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Fowler Family Buys Little Rock’s Dempsey Bakery, Plans Gluten-Free Franchise

2 min read

An entity owned by the Fowler family of Jonesboro has acquired Dempsey Bakery of Little Rock with plans to franchise the gluten-free bakery across the country.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The new owner is Friendly Bakery LLC, led by Chris Fowler, former president of Fowler Foods Inc. As part of the deal, Fowler hired Melissa Johnson as chief operating officer to help with the expansion.

The bakery’s founder and former owner Paula Dempsey will remain with the company as a consultant for the next three years, according to a news release announcing the deal.

Dempsey opened the eponymously-named business in 2011 as Little Rock’s first allergy-friendly bakery. The venture was “close to her heart,” she told Arkansas Business in 2020, because many of her family members have allergies and autoimmune disorders.

“All children deserve to live like everyone else and have pretty cakes on their birthdays and pizzas and cupcakes,” Dempsey said. “Little did I know that so many adults had sensitivities as well.”

In the news release, Dempsey said the decision to sell wasn’t easy, but the Fowlers “presented an offer with the ability to franchise that we could not pass up.”

Fowler said acquisition talks began when his daughter Lexi expressed interest in creating her own bakery. She has a nut allergy and has been a customer of Dempsey Bakery for years.

The Dempsey brand and name, as well as the recipes, will not be changed. “Customers can expect the same quality menu items as before,” the release said.

The Fowlers are known for leading robust KFC and Taco Bell franchises, acquiring more than 90 over a period of several decades. Chris Fowler reportedly sold his stakes in the restaurants in 2021 and retired, but indicated that he would maintain some business interests.

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