Established in 1983 by civil engineer Athena Uslander, Silverland Bakery in Forest Park, Illinois was built on a family brownie recipe. Today, its selection has expanded to include brownies, bakery bars, cookies, rice crispy treats and natural food bars sold nationwide to cafes, grocers, caterers and more.

Uslander is a woman, immigrant, and mother of three, who learned how to bake on the job with a friend and business partner who helped establish the business. When the partnership ended, Uslander’s newfound baking talent and adaptability ensured Silverland’s continued success.

“I’ve developed thousands of recipes,” Uslander says. “Things are constantly changing and people are always asking for something new.”

Silverland has continued to evolve over the decades by introducing keto brownies, vegan rice crispy treats and a brown butter blondie. These products have helped the bakery to overcome challenges such as inflation and the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2023 continues to bring opportunities. The pandemic brought new businesses, for whom Silverland is able to provide co-packing services. This is when a company produces another company’s product on their behalf to help simplify their manufacturing process. This capability landed the business multiple cameos on CNBC’s The Profit, where Uslander advised growing bakeries as they sought investment from Marcus Lemonis, the show’s host.