Island chocolatiers look towards a sweet future

0
New shelf stable chocolate bars by Not Your Sugar Mama's are debuting stores around New England. — Photo by Michael Cummo

Two idealistic young Island women, both committed to healthy food, clean living, and “kick-ass chocolate,” launched Not Your Sugar Mamas (NYSM), a tiny, homegrown enterprise, in 2011.

Now, only three years later, NYSM has grown through trial, error, and remarkable success. The line has expanded and been refined. Products are sold in 130 shops across New England, including 19 Whole Foods branches. With their new tempered raw chocolate bars added to original favorites, owners Bennett Coffey and Kyleen Keenan are gearing up for nationwide distribution.

But they are not neglecting their Island customers. NYSM is opening its chocolate factory in Tisbury Market Place for a “Pop-Up Shop” December 15 through 19, and December 22. This Thursday, Dec. 18, 4 to 7 pm, chocolate lovers are invited to enjoy samples and healthy, festive beverages, music by DJ Pretty Ninja, and browse the array of scrumptious gift choices.

Nor are they abandoning their original mission: to “spread health, happiness, and love through powerful superfoods.”

It may sound like a fun project, beginning a friendly little health food chocolate business on an Island with a like-minded friend. But although the owners have always maintained their excitement and enthusiasm about the enterprise and the products, they are quick to explain that NYSM is not a casual candy-making pastime. It is a serious business requiring hard work, from planning and production, to packaging and marketing.

The Times talked with the two women last week in Ms. Keenan’s comfortable living room, sampling the newest chocolate bars while Ms. Keenan’s baby daughter napped nearby.

Change has been a constant as the business grew. While some new ideas were discarded as impractical or not productive, every experience provided learning.

“We thrive on seeing growth and progress,” Ms. Keenan said. “The business looks different every year. So much changes. That makes us happy, that’s what we want to see.”

Asked whether they were surprised at the success of NYSM and the leap to selling nationwide, both said no.

“We always thought about the business in a big way,” Ms. Coffey said. “We wanted it to be something that sustains us here.”

The duo started with organic raw chocolate and a commitment to natural, sustainable, healthy ingredients. Ms. Coffey was the kitchen wizard, experimenting with combinations and techniques, perfecting the original raw chocolate refrigerated bars.

A holistic nutrition counselor, Ms. Coffey studied at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City. Discovering the delights of raw chocolate, she began working on recipes. Ms. Keenan, who had graduated from Bentley University’s School of Business, took on the business and marketing aspects of the company.

Many Vineyarders were won over, entranced by the unique flavors, creamy texture, and high-quality natural, organic ingredients. Customers were happy to pay a little extra for a super-healthy bar made with love and care. Plus, the products were delicious.

It began with three all-organic flavors, based on the same combination of raw cacao, cacao butter, and coconut butter. The bars rely on organic maple syrup for sweetening; some also include agave, honey, and coconut nectar. Add-ins included essential oils, herbs, and spices. The basic Be Original bar includes cinnamon, Madagascar vanilla bean, and Himalayan sea salt. Be Cool added lavender, peppermint, and St. John’s Wort to “soothe body and soul.” Be Sexy boasted extra maca, and a flourish of Skye Botanical’s love potion.

Ms. Coffey came up with delectable new creations. Be Jolly arrived for Christmas. With pomegranate, nutmeg, and antioxidant-rich ingredients, it remains a yummy pick-me-up for the busy season. Be Fresh hit the shops in spring, emphasizing superfoods for the changing season: camu camu, mesquite, African baobab, and organic lemon verbena. The partners were delighted to launch Be Local, using Vineyard sea salt and lavender, and Massachusetts honey.

Off-Island marketing was next. Ms. Keenan said introducing the unique chocolate to retailers was challenging, but soon it was being sold in dozens of small venues like spas, health food stores, and yoga studios. When Whole Foods in Hingham agreed to carry the products, it was an exciting coup.

The first retail shop and chocolate factory opened in Vineyard Haven in 2012, a step up from the borrowed commercial kitchen where Ms. Coffey first made chocolates.

With a talented baker on staff, the company turned out a variety of pastries — cookies, muffins, scones, cupcakes — all healthy and natural, of course. The Edgartown shop opened that summer, both sites offering chocolates, baked goods, and innovative beverages, including shakes, smoothies, and the Dandelion Latte, a cult favorite.

New products proliferated: smoothie mixes, Be Cozy hot chocolate, Be Saucy (guilt-free hot fudge), pastries, truffles, and energy balls. Many are being phased out to streamline the business and focus on chocolates. The toothsome Be Kookie chocolate chip cookies remain available, to the relief of fans.

“It’s more efficient to just narrow it down and just be good at making one thing,” Ms. Coffey said.

A revolutionary change was this year’s introduction of raw chocolate bars that need no refrigeration. Employing a tempering technique and eliminating soft coconut butter enabled Ms. Coffey to create a durable smooth-textured bar. It can be more safely stored, shipped, and displayed, critical for nationwide marketing.

Some flavors echo the originals, others are new like Rose Maca, and immune-enhancing Ginger Pomegranate with cacao nibs. Top seller Salted Caramel features a rich vegan caramel layer.

But recognizing the allegiance (and addiction) of customers to the refrigerated bars, the company is keeping them available on a limited basis at the factory and by mail.

There has been lots of hard work, some ideas that didn’t succeed, but there have been many rewards, achievements, and milestones.

Most recently, NYSM won the Star Chefs 2013 Rising Stars Award in the Best Concept category, a significant accomplishment. The company has received favorable write-ups in many local and off-Island publications.

Now that production has geared up and the kitchen staff has expanded, Ms. Coffey no longer makes every chocolate bar, but she oversees quality control. Off-Island demonstrations keep the product in the public eye. The mail-order business thrives.

Daunting as all this may seem, Ms. Coffey and Ms. Keenan were relaxed, all smiles as they munched bites of chocolate and looked towards the sweet future.

“It’s come a long way from making 10 chocolate bars at a time in my Mom’s kitchen in a wooden bowl with a wooden spoon after teaching yoga,” said Ms. Coffey with a laugh.

For more information, visit notyoursugarmamas.com.