He Turned His Favorite Dessert Into a Brand

Artie Januario didn’t plan to become a baker. He didn’t even plan to become a founder. But after getting laid off from his tech job in 2023, he decided to bet on something he had been quietly perfecting for years.

A three-layer dessert called millionaire shortbread.

“It’s shortbread, caramel, chocolate. Sounds simple. But when it’s done right, it’s magic,” he says.

That one treat became the foundation for Artie Bars, the brand he co-founded with his wife Nicole. Today, it’s a growing e-commerce business with a cult following, dozens of flavors, a feature in the Wall Street Journal, and a mission to turn a European classic into America’s next favorite dessert.

From Beard Model to Head Baker

Artie’s career path didn’t exactly scream “future bakery owner.” He worked in retail, then at a men’s grooming startup where he did a little bit of everything—customer service, website updates, influencer outreach, and yes, beard modeling.

From there, he became a project manager in tech. He sat in on board meetings. Learned about funding and operations. He didn’t know it at the time, but every step was training for what he’s doing now.

“Looking back, it all makes sense,” he says. “Retail taught me customer experience. The startup taught me scrappiness. Tech taught me systems and structure. And Nicole—she taught me how to tell our story.”

Nicole, a longtime PR pro, is the brand’s secret weapon. She helped shape the voice of Artie Bars, refine the packaging, and land media coverage. Artie calls her “the superstar.” She calls him the baker.

Millionaire Shortbread Was the One That Stuck

Artie had been baking casually for years. Cinnamon rolls. Cakes. Random challenges from the Great British Baking Show. But millionaire shortbread stuck with him.

“I just loved the layers. You can do so much with flavor. It’s a blank canvas,” he says.

When he was laid off, he brought a tray to a holiday party. The next day, twenty people texted asking what it was. One asked if she could order forty for her son’s birthday.

That was the lightbulb moment.

From a Home Oven to a Commercial Kitchen

In the early days, he baked from home. But between food safety concerns and a big dog who loved to hover near the kitchen, that didn’t last long.

“We moved into a commercial kitchen. And that changed everything,” he says.

Now he has access to industrial mixers, ovens, and packaging space. That allowed them to scale. And it helped shift the customer base from friends and family to strangers finding them online.

“That was the craziest part. People we didn’t know started ordering. They’d find us on Instagram, or from a news story, and just place an order. That still blows my mind,” he says.

The Bars Have Been to Some Pretty Cool Places

Within three months, Artie Bars was catering for the Dave Matthews Band. Then came two local news features. Then a profile in the Wall Street Journal.

But it’s not the headlines that keep Artie going. It’s the people.

“We got an order from someone sending bars to a friend finishing chemo. We’ve been part of birthdays, breakups, Father’s Day gifts. That’s what I love—being part of someone’s moment,” he says.

The packaging has evolved. The branding is sharper. The website has moved from Squarespace to Shopify. But the mission hasn’t changed: deliver joy, one caramel bar at a time.

Looking Ahead: Bars for the Masses

Artie doesn’t just want to run a cute local brand. He wants to build a household name.

“We make no bones about it. We want to be national. We want to be everywhere,” he says.

But he also knows it will take time. He’s learning what works. Testing new flavors. Getting serious about email marketing and logistics. And staying grounded in what made the business work in the first place—community, curiosity, and a really good bar.

“If we make no money and people still love them, I’m happy,” he says. “But yeah, we’re going for it.”

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P.S. Artie shared a Thrive-exclusive promo code for our readers, us “THRIVE10” at checkout to get 10% off :)