M2 Confections
Denver, Colorado
Tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do:
John & Kendall: M2 Confections
We are a chocolate and candy company from Denver that specializes in unique and interesting flavors. We have over 30 years of experience in professional kitchens and have carved out a place in the chocolate scene reimagining classic flavors with a twist!
What is your signature style / item? How did it become so?
We actually have two. The French Toast bar we sell is the very first product we ever made, and gained a following before we officially became a business! However, our Manhattan bon bons won the Grand Champion award at the Colorado Chocolate Festival and put us on the map as pioneering chocolatiers.
Our French Toast bar is a caramelized white chocolate with house made maple candy tossed in cinnamon. The flavor sensation is just like French Toast, but without any bread or gluten.
Our Manhattans are a bon bon that is made with Leopold Bros Maryland style Rye, cherries, orange and bitters, essentially the classic cocktail in chocolate form!
What makes your business unique to the industry?
We use local ingredients wherever possible and we don't compromise with using cheap(er) chocolate. All of our products are also priced more reasonably in the market than most other producers, with flavors that are more enticing than your standard fare, flavors including Mango Lassi, Tequila Jalapeno, Mexican Chocolate and Alpine, etc.
What's been your biggest roadblock when it comes to business and how have you been able to overcome?
The financial challenges of opening a business while attempting to pay your day to day bills has been the most difficult thing. When starting such a small business off the ground, there's very little reason to get investment or loans to start up, as the relatively small amount of start up cost isn't much for an investor. But a couple thousand dollars is a lot to an individual! We carefully opened up our shop slowly, and as a result have been able to recoup our initial investment and the business now runs itself!
How has your business had to adapt amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic? What are you doing to navigate the situation?
It makes our commissary kitchen more difficult to navigate, especially with a new baby introduced to the clan! We have had to schedule our time so that we are not in contact with anyone else during our kitchen time, and are studious about cleaning before, during and after the prep time.
What is your favorite part of what you do?
French Toast Candy Bar
Creating! It's so fun to think of new and exciting flavors for chocolates, especially ones that make people wonder how you can even do that with chocolate! It's doubly rewarding when you can serve those creations to the public and have people tell you how cool it is!
What is your *must do* local activity?
Denver's food scene is especially strong -- when this COVID issue is managed, it will be great to get back out there and eat all of the amazing foods that Denver has to offer! If you're looking for something for the whole family, Denver's Zoo is one of the best in the country!
Where to find M2 Confections:
Online: www.m2confections.com
Instagram: @m2_confections
Facebook: www.facebook.com/m2confectionsCO