Musical Chocolate Tree Frogs Proving A Big Hit
[Written by Stephen Wright]
Chocolate Tree frogs – complete with a box that chirps like the real iconic amphibians – have proved a big hit since being launched by the Bermuda Fudge Company in February.
Sarah Burrows, the company founder, admits that had business not halted in the wake of Covid-19 in 2020, she may never have stumbled upon the novel idea.
With cruise ship passengers in short supply for so long during the pandemic, Mrs Burrows knew she had to diversify for her business to survive.
Her brother, Maurice Woodmore, who helped set up the business in 2014, suggested she upgrade her skills to working with chocolate, a temperamental food compared to the more forgiving fudge.
“[The chocolate tree frogs] were probably the only positive to come out of Covid [for the business],” Mrs Burrows told Bernews.
“I always knew I had a weak link in my business because it was visitor-centric. It was a case of no cruise ships, no business.
“When Covid came, my brother said. ‘Let’s try chocolate’. I was like, ‘Chocolate is complicated. Chocolate is for chocolatiers!’
“I did an online course; first came the theory and then a year of practice in lockdown.”
The demand for edible chocolate creatures “exploded” when one of Mrs Burrows’s cohorts on the Ignite programme – which helps local entrepreneurs accelerate their businesses – posted about them on Instagram.
They have proved popular with locals and visitors, coming in two flavours – milk and white chocolate – and are available from Riihiluoma’s Flying Colours on Queen Street, Tabs Bermuda on Reid Street, and the Grand Bazaar, Island Outfitters and the Bermuda Fudge Company kiosk in Dockyard.
“We thought it would be really cool if you opened the box and heard the tree frogs sing,” said Mrs Burrows, who has an associate degree in nutrition. “I researched mini recorders to go in the box.
“The game plan is every year to bring out something new. We have the fudge, the rum cakes and the tree frogs.”
Mrs Burrows, who describes her products as “authentically Bermudian made” said she always possessed an entrepreneurial streak.
“I started in banking and moved to the international business world,” she said. “I was always unsettled and knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I ended up working with the Bermuda Diabetes Association. I was also a weight coach and a personal trainer.
“I realised there’s no bad food; it’s how we interact with food. You need to earn your calories. Chocolate, fudge, wine, and champagne are a treat. They’re not in place of your vegetables or fruit.”
Mrs Burrows, who is retired, added: “My husband calls my business a hobby; I like to think it’s more than that. It’s the aerobic activity for my brain.”
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