From there, the intention was focused on delivering the dessert experience in a packaged product. Whether it’s freezing, thawing, packaging or shelf life, every step in the process must consistently replicate the unique Hiatus experience.
“Scaling forces you to move away from intuition and toward intention,” Featherstone explained. “When the brand begins, you rely on experience and what feels right. But as you grow it, you have to focus on the technical aspects of the product and how it’s made. And how — without changing its core — it will function across different use cases.”
From writing a new business plan to creating a product marketing deck to outlining an investor pitch, the more Hiatus grows, the more disciplined the intention becomes.
One of the biggest lessons the team has learned is that marketing must be built into the margin.
“People love a reward, and that’s true across every part of the supply chain,” said Branden Wiles, Hiatus’ COO. “History has shown that savings are one of the most effective rewards, but you can’t pass those savings along without the margin to support them. Without that flexibility, promotions disappear, sales slow and retention suffers.”
Enter the co-man
Working with co-manufacturers has created economies of scale that allow the brand to operate more efficiently and invest in marketing and promotions that benefit not only consumers but also retailers and distributors.
“When we brought co-packers in, our margins increased,” Featherstone said. “Before that, marketing and promotions were very tough within the margins we had. Having contract manufacturers has enabled us to execute more marketing like offer promotions in the retail space.”
Working with co-manufacturers has also enabled Hiatus to focus efforts on market-driven development, not only with flavor varieties but also with product sizes and formats. That’s creating opportunities to get cheesecakes into a wider variety of foodservice establishments, retail outlets and event-focused catering.
With its foray from plated dessert to CPG brand, Hiatus Cheesecake is exploring every possible opportunity, especially as the brand gains visibility in the in-store bakery refrigerator case. The company has come a long way from Featherstone’s back-of-house days … perhaps even further than he intended. Through it all, every experience has illuminated the vision for Hiatus’ future.
“The entrepreneurial journey is like walking down a path in a dark tunnel, where you know what you want to see at the end,” Featherstone said. “But as you engage and learn, the path becomes clearer, and then you can see that light on the other side. We can see what’s next, now, and the focus is on discipline and intentional growth. We’re focused on being a good vendor and a good partner, while we keep our foundation strong. The tunnel is no longer dark, and we are so excited to see the light.”
This story has been adapted from the April | Q2 2026 issue of Commercial Baking. Read the full story in the digital edition here.
