The first third of the year is already over, and honestly… Catherine’s Originals feels like a completely different business compared to January.
Not in the chocolate (don’t worry, that’s still as dreamy as ever), but in how we run.
We’ve done a lot behind the scenes. Proper structure, clear roles, defined responsibilities, all the things that, if I’m honest, we should have done from the start. And that’s okay… because when you’re a start-up, chaos kind of comes with the territory.
But towards the end of last year, with the growth we saw in our Choco Lovers (thank you, by the way 🤍), Jamie and I really felt it. Everyone spinning plates, multitasking constantly, and as a result… mistakes creeping in.
So, this year we changed it.
New job descriptions, have created clarity, and built a team structure that actually works. And now I fully understand why businesses have departments, to run more smoothly…
Let me properly introduce you to the team if you’re new…
Scott, our Kitchen Supervisor (and a name many of you already know). He runs the day-to-day chocolate production, keeps us on target, manages paperwork, and makes sure the whole team is aligned.
When Scott steps out, Lewis, our Deputy Shift Manager, steps straight in. He supports production, keeps things flowing, and is essentially Scott’s second pair of eyes.
Both report into Annabel, our Factory & Operations Manager (you’ve probably seen her popping up more recently!). Her role is split between the factory floor and planning, and she manages the team.
From goods arriving… to your orders leaving… Annabel oversees it all. Efficiency, planning, quality, waste reduction, everything.
She’s the one always thinking, can we do this quicker? Can we improve this process? Can we save 5 minutes here?
Because 5 minutes a day = hours over a year… which means more O’bars being made for you 😉
Hiring Annabel has been huge. In fact… it’s what’s allowed Jamie and I to take our first proper holiday (not over Christmas shutdown!) in three years, at a random time in the middle of the year.
Yes, we still have laptops by the pool… but we’ll take that as progress.
Joe 1. You’ll remember him! Formerly our foil wizard, now also handling machine maintenance. If something breaks, Joe’s on it (a big upgrade from Jamie trying his best 😅). With his mechanical engineering expertise, we’re very excited about what he’ll bring long term.
Elliot, joined us as a Christmas temp, stayed for Easter… and now we couldn’t let him go. He’s currently on wrapping and packing but will soon be trained across all production lines. And last but by no means least, Ellie our Warehouse Supervisor, and honestly… a game changer. She manages both warehouses (soon to be three!), tracks all stock, keeps everything organised, and ensures we never hit those last-minute panic buys again (you know the ones… when packaging suddenly runs out 😬).
She also packs every single one of your orders, making sure they’re accurate and out the door quickly.
Trust, growth & letting go
One of my biggest learnings recently has been trust. Learning to delegate, lean on the team, and actually step back from doing everything myself.
It’s freeing up time for what I love most: Big picture thinking, Creative ideas, New product development, and we’ve been busy on that front 👀
With all the new team members, we had a little team basket-weaving day (and pizza, of course 🍕).
And now… we’re planning our annual team trip!
We’ve done Iceland, Seville, Centre Parcs
And this year the vote was… Paris & Disney 🎢✨
Jamie and I have spent a lot of weekends in the kitchen recently doing R&D… and I’m very excited about what’s coming. Think: Baby O’bars 👀 Nut butter cups, a seriously upgraded Advent Calendar, New Wild Thang flavours. Wild Thang has been a huge hit this year, with straight 5⭐ reviews!
Favourites O’bars from the Wild Thang Subscription so far:
- Cookie No Crumble Cheesecake
- Honey Honey Honey
- Cinnamon Swirl
- Lemon Drizzle (my personal fave 🍋)
Coming up:
- May: Blueberry Muffin O’bar
- June: British Garden Party (white chocolate, strawberry & blueberry - think scones & tea vibes)
Finally… some sunshine! And in true Catherine’s Originals style, we’ve launched our Summer Selection and seasonal bundles.
A little mix of your favourites, a small saving, and perfect for:
- BBQs
- Summer Gifts
- Thank Yous to teachers
- Or just treating yourself
We’ll catch up again next month…
Stay sweet,
Catherine 🤍
P.S. I heard you loud and clear from the survey 👀
More caramel, biscuits, toffee, fudgy flavours… something minty… and less fruit. Noted.