Neil Edley, Chief Innovation Officer of Sugar Plum Chocolates
With the holiday season quickly approaching, it’s time us collegiettes begin thinking of what gifts we’re going to surprise our families with. However, with the onset of midterm season and eventually finals season come December, there’s hardly any time to be thinking that far ahead. But that’s where Sugar Plum Chocolates comes in! Located several hours outside of Forty Fort, PA, Sugar Plum Chocolates is a family-founded and owned company started in 1995. Since then, it has transformed into one of the most popular online retailers for specialty chocolate treats and gift bags, and has even gone on to provide treats for events as distinguished as the Academy Awards. We got to sit down with Neil Edley, the Chief Innovation Officer at Sugar Plum Chocolates, who shared with us some of the secrets that go into creating the perfect chocolate goodies.
Alexandra Sakellariou for Her Campus McGill (HC McGill): First off, could you explain a little bit about what Sugar Plum Chocolates does?
Neil Edley (NE):It would be easy to just say we make chocolates, but we do so much more than that. We’re unique and inventive and make some pretty groundbreaking products. We focus on handmade and small batch confections. We’re an innovation house so we can pretty much make anything.
HC McGill: What makes Sugar Plum Chocolates stand out from other similar companies?
NE: We truly are handmade and everything is made to ensure freshness and protect the product’s integrity. We don’t want a customer to get a piece of chocolate that has been sitting in a warehouse for months. Also, a lot of other chocolate companies are automated. Part of what makes us special is that people, real people, make the product. It isn’t automated like a lot of the bigger manufacturers. This takes a lot of the “personality” out of the chocolate and the process. We also have a great variety of products, including organic and vegan options. Also, our flavoured nuts are some of the more unique treats we offer.
HC McGill: How was this business started? Is there a cool background story that inspired the business that you can share with us? For instance, the name is reminiscent of the holiday classic The Nutcracker Ballet- is there any correlation there?
NE: Sugar Plum is a female-owned business started in 1995 by my mother Frann and me. It’s family-owned and operated. It started as a gifting and gift basket company and now we’re in over ten countries. We’ve gone from a small retail shop to a manufacturing facility, focusing more on eCommerce.
HC McGill: What goes into the creation of your products? Can you give us a brief run-down of what your treats go through before they’re ready to be enjoyed?
NE: All of our items are ethically sourced and very rigorously tested before we release them. As far as the creation goes, it all starts with an idea. Sometimes we come up with the idea, and sometimes clients call us for a special order. We’ll figure out what they want and make a few prototypes based on what they’re asking for. We’ll send out the samples and tweak the recipe based on the feedback.
HC McGill : In your position as Innovation Officer, what roles and responsibilities do you have in the production of your products?
NE: I’m primarily in charge of creating and developing our lineup of chocolates and other products. I’m kind of a mad scientist of chocolate. I do everything from source – from the ingredients, to the development of the product, to the artwork that goes on the packaging, to helping get the product out the door.
HC McGill: Sugar Plum Chocolates seems to target larger companies that do corporate gifting as clientele, but I know you also market to individual customers, including college students. College students aren’t known for their great gift-giving skills. So, what makes Sugar Plum Chocolates a great option for students looking for convenient gift ideas for holidays and birthdays?
NE: Chocolate is never out of season, and no one will ever say they have enough chocolate so it makes for the perfect gift. We’re a unique and groundbreaking company. We make everything here in our factory. Giving the gift of Sugar Plum Chocolates allows for a unique and trendy present.
HC McGill: Once you place an order, how long should one expect before it arrives at their door? Can you ship them to the address of the person who you’re giving the gift to? In addition, do you ship internationally?
NE: Overnight and express delivery are available, but for standard ground shipping it depends on where the product is going. Since we ship from our factory here in Pennsylvania, getting our products to anywhere on the east coast typically takes about a day or two. It can take around five days to ship to the west coast. Gifting is a big part of our business so we can ship to a lucky gift-recipient’s address. We’ll even add a card with a customized note. And yes, we ship internationally.
HC McGill: On your website, there’s an option for shoppers to customize their products. What type of personal customizations do you offer?
NE: We offer so many customizations that I wouldn’t be able to list all of them. We can customize everything from the color of the bow around the basket to the flavor of the chocolate. If a customer wanted a chocolate bar to taste like grass we could probably do that. We make personalized candy bars and wrappers too. One of the more unique custom creations that comes to mind is a vegan bacon chocolate bar we created for a customer.
HC McGill: Do you have products for people who may have dietary restrictions, such as vegetarian, vegan, or gluten free products?
NE:Yes, we have a line of gourmet nuts which are all vegan. We also make vegan and organic chocolate bars.
HC McGill: What is the best treat on your menu- in your opinion, of course? Is there one treat in particular that you recommend everyone try at least once?
NE: We’re most famous for our trays – our Mountain, Kilimanjaro, and Everest. Nothing is more impressive than showing up at a party or family gathering with a heaping tray of chocolate treats. Our Everest gift tray has over 12 pounds of chocolate dipped goodies – everything from popcorn and chips to pretzels and cookies. It makes quite the impression.
HC McGill: If there is one thing you want people to take away or remember about your products, what is it?
NE: At Sugar Plum, we’re as much about the people making the chocolate as the chocolate itself. We’re not some nameless, faceless corporation. We’re a family-owned and family-run operation. I know my employees and a lot about their lives. We’re family-run but we’re also like family. That’s important to us. That being said, our chocolate’s pretty good too.
All that talk about chocolate and other treats sure has our mouths watering. Sugar Plum Chocolates is a great option if you’re wondering what the perfect gift is for this holiday season- or if you’re just looking for a sweet treat to reward yourself with after a midterm! Prices range from $8.50 to $30.00, so there’s something to work with for every budget. Check out Sugar Plum Chocolates’ website for more information on their company and products.
Images provided by the interviewee