The Toffee House^® in the News

This article appeared in the Sunday, November 24, 2002 issue of the Observer-Reporter newspaper.

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Local couple finds recipe for success in home-based business

BY LIZ ROGERS

THE OBSERVER-REPORTER

lrogers@observer-reporter.com

Laura Ross didn't set out to make candy for a living.

It just sort of happened.

Her story, and the story behind her business partner and husband Don, is full of twists, turns and coincidences that unwittingly led to the launch of "The Toffee House."

It all started about a year ago. The South Strabane Township mother of six was looking for something a little different to include with the traditional cookies she bakes and gives away during the holidays. She found a recipe for English toffee in a magazine and decided to give it a try.

The toffee was a bigger hit than her beloved cookies. "Everybody loved it," Laura said.

Her sister asked for the recipe but couldn't duplicate Laura's batch. She asked Laura to make the toffee for her so she could give it as gifts to her co-workers.

More toffee brought more rave reviews. People started telling her that she should sell her candy, that it was addicting and impossible to eat just one piece. "This stuff is dangerous," she heard over and over again.

A business had been born. But Laura and Don didn't know it yet.

Raising six children ranging in age 8 years to 7 months old doesn't allow for much free time. Laura, who has an accounting background, already was busy keeping the books for several businesses and home schooling son Matthew, 8, and daughter Maria, 6. And Don worked full time as a software engineer.

Laura perfected her recipe, and the couple toyed with selling the toffee "as a seasonal thing."

"We talked about it for about three months, up until March. We were just going to play around with it," Laura said. "It was just kind of a test thing. I was just going to do it for the holidays for a nice extra income."

In the spring, Laura filed the paperwork necessary to start a business and decided on a name for her product: "The Dangerous Stuff."

It wasn't until she did a business plan later in the summer that she realized the potential for profit the toffee held.

Laura inquired about sampling her candy at the Pennsylvania Arts & Crafts Festival at the Washington County Fairgrounds and instead was offered a slot at the North Park Colonial Arts and Crafts Festival. Festivalgoers and vendors alike clamored for samples and placed orders for more.

"Everybody who tasted it loved it," Laura said. "We knew we had a good thing going."

A few days after the festival, Don was laid off and faced a decision: "Look for another job or we go full force with this," Laura said.

After a lot of soul searching, the two decided to take a chance and go into business for themselves.

Don filed for unemployment compensation and learned that he qualified for Self Employment Assistance, a program that helps entrepreneurs get a start. Instead of spending time on job interviews, participants attend classes and direct their energy toward building a business while continuing to receive their unemployment benefits.

"It turned out to be a blessing that he got laid off," Laura said. "The program worked out perfect. We needed it now, while we're building it to get through."

They went to more festivals, took more orders. They've been making toffee in earnest since.

The couple bring a lot of expertise to the company. Laura handles the books, while Don created and maintains the Internet mail order site. His degree in English proved useful in designing the company logo, brochures and gift cards, which he customizes upon request. And both make the candy.

So far, they've shipped toffee to customers in 15 states. They don't accept mail orders in the warm months to ensure the candy is received in the same condition as when it is shipped.

Overhead is minimal. They make the toffee in their tiny kitchen, which passed inspection by the state Department of Agriculture. Cases of decorative tins are stacked high in the living room and hallway of their Dodd Drive home, awaiting packing and distribution.

Laura is picky about the ingredients that go into her toffee, using only the finest butter, sugar, almonds and walnuts. No corn syrup is used, to avoid a brittle texture. The crowning touch is a layer of Ghiardelli milk chocolate followed by more semi-sweet and white chocolate drizzled over top.

Each six-pound batch takes about 45 minutes to make and requires constant stirring. Their goal is to make eight batches a day to meet the seasonal demand, or "as much as the kids will allow us," Laura said.

For simplicity, they sell just one variety - with nuts - in various sizes, from a one-ounce individually wrapped piece to one-pound tins. The Springhouse in Eighty Four currently is the only retailer that sells the candy.

The entire family is recruited to help with packaging. They gather around the dining room table, taking turns at the various work stations. Even 2-year-old Katie pitches in.

"It's a neat way for them to be involved but not be in direct contact with making the product," Don said.

"The kids see all the good and bad of the business," he continued. "They're part of it. I'd love for this to grow for the family. It's neat that our kids can grow up learning delayed gratification."

The couple have differing views on the growth of the company.

"He thinks too big," Laura said. "I think too small, and we meet in the middle."

Both agree that the quality of the toffee will not be sacrificed to meet increased demand.

"As the demand grows, we would expand here and buy the equipment that would continue the quality," Don said.

© FOR MORE INFORMATION on The Toffee House, visit the Web site www.TheToffeeHouse.com.