by Doreen Marion Gee –
Nobody could have prepared me for what was about to happen. An explosion of sweet golden beyond-delicious toffee flavour burst in my mouth, and succulent lush chocolate ravished my taste buds. The world stopped for an hour while I basked in Amber’s homemade nirvana. Only a master of her craft could create such culinary magic.
Congratulations to Amber Isles, Seaside’s 2016 Woman to Watch! The founder of RockCoast Confections, a local company, Amber creates and sells genuine English Toffee bark iced with rich dark chocolate – her “signature” line. The skilled artisan also makes Salted Toffee ice cream bars and mixed chocolate products. Amber’s little marvels are made of natural, gluten-free ingredients and contain no artificial flavours or colours.
Amber is living every entrepreneur’s dream. After only four years in business, this 30-something’s success is truly mind boggling.
Her company has solid online sales and 100 retail outlets offer Amber’s toffee bark from the Island to Vancouver and the Interior – and as far away as Alberta and Saskatchewan. Any one of her lucky customers would agree that Amber has mastered her art. So what is behind her extraordinary confections and rare prosperity for a relatively new business?
Talent, years of cooking and restaurant experience, hard work and determination factor into Amber’s business achievements. But she brought another pivotal ingredient to the recipe that put her on the right track from the get-go: the culinary artist approached everything in her business, from conception to execution, with the calculated strategic mindset of an architect constructing the perfect building. She did extensive reading and research on her product type, surveying trends and studying and learning the market in preparation for her new enterprise and now as a continuous business strategy. In a nutshell, Amber knows exactly what she is getting into before she does anything. It has proven to be wildly effective.
A definitive thread of “giving back” runs through the passions in Amber’s life. A Registered Veterinary Technician, she is committed to helping animals. With proceeds from the sales of her confections, Amber purchases supplies for “Vets for Pets,” and her business success allows her to volunteer with the organization to provide a free clinic for street animals at Victoria’s Our Place. Amber’s goal of bringing joy to people with her delectable toffee also extends to making animals – and their owners – feel wonderful.
The savvy business woman pursues excellence in everything she does – from her culinary prowess to animal welfare work. Amber wishes to thank her family and friends for their support.
My life is now defined by just two stages: Before Amber Isles’ toffee bark, and after. Resistance is futile.
Contact Amber Isles at www.rockcoast.ca.
Photo by www.nuttycake.com.
