Barring Oompa-Loompas and Scrumdiddlyumptious bars ...
December 13, 2010 11:06 AM Subscribe
I'm selecting a corporate holiday gift (chocolate, bien sûr) to go out to Canadian clients and would appreciate the refined tastes of MeFites.
The company I'm working for has some clients in Canada to whom we'd like to send holiday gifts. Each recipient's team has about 4 or 5 people on it. We're willing to spend around 50 dollars per gift, with a shipping cost of around 10 to 15.
In the US, we have a standing order from a local business named Peterbrooke. Their handmade chocolate-covered popcorn has been well received by our clients, and we'd be interested in having a standing order with a Canadian company as well. As I went to uni in Montréal for 3 years, I'd prefer to give our business to a local place, but my favourite café isn't making chocolate anymore. I'm waiting on a quote from Chocolats Geneviève Grandbois, and La Maison Cakao didn't pick up the phone.
In the likely event that a local Montréal chocolatier doesn't work out, I've got some more established national ones under consideration. I've sent emails out to Soma and Chocolicks, and the yule log at Bernard Callebaut looks scrumptious. Failing something montréalais, we'd like to send something properly Canadian out - so if someone has a good recommendation for, say, a really good maple candy company, we'd be happy to change over from chocolate.
I'd prefer to have this order made today and to have the gifts arrive as soon as possible, within price reason. Any advice or positive experience would be much appreciated.
The company I'm working for has some clients in Canada to whom we'd like to send holiday gifts. Each recipient's team has about 4 or 5 people on it. We're willing to spend around 50 dollars per gift, with a shipping cost of around 10 to 15.
In the US, we have a standing order from a local business named Peterbrooke. Their handmade chocolate-covered popcorn has been well received by our clients, and we'd be interested in having a standing order with a Canadian company as well. As I went to uni in Montréal for 3 years, I'd prefer to give our business to a local place, but my favourite café isn't making chocolate anymore. I'm waiting on a quote from Chocolats Geneviève Grandbois, and La Maison Cakao didn't pick up the phone.
In the likely event that a local Montréal chocolatier doesn't work out, I've got some more established national ones under consideration. I've sent emails out to Soma and Chocolicks, and the yule log at Bernard Callebaut looks scrumptious. Failing something montréalais, we'd like to send something properly Canadian out - so if someone has a good recommendation for, say, a really good maple candy company, we'd be happy to change over from chocolate.
I'd prefer to have this order made today and to have the gifts arrive as soon as possible, within price reason. Any advice or positive experience would be much appreciated.
I wouldn't worry about that; nothing pleases everyone, and it's not hard to give away chocolate!
posted by Miko at 11:14 AM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Miko at 11:14 AM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Are your Canadian clients in Montreal? Because there's quite a good chocolatier in Vancouver by the name of Thomas Haas.
posted by LN at 11:15 AM on December 13, 2010
posted by LN at 11:15 AM on December 13, 2010
Uh, maple candy is a gift Canadians give to other people. It would be a bit like a Canadian sending an american an apple pie, or a hamburger.
That being said, at my work in toronto, we gave gifts from Baskits, but also considered Nutcracker Sweet and Edible Arrangements.
posted by Kololo at 11:17 AM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
That being said, at my work in toronto, we gave gifts from Baskits, but also considered Nutcracker Sweet and Edible Arrangements.
posted by Kololo at 11:17 AM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Soma, fwiw, is not some big national company like Bernard Callebaut (which is no longer owned or operated by Bernard Callebaut himself). It's a local chocolatier, and one which actually makes chocolate, instead of just making chocolates, which is extremely unusual. They are incredibly, incredibly good, though pricey because of that making their own chocolate thing.
As boutique chocolatiers go, I like Genevieve Grandbois well enough, but they're not doing anything with the chocolate itself that dozens of other chocolate shops aren't also doing. They do have super-classy packaging, though, and the transfer sheets they use are very arty looking, so if you're aiming to project a modern, upscale image, they're a good choice.
posted by jacquilynne at 11:26 AM on December 13, 2010
As boutique chocolatiers go, I like Genevieve Grandbois well enough, but they're not doing anything with the chocolate itself that dozens of other chocolate shops aren't also doing. They do have super-classy packaging, though, and the transfer sheets they use are very arty looking, so if you're aiming to project a modern, upscale image, they're a good choice.
posted by jacquilynne at 11:26 AM on December 13, 2010
You might want to find out if your clients are diabetic or allergic to chocolate.
I am allergic to all raw fruit and vegetables so everyone who thinks "I'd better give a fruit arrangement because not everyone can eat chocolate!" ends up excluding me instead.
