Grocer’s Daughter is revving up production of its line of made-from-scratch frozen treats thanks to an $80,794 grant awarded by The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). New equipment funded by the grant allows Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate (GDC) to increase production of its current line of fudgesicles and to expand offerings to include ice cream, gelato and fruit-based treats such as snow cones, slushes, and popsicles.

With the frozen treat line growing, so is GDC’s footprint.

Last spring co-owners Jody and DC Hayden purchased the shuttered hardware store adjacent to their bright green shop in Empire, and in 2020 and 2021 they plan to demolish the building and construct a new retail business featuring a family-friendly gathering space. The new building will also house the new frozen treat kitchen and cafe.

The Haydens, who purchased GDC from Mimi Wheeler in April 2013, have sold their house-made fudgesicles for several years. They started as frozen chocolate cubes made in ice cube trays, evolving to a new mold and process that allowed them to make 176 fudgesicles in a batch.

It’s still barely enough to keep up with demand.

“Last year we sold 10,181 fudgesicles and in 2018 we sold 7,483,” Jody says. “That's an increase of 36% in one year.”

The grant allows GDC to professionalize their systems and ensure the highest quality, adds Jody. “There is a great deal of science that goes into ‘flash freezing,’ holding products at a certain temperature until they are served, and transferring products from storage to display.”

Jody says they currently source as many ingredients from Michigan as they can “to support our local economy but also because the quality is outstanding.”

That includes the Leelanau Peninsula: maple syrup from Still Point Farm; teas and spices from Light of Day Organics and Great Lakes Tea and Spice; mints and gooseberries from Loma Farm and fresh fruit like berries, peaches and apples from local farm stands including Wiesen Farm in Empire. “With the expansion of our frozen treat line, we intend to source more fruit from Leelanau,” says Jody.

She adds that frozen-treat distribution is “phase two,” after they hone their craft and determine what customers most enjoy.

“We expect to add another full-time position and one part-time for the expansion of our in-house frozen treat line, and more jobs with distribution.”

Laura Galbraith, Executive Director of Venture North and Jodi Gruner, an Economic & Community Development Specialist with MDARD met with Jody with to inform her of the grant opportunity. It’s a reimbursement grant, which means GDC will receive payments as long as the Haydens submit a performance review which includes a status report of the project and a copy of all receipts. The payments are dispensed between September 2020 and September 2021. “We’re in this for the long haul,” says Jody. “Personally, I’m grateful our state of Michigan values rural, small business and this grant program is reflective of this.”