Tampa’s popular chocolate maker, Toffee to Go, is hiring 30 new employees, adding warehousing, cooks, sales support, customer service, retail shop associates and packaging assistants to accommodate its booming holiday season.
It all started with an intimate network of family and friends enjoying the mouthwatering chocolate treat from the Schalk family kitchen.
In 2002, the small, family-based business went live and decided to share their sweet handcrafted treasure with the world.
"We started out by giving it to our family and friends who we cared for and wanted to give a treat. They continued to say, 'You have to sell this!' " says Taylor Schalk, director of development.
With six current employees,
Toffee to Go has grown 21 percent in 2013 alone, recently adding a new director of development as well as a new sales manager.
"We’ve always made an incredible quality product. We’ve become a community of toffee buyers," says Schalk.
The company’s growth is a result of bringing a creative new edge to its marketing mix. By creating key customer touch points and product education resources via their website, email newsletter and social media, customer and wholesale engagement grew while creating a new world of branding opportunity.
"What’s cool about Tampa is that everyone in the Tampa Bay community works together. Everyone here has big roots in the Tampa area, and everyone supports each other’s business, which is very unique to our city," says Schalk.
Featured at the
Republican National Convention in Tampa in 2012, Toffee to Go’s initiatives include strengthening and growing corporate and tourism business channels by sharing the value of a local company with strong dedication to the community.
"It not only shows a local company but also gifting a wonderful treat to tell a little bit about the area," says Schalk.
For information on hiring opportunities, business partnerships or sweet treats, visit
Toffee to Go’s website.
Writer:
Kaye Brown
Source: Taylor Schalk, Toffee to Go
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