Kathie Delano and Debbie Draudt realized it was a tough time to start a new company last year when the micro business venture that was helping them find commercial kitchen space suddenly folded, reports The Denver Business Journal.
But the two chocolatiers pushed on, finally settling in a 300 square-foot baking area in a south Denver commissary.
Seven months after Wild Women Truffles finally found a home, it’s tasting sweet rewards.
Sales have grown 30 percent in six months for the business, enabling the founders to make back most of their initial investment.
The owners are giving demonstrations in grocery stores and planning how to turn a one-time hobby into a full-time business.
Even in the toughest of times, they said, people will treat themselves to small rewards. That’s why they use ingredients such as high-end Belgian chocolate, and worry less about cutting costs than about meeting people’s desires.
The name “Wild Women Truffles” comes from the pair’s shared love of goddesses and untamed females throughout history. But it also refers to the unusual ingredients with which they fill their gluten-free chocolates, including Jack Daniels whiskey, chili peppers and chai tea.
Photo by Denver Business Journal.