First, thank you to everyone who has supported Encore in any way over the last ten years. It has been an interesting journey filled with opportunities I never could have imagined when I started.

The first few years of owning a business felt like drinking from a firehose. You quickly discover what you don’t know—accounting, sales, social media, writing, website management, inventory, cleaning and, somewhere in the middle of it all, coffee roasting.

Then COVID changed everything. One unexpected pivot led me into making chocolate, which eventually resulted in three international craft chocolate awards. That certainly wasn’t part of the original plan, but apparently all my years of culinary experimentation paid off.

So, what’s next?

We are finalizing new products and updated packaging while preparing for the holiday season. One thing I’ve learned while evolving a brand is that sometimes you miss the simplest details while overanalyzing the complicated ones. There are a lot of pieces to bring together, but I’m excited about where they are headed.

Holiday production kicks into full gear in September. If you’re considering corporate gifts, client gifts or a larger holiday order, please reach out soon. We are already booking holiday orders.

In November, Encore will return for our third year at the Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival in Rushville, Indiana. We’re excited to be part of it once again.

That’s the basic update for now. Thank you for helping Encore reach ten years—and for continuing to be part of whatever comes next.

—Mike