Ocemiam Opens Its First Retail Kiosk at Washington Square, Bringing French Baby Cakes Face-to-Face with Portland Shoppers

After two years of growth in Portland-area grocery, the Oregon-based French bakery brand opens a daily, direct-to-consumer presence at one of the Pacific Northwest's busiest shopping centers, just ahead of the holiday season.

PORTLAND, Oregon. —October 13, 2026 — Ocemiam ("oh-say-me-am"), the Oregon-based maker of French Baby Cakes and French Banana Bread, today announced the opening of its first permanent retail kiosk at Washington Square in Tigard, Oregon. The kiosk gives shoppers daily access to the brand's full lineup, free samples and holiday gifts, and serves as a discovery point for the 30+ Portland-area grocery stores that carry Ocemiam.

A French pastry more than a muffin

Ocemiam's signature French Baby Cake draws on the financier, the century-old French almond cake traditionally baked in the shape of a gold bar. Ocemiam reimagines it in a round, single-serve format that looks like a mini muffin but eats like a French pastry: a small, buttery, almond-based cake with no frosting and no industrial ingredients.

The cakes come in five flavors, each made with premium ingredients used in generous amounts:

• Almond (the original) — Finely ground almonds for a delicate yet powerful flavor and moist texture.
• Pistachio — Crafted with pure pistachio paste and pistachio meal.
• Raspberry — Fresh, fruity raspberry bursts with natural sweetness and tang.
• Hazelnut — Rich, nutty flavor with premium roasted hazelnuts from Oregon.
• Chocolate — Decadent chocolate indulgence with premium cocoa for pure bliss.

Built on almond flour and French butter, the Baby Cakes are naturally gluten-free and stay moist for two/three weeks. The lineup is completed by French Banana Bread, made with caramelized bananas, French flour, French butter and crème fraîche. French Banana Bread and the Chocolate Baby Cake are the kiosk's best sellers to date.

From grocery shelves to a home of its own

With no neighborhood boulangerie on every corner as in France, Ocemiam set out to make French pastry part of everyday American shopping. Over the past two years, the brand has grown to more than 30 retail doors across the Portland metro area, including New Seasons Market, Zupan's Markets, World Foods and three locations at Portland International Airport (PDX). Expansion across other states is planned next. Ocemiam also ships nationwide from Ocemiam.com.

Alongside retail, Ocemiam built a following through pop-up events such as the Portland Night Market, the Portland Flea, First Thursday and Flock Friday, where the team learned the value of meeting customers in person. Those conversations about how the cakes are baked, and why they differ from a muffin, converted first-time tasters into repeat buyers in a way a store shelf alone cannot.

"On a grocery shelf, we are one product among thousands," said Erwan Ouattara, Co-Founder of Ocemiam. "At our pop-ups, people would taste a French Baby Cake, ask how we make it, and come back for a box. The kiosk lets us have that conversation every day."

Why Washington Square

Washington Square, in Tigard, draws an estimated 12 million visitors a year and ranks among the top-grossing malls per square foot in the United States. The kiosk gives Ocemiam a daily point of contact for sampling and storytelling, and a way to build awareness that sends shoppers to the grocery stores across the region that carry the brand. The location is also home turf: Ocemiam's corporate office is five minutes from the mall.

For consumer packaged goods brands, the kiosk acts as a physical extension of the shelf: a place to introduce a new product category, gather direct feedback and drive repeat purchases at retail partners.

"A French Baby Cake is a new category for most Americans, and the fastest way to explain it is a taste," said Erwan Ouattara. "Every sample at Washington Square is a chance to win a customer who will look for us next time they shop at New Seasons or Zupan's."

Timed for the holidays

The kiosk opens as the holiday shopping season begins. Shoppers will find gift-ready boxes of French Baby Cakes, French Banana Bread, gift cards and Ocemiam-branded socks, making it an easy stop for hostess gifts, office treats and stocking stuffers.

Kiosk details

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About Ocemiam

Ocemiam ("oh-say-me-am") is an Oregon-based bakery brand bringing French pastry tradition to American grocery aisles. Its name comes from the French expression "Ô c'est miam!" — "Oh, this is good!" Ocemiam's French Baby Cakes, inspired by the classic French financier, and its French Banana Bread are baked in Oregon with natural, premium ingredients including French butter. The products are sold at more than 30 retail locations in the Portland metro area, including New Seasons Market and Zupan's Markets, at the brand's kiosk at Washington Square, and nationwide at Ocemiam.com. Follow @ocemiam_oh.this.is.good on Instagram and TikTok.

Media contact

Erwan Ouattara, Co-Founder
Ocemiam
[email protected] · 876-716-0088
Photos, samples and interviews available on request.