Before successfully raising $1 million in 2017 for her packaged food business, Partake Foods, Denise Woodard was rejected by 86 investors, depleted her 401(k) and sold products from her car on road trips.

She couldn't give up. Her daughter was diagnosed with food allergies in 2016, and developing an alternative snack she could enjoy became paramount. She wanted to create allergy-friendly cookies, baking mixes, pancakes, and waffle mixes that are certified gluten-free, non-GMO, and vegan. Woodard also wanted them to be free of the Top 9 allergens: wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, soy, fish, sesame, and shellfish.

Fast forward to today, and her brand is available at more than 8,000 stores in North America, including Target, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Kroger, Walmart, Publix and Albertsons.

And the business is continuing to expand — Woodard recently signed a deal with Hilton. Partake Foods will offer a new allergy-friendly soft chocolate chip cookie at DoubleTree by Hilton locations across the U.S.; it partnered with Hilton to create the exclusive cookie.

“We are thrilled to work with an iconic brand like DoubleTree by Hilton to create a more inclusive welcome for their guests at check-in,” Woodard said in a statement. "As a parent of a child with food allergies, I know firsthand how limited offerings are for those with allergies and dietary restrictions when travelling. Everyone deserves a sense of assurance and comfort when they are away from home. Partake Foods is proud to extend our mission of inclusivity to DoubleTree by Hilton hotels across the United States.”

With 660 hotels and resorts in 51 countries, DoubleTree By Hilton will provide the new cookie to guests as it looks to build on its food service program at its hotels. And it’s already quite popular with audiences. It was the first food ever baked in space during experiments aboard the International Space Station. In 2022 alone, DoubleTree by Hilton served more than 19 million cookies.

The move is also significant at a time when nearly 1-in-3 adults in the U.S. and more than 1-in-4 U.S. children reported having a seasonal allergy, eczema, or food allergy in 2021, according to the CDC. A statement from Hilton also says more than 32 million people in the United States are affected by food allergies, and others have food intolerances or dietary preferences.

“With DoubleTree by Hilton’s allergy-friendly cookie, we’re reshaping the concept of hospitality to be more inclusive and considerate,” Matt Schuyler, chief brand officer at Hilton, said in a statement. “We’re serving not just a cookie but a promise of care and personalization for each guest who walks through our doors.”

Shawn McAteer, a brand leader at DoubleTree by Hilton, added that the partnership reaffirms the hotel chain’s commitment to “make travelers feel welcome while away from home.”

News of the partnership was announced Aug. 4 on National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.