Flapjacks founder enjoying success

Dan Byers’ Daddy Cakes line of pancake mixes saw a sizzling good business year in 2009 despite the bumpy economic times.

His griddle cake mixes feature a variety of flavors, like sinful cinnamon and witty whole wheat, which are made for creating light and fluffy pancakes and waffles. In 2009, the Daddy Cakes line went from being at a few retail stores to being picked up by Amazon and about 100 retail stores nationwide.

In March, the Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch featured Daddy Cakes in an online small business report.

Byers, a Newport Beach resident who left the commercial real estate industry to make pancake mix, said the secret to the success of his company is making his business all about family and giving to his community.

“I think it’s one of those things that a lot of people are going back to eating more at home than out,” he said. “Instead of reaching for a beer, they reach for a daddy cake and are connecting with their families.”

Byers founded his company with his half-brother Levi Silva, of Telluride, Colo., in 2007, but as the company grew, the long-distance partnership did not work.

Byers said Daddy Cakes will be coming out with five new syrups, new flavors and three flavors of cupcake mixes this year.

Although the mix is made for pancakes and waffles, Byers said, it can be used for a variety of baked food items, like muffins, cakes, cobblers and brownies.

For Byers, the pancake mix is not a business, but something that celebrates families and the American tradition of the pancake breakfast, he said.

Byers and his family are deeply connected to their community, from helping to feed the homeless to helping raise funds for community organizations and schools.

“Our success has really been working with people,” he said. “It’s been a proponent to our success.”