Laura Secord is a super-Canadian candy maker (and war hero!) although I think you might have trouble ordering online/from outside of Canada. My second suggestion is Bernard Callebaut who you're already following up with. The chocolates are amazing and I don't think you could go wrong with choosing them.
posted by kate blank at 11:27 AM on December 13, 2010
I am allergic to all raw fruit and vegetables so everyone who thinks "I'd better give a fruit arrangement because not everyone can eat chocolate!" ends up excluding me instead.
Laura Secord is a super-Canadian candy maker (and war hero!) although I think you might have trouble ordering online/from outside of Canada. My second suggestion is Bernard Callebaut who you're already following up with. The chocolates are amazing and I don't think you could go wrong with choosing them.
posted by kate blank at 11:27 AM on December 13, 2010
Laura Secord chocolates? They have stores everywhere.
posted by hydrobatidae at 11:27 AM on December 13, 2010
posted by hydrobatidae at 11:27 AM on December 13, 2010
Funny, someone gave me a basket from Edible Arrangements when I was in Miami - I guess they're a chain. But I absolutely loved my arrangement, and at a time when chocolate is usually on overload, I think many people are craving fresh fruit more than anything. Whether the fruit will be as ripe in Canada during the winter as it was in Miami during the summer is another question, though.
posted by hazyjane at 11:27 AM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by hazyjane at 11:27 AM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
DC Duby Wild Sweets are incredible (if expensive) and I had some good Rogers chocolates on the weekend. Both (British Columbia based.)
posted by smilingtiger at 11:33 AM on December 13, 2010
posted by smilingtiger at 11:33 AM on December 13, 2010
Another chocolatier in Montreal is CAO chocolate. I also like Chocolats Privilege. I hear good things about Suite 88, but have never been, also Chloe.
Larger places that sell chocolate include Premiere Moisson and De Gascogne.
posted by jeather at 11:36 AM on December 13, 2010
Larger places that sell chocolate include Premiere Moisson and De Gascogne.
posted by jeather at 11:36 AM on December 13, 2010
definitely not allergen-free, but how about cookies? i think cookie panache ships to canada.
posted by sabh at 11:43 AM on December 13, 2010
posted by sabh at 11:43 AM on December 13, 2010
Constance Popp is a really nice, small-scale chocolatier in Winnipeg. I've had a few items from there, and they've been both delicious and looked beautiful.
Although there's nothing wrong with Laura Secord chocolate, I see it as kind of old-fashioned. Also, maple candy is not the way to go for Canadian clients.
posted by teg at 12:00 PM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Although there's nothing wrong with Laura Secord chocolate, I see it as kind of old-fashioned. Also, maple candy is not the way to go for Canadian clients.
posted by teg at 12:00 PM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Wow guys, thanks for the quick response time! I'll check these out and let you know what we we end up going with.
posted by Devika at 12:05 PM on December 13, 2010
posted by Devika at 12:05 PM on December 13, 2010
Ooh, I second jeather; I saw Cao chocolate's display at the Salon des métiers d'art last weekend and it was AMAZING. Hand-made truffles that look like rocks and taste like heaven. They get my vote.
Another very nice chocolaterie in the Montreal area is La Cabosse d'or.
posted by OLechat at 12:11 PM on December 13, 2010
Another very nice chocolaterie in the Montreal area is La Cabosse d'or.
posted by OLechat at 12:11 PM on December 13, 2010
The Genvieve Grandbois chocolates you mention are great, and beautifully presented, to boot.
It might be nice for your clients to have chocolates from a place outside of their home areas. My favourite chocolates in Toronto are from Soma - and they'll ship anywhere, I believe. Delight chocolates are tasty, too.
posted by analog at 1:13 PM on December 13, 2010
It might be nice for your clients to have chocolates from a place outside of their home areas. My favourite chocolates in Toronto are from Soma - and they'll ship anywhere, I believe. Delight chocolates are tasty, too.
posted by analog at 1:13 PM on December 13, 2010
Ganong's is a long-standing Canadian chocolate/candy maker with its routes in the Maritimes. I believe they ship but check the website.
posted by Pomo at 1:30 PM on December 13, 2010
posted by Pomo at 1:30 PM on December 13, 2010
Though I second the comment above about how it's a bit strange to send a "regional" gift to the region from whence it originates. It might be nicer to send the Canadians something local to *your* area. That's how I've usually done the regional-gift-to-out-of-towner.
posted by Pomo at 1:41 PM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Pomo at 1:41 PM on December 13, 2010 [1 favorite]
http://www.rheothompson.com
They're in Stratford Ontario. Very well known.
posted by Taurid at 10:31 PM on December 13, 2010
They're in Stratford Ontario. Very well known.
posted by Taurid at 10:31 PM on December 13, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Brandon, MB R7A 0K9
Montreal, QC H2V 4H9
Winnipeg, MB R3C 3Z3
posted by Devika at 11:10 AM on December 13, 2010