Instead of making their cake pops in-store, Starbucks partnered with Steven Charles Desserts, a wholesale bakery that was founded in L.A. in the 1970s.

Today, the company primarily operates out of Aurora, Colorado, with a secondary location in Pembroke, North Carolina.

Starbucks chooses partnerships that champion diversity. Three of Steven Charles Desserts' four chief officers are women, and the company makes a point of hiring ethnic minorities.

Steven Charles Desserts uses only high-quality ingredients, which explains the relatively steep price for a single pop, and why customers continue to come back for them.