Stand With Chocolate Mama Cookie Co. – Protecting a Community Business
My name is Empress, founder of Chocolate Mama Cookie Co., a wellness-focused cookie brand in Emeryville, California. From a small live-work storefront at The Emery, I created a space where neighbors could enjoy thoughtfully crafted treats — gluten-free, low-glycemic, and keto-friendly cookies made for people who want indulgence without compromising their health.
Chocolate Mama was built with intention.
It is a brand rooted in community, wellness, and entrepreneurship.
I followed the process, secured approvals, and invested my personal resources to create something positive for the neighborhood. Yet despite operating within the rules, my business has become the target of an organized effort designed to silence and remove it.
A Small Business Under Strategic Pressure
Since opening, neighboring units have engaged in a sustained campaign of complaints and legal pressure. Attorneys have been hired to challenge my presence, and repeated claims have been filed with the city alleging violations that do not reflect how my business actually operates.
The reality is simple:
• I sell pre-packaged cookies produced in a licensed commercial kitchen
• My storefront operates within a commercially zoned live-work unit
• My business received approval from both building management and the City of Emeryville
Yet the volume of complaints has created regulatory confusion and disruption that has forced operations to pause.
What began as a thriving small business has been pushed into silence through legal pressure and coordinated complaints.
Why This Matters
Chocolate Mama Cookie Co. is more than a cookie company.
It represents:
• A woman-owned, Afro-Indigenous owned small business
• A health-focused product serving people with dietary needs
• A community-oriented brand committed to connection and joy
Small businesses are supposed to be encouraged in live-work spaces designed specifically for entrepreneurship. Instead, this situation highlights how easily a single entrepreneur can be overwhelmed when neighbors with greater resources decide a business should not exist.
This is not about charity.
This is about fair access to the tools required to protect a legitimate business.
What Support Will Do
To stabilize my housing, defend my rights, and restore business operations, I am working to raise $30,400.
These funds will support:
Housing & Business Stability — $9,000
Keeping my live-work space secure after the forced pause in operations.
Legal Consultation & Advocacy — $10,000
Professional guidance to address harassment, regulatory confusion, and business interference.
Business Restoration — $10,000
Rebuilding operations and reopening once these obstacles are resolved.
Administrative & Processing Costs — $1,400
Moving Forward
Chocolate Mama Cookie Co. has always been about joy, wellness, and connection.
I am committed to restoring this business and continuing to serve the Emeryville community.
If you believe in protecting independent businesses and ensuring entrepreneurs have a fair chance to thrive, your support helps restore balance in a situation where the odds have been uneven.
Thank you for standing with Chocolate Mama Cookie Co.
Learn more about the cookies at:
Every cookie is still crafted with care in a licensed commercial kitchen, just as it has always been.
Empress
Owner, Chocolate Mama Cookie Co.
Emeryville, California