Today the company has a balanced and simpli- fied lineup. Their production funnel supports seven origins of cacao beans that make up 18 chocolate bars. They rotate a handful of origins every 12-18 months but have a core group of cacao beans that are always on hand. The McGuire’s primarily work with two distrib- utors, Meridian Cacao and Uncommon Cacao. They also direct trade with the Nahua farm in Costa Rica. “We are lucky to work with distribu- tors who are regularly engaged with each origin and help to provide a transparent connection for our supply chain,” McGuire boasts. Craft choco- late making promotes a happy and sustainable supply chain ensuring the fair compensation of all participants, which is of great importance to chocolate lovers with an appreciation for integ- rity in a top-quality food product. It is the trace- ability to the farm-level which communicates the high standards of accountability. “We are lucky to work with distributors who are regular- ly engaged with each origin and help to provide a trans- parent connection for our supply chain,”
to promote long-term stability, and that they looked to open a storefront in a place that had strong existing tourism. It was also important to the McGuire’s that they find a location that would enable them to reduce or eliminate a commute so more time could be spent raising their kids and enjoying quality time with family.
The McGuire Chocolate Company launched in November of 2016. They struggled a bit with the naming of their business and ended up coining it after their last name. They couldn’t envision any other name that would withstand the test of time and that they would still love after many years. Their beloved chocolate bar lineup, affectionate- ly named after their cat Hank, tells the story of chocolate through the tales of their adventurous kitty. Names of bars include Señor Hankito, Big Booty Hank and Buccaneer Hank – to name a few. Spotlight asked McGuire why they decided to scale their business in Atlantic Canada when the first few years of groundwork were laid in Calgary. McGuire shared that the couple was looking for a location that was close to the United States border to help with exporting, that they wanted to own the building where they operated
After 18 months of property searching from coast-to-coast, the McGuire’s selected the beau- tiful town of St. Andrews, New Brunswick, a quaint tourist destination by the sea to live and work. The community embraced them immedi- ately and McGuire said, “We are forever grateful for the warmth and support of the community. We instantly knew we were part of something special here.” Doors to the shop opened in 2019 and now operates with core staff consisting of a fulltime baker/chocolate maker, one part time barista and Mark, Victoria and mother Carol. The McGuire’s staffing approach is to find good people and give them the space to figure out their workflow. They ask that their employees work hard and add
value to the business, but it is very important to the family that their employees are happy and contributing in a manner that suites them. Mark, Victoria and Carol all bring unique skill sets to the business and as Mark jokes with Victoria, “every day in the factory is a date.” “We are forever grateful for the warmth and support of the community. We instantly knew we were part of some- thing special here.”
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FEBRUARY 2021 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • FEBRUARY 2021
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