September. Bish, bash, bosh. Done.
This month didn’t even exist in my book. The other day, I was writing to you, expressing my controversial opinions about the Isles of Scilly. Now we’re swiftly moving into Q4. Q-freaking-4
Here’s to a choco-maze-balls last quarter of 2026
Every month, Jamie and I sit down with Mark and Paul, our non-execs. A few of you may recognise those names; they pop up now and again.
They’re a great sounding board. Nothing too poncy or formal. It kind of feels like chatting to dad number two and dad number three. (They’ll find that weird when they read this.)
What I mean is, our board meetings are nice. We work through everything as a team, it’s an open space to speak, and Jamie and I learn so much from them both. A bit like a child learns from a parent, hence the dad analogy. We’re so grateful to have them on Team Chocolate!
Like most boards, I write a pre-meeting agenda and share it for review in advance. Then we tend to stick to the key points and what’s new during our meetings.
However… last month’s agenda had a new space at the very end: “Worry space”.
My intention was for anyone to add their notes, thoughts, worries or whatever’s keeping them up at night before the meeting. Big or small. “A problem shared is a problem halved” is advice my parents gave me, hence the new worry space.
In retrospect, I’m probably going to be the only one using it, as I turn into a keyboard sleep-typer on random Tuesday nights, wayyy past my bedtime.
Last month’s worry from me was the jump in demand we need to fulfil from September to October. Yes, we’re prepared. Yes, we now have an ops manager on site. But going into Q4 gets that little bit more nerve-racking each year. The stakes are higher, expectations of us are higher, and I don’t think I can get away with calling us a little start-up any more.
Mark then points out at the end of my panic-mode soliloquy, “Catherine, the trains left the station; what can you do now?”
Nothing. Simply nothing. The prep is done, and now it’s time for execution…
Which leads quite nicely onto last year’s house advent calendar…
Boy, have there been some changes around here
If you’re an OG Choco Lover from the days before a Catherine’s Originals advent calendar even existed, or you were a lucky gem who got to try our first-ever advent calendar last year, then lucky you (for the most part).
Long story short: last year’s advent, our proof-of-concept launch, well… had some issues.
The design and concept? Delivered, 10,000%. But the inside and the process of making it? Not so much. Grids fell apart, chocolates were missing, or people ended up with chocolates that were all the same. It was a well-and-truly “proof-of-concept” launch, and I made it my goal this year to level that sh*t up.
The reason last year’s advent had so many issues was the grid system. The concept was good: I wanted an internal grid that didn’t use too much material and was plastic-free. But we simply didn’t run enough Royal Mail tests. Flavours weren’t clearly identifiable, and other than the beautiful design itself, the internals needed some work.
2026’s advent is a game changer
So, what did I do about it?
I changed the grid. It needed to remain plastic-free, be easy for the team to use, stay together and snugly fit each chocolate to withstand transit.
I needed new shapes, flavours and, of course, foil colours. Stay tuned tomorrow for the reveal of what they are!
And the design? It needed to be fresh and rethought. I wanted you to feel the chaos of the Catherine’s Originals factory at Christmas, in all its chocolatey, sticky mess and glory.
This advent calendar feels like home. The Catherine’s Originals factory feels like home. And I’m so excited for you to see it tomorrow, and share a bit of that home with you.
September brought cosiness. I’m excited for the fourth quarter
I know some people dread autumn, leaving the sunshine behind and feeling the winter months slowly creeping in. I love it.
It’s when the nights get darker earlier and PJs can go on sooner. Cold coffees turn into belly-warming ones. Winter root veg soups become a go-to lunch. Despite Jamie’s hatred of any warm liquids, I still enjoy them.
This quarter’s going to be a different one for me.
If you’ve been here since I started typing these blogs as a wee teen, you’ll have read over the years how much has changed. But this Q4 may bring the biggest change of all for me personally, during our busiest time of year.
Year one, I spent November in a rented kitchen in Henfield, working 16-hour days making and wrapping chocolates by hand, then selling them at markets in December.
Year two was much the same, although we swapped Henfield for a few weeks in a rented kitchen in York, the hub of all things chocolate. Rushed making, professional equipment I’d never used before, plenty more hand-wrapping and the launch of our first-ever Shopify website.
Despite my intention to make 1,000 boxes’ worth of chocolate, we only managed 500 boxes’ worth. Without enough chocs to fill all our boxes, we ended up making stocking filler bags.
Honestly, if you’re still here and bought one of those bags, send me your order confirmation. I’ll personally write back and give you a big thank you. You’re a real OG.
Year three, we moved into our factory. We found it, built it and made 10,000 boxes’ worth of chocolate on brand-new machines, all between September and December. I spent 30 days in a cramped Airbnb in Winchester, selling at the market, while Jamie and Scotty were busy making chocolate and figuring out our new recipes.
Year four was our first full year in the factory. Winchester again, doubling down on chocolate production; I spent all of December off-site, and Christmas chaos was at an all-time high.
Which brings us to last Q4, our fifth Christmas. And because balancing being on site with Winchester market was apparently so easy, we decided to go for Bath Christmas Market too!
That meant November and December away from HQ, not enough internal structure, burnout and… well, you’ve heard it before.
(This photo below is a funny one. It was taken last December, while I was running our Bath market stall. I’d asked my friendly stall neighbour to keep an eye on our stand while I rushed around Bath trying to find signal, so I could call Jamie after getting an “everything is falling apart” message from him back home in Sussex.
For some reason, a street photographer took my photo just before the tears came. Lol. Despite looking content and fresh, I felt helpless, tired and like a failure for not being on site to sort out the problems. I felt bad for Jamie, who was dealing with it all alone. The photographer came over afterwards and told me he’d taken it because he thought it was a moment I’d want captured.
He was right. Because now I can look back at this photo, remember exactly how I felt and promise myself I won’t end up in that place again.)
Which leaves me here, right now, typing away on the last day of September before we start Catherine’s Originals’ sixth-ever Q4.
And for the first time ever, I’m going to be on site for the entire thing.
Unfortunately, that means no markets at all this year. But it means I can give more time to things at HQ and hopefully enjoy the feeling and build-up of Christmas again. Like putting a Christmas tree up on a weekend in December, instead of mid-argument on the 22nd!
Yay! Baby steps.
We have better management, better structures, temps who’ve joined HQ earlier and sooooo much stock ready to fill your bellies!
I’m excited to carve pumpkins with the team, go to an outdoor cinema with Jamie and enjoy an old spooky classic on Halloween. To take weekends for rest and a reset, instead of packing up boxes and catching up. I’m ready to enjoy a pumpkin spice latte O’bar and binge-watch the last season of Suits. (I must know, do Donna and Harvey get married…?)
I’m excited to embrace our chaos from 1st October, entirely on site and 10,000% present with the team. Hopefully, that’ll mean fewer fires need putting out.
Tell me, do you love the cosy season as much as the summer months? What exciting things have you got to look forward to?
Keep an eye on our socials tonight, 1st October at 6pm, and here on 2nd October at 7am for our advent reveal.
Stay sweet, stay cosy,
Catherine