When Mark and Gail Elvidge’s son Tanner had a life-threatening reaction to peanuts, they knew they had to make a change. What started as a way to keep their family safe became Vermont Nut Free Chocolates, a pioneering allergen-friendly confectionery brand founded in 1998.
In this inspiring episode of The Perfect Bite, host Sarah Perkins sits down with Mark Elvidge, co-founder of Vermont Nut Free Chocolates, to talk about building a beloved brand for families with food allergies — and why safe, great chocolate is for everyone.
Mark shares:
- The origin story of Vermont Nut Free Chocolates (and how early online sales helped them grow)
- What it means to create allergen-friendly sweets without sacrificing taste
- How they grew from their home kitchen to nationwide distribution
- Challenges of cocoa pricing, tariffs, and scaling artisanal production today
- Trends in allergy-friendly CPG and where the market is heading
- His advice for entrepreneurs about resilience, “gettoitiveness,” and listening to your customers
If you or your loved ones have ever struggled with food allergies, work in the CPG or chocolate space, or just love entrepreneurial stories (and chocolate!), you won’t want to miss this conversation.
Want 15% off your Vermont Nut Free order? Use code PERFECTBITE at checkout or follow this link: https://www.vermontnutfree.com/discount/PERFECTBITE
You can purchase Vermont Nut Free Chocolates at www.vermontnutfree.com or use the website's Store Locator to find a retailer near you.
You can follow Vermont Nut Free Chocolates on social media at @vermontnutfree.
Learn more about the FARE PACT Alliance here.
Subscribe to The Perfect Bite podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! Want to watch the entire episode? Head here to our YouTube!
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