Don’t Fraser Valley Gourmet’s almond butter crunch sweets sound delicious? Would you like to try some yourself?
Q: We love that you have been making this recipe for over 20 years. Have you always loved working with chocolate, or was it the recipe that won you over?
A: I’ve always loved to bake from the time I could reach the cupboard to do so. As I grew up, I loved messing around with making my own homemade candy & chocolates. When I learned how to make this candy it was always so well received that I decided to make it at Christmas and give it away for presents, since in those days (with 3 small children) we couldn’t afford a lot of gifts. Needless to say, everyone looked forward to their Christmas presents well in advance of the festive season!
Q: After making your almond butter crunch for so many years, what was it that finally convinced you to start your business?
A: All the while I was making the candy for family & friends at Christmas, and my husband, who at the time managed a couple of radio stations would also take the candy for his employees. They raved about it so much every year that Ken kept insisting I turn it into a business. His insistence paid off, nearly 10 years later! I decided to try it at a craft show in 2005 and sold out, then took some to Hawaii where we had gone to spend Christmas & New Years. I gave a box to a woman who was managing the property we rented. When she asked for the recipe, I just told her I was going to turn it into a business. She took the candy home and must have loved it, because she called me a week later to offer me money to start my business! I didn’t take the money, but that was the kick off the fence I needed so I immediately got my packaging and started test marketing at all the craft shows for a whole year. In 2007, Fraser Valley Gourmet was picked up by a major grocery store in Vancouver, and the rest is history. It’s been an incredible ride.
Q: Why is it important for you to keep your almond butter crunch additive and stabilizer free?
A: It’s simple… they don’t need it! I don’t like consuming something that has preservatives & additives that provide no value or flavour to the product. Not only that, but if you use quality ingredients, you can really taste the difference. It’s crucial for us to use butter that is totally heat stable, in our case, Island Farms. It is the more expensive, but the outcome is really based on what you put into it.
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