakes and drizzles, and how you’re carrying on that tradition today, sharing the love (if not the entire pound cake) with that cherished bunch around your table.