For Roxanne Kam, home has been Short Hills for the past 24 years, and for almost just as long, she has been turning a longtime ambition into something tangible. Twenty years ago, she co-founded RW Delights with a vision of building both a for-profit and a nonprofit organization. Her professional background had already given her experience on the nonprofit side as CFO of the New Jersey Symphony. The business of sweets became the realization of another long-held dream.

A Sweet Enterprise

Today, RW Delights is behind two brands, Heavenly Souffle and Heavenly Creme Brulee, with products available at retailers including ShopRite, Kings, Wegmans, Wine Library, and Whole Foods. Running the business is now Kam’s responsibility, a shift that required her to step into an expanded role. “I had to come out of my comfort zone and be a salesperson,” she says. 

One of the pivotal moments came when RW Delights began selling to Trader Joe’s for a four-year period. The relationship helped scale the business and ultimately opened the door to nationwide distribution. 

For Kam, quality begins with the ingredients themselves: sourcing high-quality, “clean” ingredients from trusted distributors, complemented by a well-maintained facility and efficient processes that ensure consistency. Whether considering flavor, production, or expansion, the priority remains preserving the standard of quality. 

The Art of the Dessert

The concept behind Heavenly Chocolate Souffle is simple but intentional. Kam wanted to create a restaurant-quality dessert that was easy to prepare, looked homemade, and could be served directly at the table, giving the customer the feeling of being the gourmet chef. Made with high-quality chocolate that cannot be found in a supermarket, the soufflé is intended to be distinctive, airy, decadent, and delicious, with the viscosity of the chocolate playing an important role in its texture. 

Crème brûlée called for a different level of precision. Developing the recipe involved plenty of trial and error to achieve the desired taste and texture. Today, the process depends on carefully controlling the temperature of the ingredients to get it right. The desserts arrive frozen in reusable ceramic ramekins, an intentional choice that reduces plastic use while keeping preparation simple, with no fuss or mess. That same practical approach extends beyond the desserts. Kam opens her factory to startup food companies, giving entrepreneurs a place to test whether their ideas can become viable businesses before making a major investment. 

She knows firsthand how challenging and costly the early steps can be. Having learned from others in the industry when RW Delights was starting out, she wanted to create an opportunity to extend that same support to others. “I thought it would be great to give back and give others a chance,” Kam says. “We learned so much at the beginning from others in the business that I wanted to offer advice and help to others starting out, if they needed it.” 

Paying It Forward

The spirit of giving back extends to the local community, particularly through RW Delights’ partnerships with school districts. The program began with a suggestion from Kam’s neighbor, Debbie Kiraly, a social worker at the Development Learning Center in Warren. Kiraly explained that students with special needs were looking for opportunities at local businesses to develop life skills and gain experience before graduating. 

For Kam, the value of the program goes beyond learning individual tasks. Students build skills, confidence, and independence while gaining a firsthand understanding of what it means to have a job, to show up, be responsible, and complete what is expected of them. 

It is also a natural extension of what continues to motivate Kam. She enjoys rolling up her sleeves, getting to work, and hearing directly from customers who have enjoyed her products. She also credits her employees, whose positive attitudes make the work rewarding. “I love to get feedback from our customers about how much they enjoyed our product. That makes me happy and always motivates me,” she says. “I am also very lucky to have employees who always have a positive attitude, and I enjoy working with them.” 

After two decades, the next chapter is taking RW Delights west. Kam sees an opportunity to build the company’s presence in California, Oregon, and Washington. A chain store in Oregon is expected to become a new retail opportunity at the beginning of next year. 

For Kam, the ambition remains rooted in the same hands-on approach that started it all, continuing to create, work, and build something worth sharing.

Photograph courtesy of Roxanne Kam