What’s sweeter than Black love?
Starting a craft chocolate company with your significant other, of course.
Chocolate Therapy, created by Pam and David Griffin, has been raising the bar in the chocolate industry by introducing new and enticing flavors never seen before by chocolate lovers. They’ve sold and shipped their products all over the United States and the world — all while juggling the demands of marriage and business.
The husband and wife duo didn’t initially see candy making in their future when they started their careers. David was in engineering/manufacturing; Pam was in retail with Starbucks Coffee Company. But after investigating several small business options and doing a whole lot of research, their love for making and selling chocolate began.
With Chocolate Therapy, Pam and David sought to bring together a blend of therapeutic ingredients, innovative flavors and unique spices, with a mission to help more people discover the well-documented health benefits of dark chocolate and feel a little “less guilty” when popping an irresistible truffle in their mouth.
In this interview with ESSENCE, they discuss some of the challenges of starting their chocolate business, the lessons they’ve learned about one another since this journey, and what’s next for Chocolate Therapy.
Did you find chocolate, or did chocolate find you?
David: Chocolate found us. After leaving corporate America, we investigated several small business options and chocolate were the most attractive.
What is your favorite part about creating craft chocolate?
Pam: The appreciation and compliments we receive from our customers are so rewarding. It is also a lot of fun working with chocolate and creating new flavors.
What has been the biggest challenge and, on the flip side, the biggest reward of starting Chocolate Therapy?
David: The biggest challenge is maintaining the success we have experienced. We have had to weather the ups and the downs of being entrepreneurs.
Pam: Reward: Surviving 10 years in business and still seeing opportunity and growth. Celebrating the small and big wins.
How much do you worry about the bigger brands in your industry?
Pam and David: Not a lot. There are enough chocolate lovers in the world for us to enjoy a piece of the pie. We try to stay informed and knowledgeable about what’s going on in the industry. It’s important to make sure our products look and taste amazing.
What are some of the different flavors that you produce that are unique to your brand?
Pam and David: Some of our popular truffle flavors are: The Cure, with cinnamon, bay leaf & cayenne; Stress Reliever, with honey, lavender, and sage; Sweet Potato, with roasted sweet potatoes and fall spices.
What’s something that you learned from your partner after starting this business together?
Pam: It’s not as easy to change my husband’s mind as I thought it was.
David: We have different business philosophies.
What’s next for the brand?
Pam: Continued focus on our brand growth across the US and internationally. Focusing on providing chocolate classes, corporate gifts, and partnerships with global brands.
David: Focusing on expanding our Virtual Chocolate Tasting program into in person classes.