Meet Shanie Fonseca and Tammie Los | Co-Founders, Tammie’s Muffins

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shanie Fonseca and Tammie Los and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shanie & Tammie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Tammie’s Muffins grew from our family’s restaurant Tammie’s Corner House Cafe in Hermosa Beach. Due to some health concerns, our family was forced to close up shop after about 9 years in business. About 6 months after the restaurant closed we received so many emails and calls from former customers asking where they could buy our famous muffins. It was then that we decided we had to start our own endeavor with our muffins as our front runner. At first, we thought we could build a business solely around e-commerce transactions but there wasn’t enough buzz about us right away so we started selling at the local farmer’s markets to get the word out. This helped substantially as e-commerce is a large portion of our business now.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We are Tammie’s Muffins, a local bakery out of Long Beach, CA that specializes in softball-sized muffins, cookies, and carrot cake. We’re most recognizable due to our size. Our pride and joy product is our traditional Tammie’s Muffin which is an 8oz muffin comprised of a vanilla or chocolate muffin base with fruit, nuts, or chocolate additives. Competing muffins typically weigh around 3-4 oz. so you can see the difference in size right away. Our size is what drives people in but it’s the taste that keeps customers coming back. Our base is very fluffy and moist but not greasy. We use basic ingredients and minimal sugar where we can. There’s no butter involved just a bit of canola oil so our customers feel better about what they are eating. We offer smaller variations for bit size snacks that have become one of our most popular products.

Getting where we are today has been no easy journey. Our family has had numerous ups and downs with health and of course the pandemic, forcing us to adapt. But we have learned that adapting isn’t always bad and have started to see the good in everything. There are just two of us that run the business, a mother and daughter team, and because it’s just the two of us we’ve learned that not every mistake is a big deal. The most important thing we’ve learned is that mistakes will happen and that we have to spend less time getting angry and more time supporting each other towards a solution. That’s not always easy but we’re always working towards that.

It only takes one bite to love us and that’s the most important thing you should know about us! We’re growing and want to be able to service more areas of Los Angeles so please reach out to us if you’re interested in giving us a try!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We are true Angelenos and love this city! On a week-long trip, we would definitely throw in a Dodger game but not before breakfast at the Cozy Cafe in Redondo Beach. This is a great greasy spoon diner that we’ve been going to for years and it’s owned by a husband and wife who have their children running around helping them. After the game, we’d stop for tacos at Trejos Tacos in Hollywood. This is a newer LA staple but one of the bests now. You can’t come to LA without a hike up to the Hollywood sign. This is an iconic landmark and an absolute must! Santa Monica for dinner and drinks is a bit busier than some of the local South Bay spots but it sure is fun for a night out.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We want to recognize our family and friends who’ve jumped in and helped us with very little notice. They know who they are. They never ask for a penny from us but are always there to pitch in when we need it most. They help us lift heavy things that we can’t handle ourselves. They make last-minute deliveries for us when we’re swamped. They roll their sleeves up and package hundreds of baked goods into the night so we don’t have to do it alone. We love and appreciate all the support we have been given from our family and friends.

Website: tammiesmuffins.com

Instagram: instagram.com/tammiesmuffins

Facebook: facebook.com/tammiesmuffins