HOME GROWN & LOCAL Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate

HOME GROWN

& LOCAL

Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate

Jody and D.C. Hayden - Owners

HOME GROWN & Local

with Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate

Michigan 22, 11590 S Lacore St, Empire, MI 49630 grocersdaughter.com

In the little village of Empire sits a bright green building, step inside to discover the ultimate chocolate paradise, Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate.

Tell us a little history of your chocolate beginnings and the origin of the name. “Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate was founded in 2004 by Mimi Wheeler, our dear friend and chocolate fairy godmother, and we purchased it from her in 2013. We’ve since moved locations and expanded but at the heart of the business has always been a commitment to the highest quality and integrity, both in our products and as members of our community. We both knew Mimi in different capacities prior to purchasing Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate and, when she told me she wanted to sell it, I was excited for the opportunity to learn about a new industry and carry on her beloved chocolate legacy.”

What makes your chocolates so unique? “Our chocolate is traceable back to the farmers in Ecuador and these farming groups are committed to cultivating a rare, prized variety of cacao known as Nacional, which produces some of the most flavorful, aromatic chocolate in the world. In our shop, we use only natural ingredients to enhance the innate flavors of the chocolate. No artificial flavoring or preservatives. And we source as many local ingredients as we can! Finally, we have a super talented staff and without them we couldn’t make such wonderfully, unique chocolates.”

You recently also added a Gelato shop, how did that come about? “We were hoping to find other vehicles for our chocolate that complimented our current offerings, but also wanted to give customers another delicious treat option while visiting Empire. We’ve seen wild growth in the popularity of our fudgesicles these past years so a frozen treat seemed like a smart idea. And gelato is a natural addition to our product line. It’s all about the quality and flavor of the ingredients.”

Just how busy do you get at the holiday season? “In November, the holiday buzz begins and our business shifts significantly to shipping gifts around the nation. Depending on the day we ship 50-100 orders. We do corporate gifts and supply our many wholesale accounts. It’s fun, fast and furious but there’s always a magic to the season! And this year we’ll be offering cookie boxes, too, and we anticipate they’ll be a fun, popular item.”

What’s one thing we’d be surprised to know about chocolate? “It comes from a tart, sweet tropical fruit!”