Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Lee.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Brandon. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started forming my company Modern Chocolatier between 6 and 7 years ago. I had majored in college in music and not being able to find a job in music I began working in the restaurant industry. I stayed in the restaurant industry for 12+ years when I got to the point I wanted to do something else with my life. I decided to go back to school for Baking and Pastry Arts.
I went to a Baking and Pastry Arts program in Charlotte, NC. Once I graduated I began working in a chocolate and wine shop. I started slowing forming my company while working at this shop. I decided to compete in Pastry Live, held here in Atlanta, for the first 3 years of Pastry Live. We moved to Atlanta almost 5 years ago now, because my partner was offered a job. This move allowed me to work on Modern Chocolatier full time and my company was fully formed.
Modern Chocolatier was started as an online company. We decided to start out this way because we have seen too many brick and mortar shops start and then close within a year because of the overhead. Starting out this way allows us to focus on how we want to build the company and really build from the ground up. As we grow we are excited and looking forward to some new growth possibilities in 2018 and 2019.
Modern Chocolatier is still a one-man company. I decided to start small and grow the business from year to year. I first started out by word of mouth. I also started traveling with a friend to Fountain Pen Shows around the country. He would sell his pens and I would sell chocolates. This helped me to start getting my brand and name out there. Because of going to these shows I started getting more traction on my website. I also started getting more and more corporate clients.
Modern Chocolatier is an artisan chocolate company. Our chocolates can be personalized with logos or initials. We change our flavors throughout the year and will work with clients on specialty flavors. We sell our chocolates online, at fountain pen shows, and we have been known to take an order over the phone and deliver in the Atlanta area.
Has it been a smooth road?
For the most part, it has been a smooth road. I will say it was difficult to know what all you needed to do to form a company. All the licenses you would need if you should become a sole-proprietor or LLC. There was just so much. Also being a one-man show can make it difficult sometimes. I am the creator, chef/manufacturer, IT guy, shipper. I do it all… Sometimes I just don’t have the time in the day. But I have been blessed with friends along the way who have helped me out with guidance and answering questions.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Modern Chocolatier is an artisan chocolate company. We make chocolate truffles, caramels, and other chocolates. We are known for not only our classic flavors like French Roast and Salted Caramel, but also our unique flavors like Tobacco Vanilla, Strawberry Lemonade, and Orange Cardamom, among others. If there is an herb or pepper in our chocolates we grow them in our garden.
For example, we are about to make a Ghost Pepper chocolate because we were able to grow ghost peppers this year. We like to be as organic as possible and use local when possible. Another thing that really sets us apart from other chocolatiers is that we don’t use glucose in our chocolates. Glucose is a sugar derived from wheat or corn. We prefer to use more natural sugars like cane sugar, honey, or molasses.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I feel like Atlanta is a good city to start out from my perspective. If you are wanting to start a brick and mortar I would not know. I know that would require you to be in the right location. Since we are an online company, for the most part, it is easier to start and don’t have to worry about location, location, location.
Pricing:
- Our 8 Piece Boxes are $25 (Collections or Pick Your Own Flavors)
- Our 16 Piece Boxes are $45 (Collections or Pick Your Own Flavors)
Contact Info:
- Website: modchoc.com or modernchocolatier.com
- Phone: 828-719-0787
- Email: modchoc@icloud.com
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