Wally Amos, pioneering creator of the legendary biscuit brand Famous Amos, dies at the age of 88

Wally Amos, creator of the legendary Famous Amos biscuit brand, died on Tuesday at his home in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was 88 years old.

Amos died from dementia, said his children Shawn and Sarah Amos The New York TimesThe entrepreneur, born in Florida in 1936, founded Famous Amos.

The cookie business, based on his aunt's recipe, started in 1975 with a single store in Los Angeles, California, before quickly growing into a nationwide brand. By 1981, Famous Amos was a $12 million company that Just reports.

Amos succeeded by “turning an everyday object into a gourmet experience,” according to Jesse Szewczyk, author of Cookies: The new classics.

“The concept of an artisanal cookie with no preservatives was unusual,” Szewczyk told the History Channel.

Soon after founding Famous Amos, the entrepreneur became a household name. Amos was on the cover of Time Magazine and has made guest appearances on cult TV shows such as “The Jeffersons”, the Just reported. He also appeared on “The Office.”

Amos ran the company for several years but struggled to maintain profits. Just reported. He was forced to sell his entire share in the company in 1988.

“I was just stupid. I sold the company and didn't realize that I was also selling my future,” Amos told CNBC.

Amos, however, was not discouraged. In 2016, the entrepreneur appeared on Shark Tank to pitch his latest cookie project: The Cookie Kahuna. Although Shark Tank investors recognized Amos and his success, they did not accept the offer.

The Cookie Kahuna eventually had to go out of business due to a “not so good business arrangement,” Amos said Charlotte Magazine.

“I set up the whole business, my business partner put up the money, and it wasn't going so well,” he continued.

In 2018, Amos worked on a new brand: Aunt Della's Cookies.

“This is my last company, I can tell you that for sure,” he said Charlotte Magazine. “Write this on my tombstone: 'He died starting one last cookie company.'”