April Showers bring May flowers….

So those with an eagle eye may have noticed we missed last month’s blog. I had every intention of writing it but with one thing and another life just got in the way… You know how it is.

So, double the content this time round… Although I’ll try not to waffle.

Firstly, HOW ARE WE IN MAY??? Secondly, HOW HAVE I BEEN WEARING A BOBBLE HAT UNTIL MAY??? This year has generally been pants weather wise so it’s really nice to have some actual warmth and see some sunshine too. I mean I was starting to worry about contracting rickets there’s been that little natural Vitamin D, not to mention the fact my skin is almost see through it’s that pasty!

One person who is always conscious of the thermometer though is Ben who, now he works with chocolate, doesn’t mind the cooler air as it’s better for creating, but when you are the box maker-upperer and chief taste tester a bit of sunshine can only be a good thing.

Personally, March and April have been full on. We celebrated Easter… Thanks to those who purchased the eggs. -I trust you enjoyed them! Nom Nom Nom. We had my birthday, Ben’s mums big birthday a gym competition, a concert to rehearse for and not to mention our other jobs on top of the beautiful weddings, corporate and retail orders.

You may have noticed our new packaging. It has been a labour of love as Ben designed them and it has been a lengthy process getting them brought to life, but they do look stunning and are far more practical for posting orders. Bravo Benny and thanks to mum in law Jan who has genuinely lost a bedroom due to allowing us to store mountains of boxes at hers. – Whoopsiedaise.

The idea is that with these new boxes we can courier stock further afield and gain access to places that beforehand would have been impossible due to distance. So far the responses have been great and it looks like the Benona Brand could soon be going global…. ONE STEP AT A TIME FIONA!!

Other major news this month was that we had an ACTUAL celebrity purchase. I’m not talking someone who fleeting may have been on a reality TV show 20 odd years ago, this was a big bona fide actor who I can’t mention but I’m sure I won’t get in trouble for saying he’s worn many a green morph suit……. I know it sounds ridiculous but knowing the Benona Brand has been eaten by a Hollywood star made me want to put an advert in the paper, or at least award ourselves a gold star.

-Talking gold stars, we are currently awaiting to see if we have made any short lists this year or been awarded any accolades. I realise I’m biased but if I were a judge it’d be a clean sweep: I mean have you tried our new flavours?!!  If not then you are missing a trick. Loads of recent orders have requested them and brides and grooms have been chomping at the bit for the Espresso Baileys in their favours.

We’ve also been working with Great Drams who, like us, are a husband and wife team, Greg and Kirsty who we met through markets and pop ups and they  make the most spectacular whisky and have asked us to curate some special chocs for them which is not only a pleasure but a privilege. Check out their website for details www.greatdrams.com and if you love a whisky then theirs is something else!

Right. I think you are up to date. Even if not it’s the opening night of Macclesfield Majestic Theatre Groups concert and frankly I have A LOT of makeup to apply and still need to go over some dance routines before showtime. So wish me luck/Break a leg and speak soon. Fiona xx

ROLL ON SPRING!

Welcome to March... A great month for so many reasons, flowers are budding, international women's day, Mother's day, St Paddy's, Easter, the clocks going forward and my ruddy birthday too!

But lets focus on February for a second and reflect on how lovely (yet cold and miserable weather wise) that was.

Firstly can we just thank Notcuttts for taking us on as a supplier. It has always been a dream to be in there as it's local to us and somewhere we both love to go for a mooch and to pick up a multitude of things from garden furniture to Christmas decs, to plants, gifts and fine foods. If you've never been then honestly put it on your to-do list as there’s a gorge cafe and even a little nature trail outside for the kids too.

So from one bucket list item ticked off to another: Finally Ben has perfected and crafted 4 new flavours which are SENSATIONAL.

Introducing..... TOFFEE APPLE, MAPLE PECAN, PISTACHIO AND RASPBERRY AND ESPRESSO BAILEYS. Each as glorious as it sounds and made with so much love, care and attention. I mean talk about going the extra mile...These receipes have been tried and tested for months so they can have the perfect balance of flavour and the ingredients are literally the best you can get. Personally i have never tasted a pistachio like the ones he's used. They are Iranian and vastly known as the best in the world. Now sometimes people can say that and you try them and are like "nah... They're OK"... But trust me these are like no other. Mouth-watering and the reason why I've put on a couple of pounds in February note doubt.

Similarly if you are a fan of a blonde, caramel chocolate, you will love the Toffee Apple. -The first time Ben has used the blonde in his bon-bons and again sooooo good. Check them out and add them to your order i can vouch that you won't be disappointed.

You may have noticed that alongside the new flavours Ben has given some of the old designs a bit of a refresh including the orange which is now like a Tiffany's turquoise with an orange hoop, the banoffee which is still yellow and brown but now has a pop of pink and the coffee and walnut now looks resplendent with the blue splatter. -And everyone thought i was the artsy one of the relationship! - I can confirm just FYI my arsty comes in the form of theatre and I shall be treading the boards once again with Macclesfield Majestic Theatre group for their concert on May 1st-4th at Mads Little Theatre if you fancy coming along for a West End musical night without the West End pricetag!

Anyway, aside from that we've been super busy thanks to our corporate orders and with 3 wonderful winter weddings last month. Which reminds me, with wedding season just around the corner if you need any chocolate favours do get in touch.

Plus there's still time to order your Easter Eggs. The most decadent double thickness egg with a layer of thick caramel, hazelnuts and crushed biscuits. Its a chunky one and definitely worth the calories. Plus theres a great little bundle on offer where you get a box of 12, the egg, free delivery and a guaranteed prize inside, ranging from a discount code to a box of 48!! - How EGG-CITING!!

Oh and one more thing before i go..... Just a top tip.... If ever you are buying a super duper all singing all dancing catering fridge big enough to house a family in... Check the size of it THOROUGHLY or face having to remove a door to get it in. -I'm just gonna leave that there and tell you to head to our instagram if you want a laugh, @benonachocolates

Until next time. Happy Mother's Day and Happy Easter xx

What a whirlwind!

I honestly think I’m only just getting over December and yes I realise that it was two months ago now but honestly it was breakneck in terms of what we managed to do. I always knew it would be hectic, but this was another level: Which yes, we are eternally grateful for, but at the same time THANK GOD for January and some time to ourselves.

A huge thank you to all our customers throughout the festive season, for the orders, patience, flexibility and trust you have in us. Plus, a massive thanks to my Mother-In-Law Janet who came to help for a day and stayed a week, being paid solely in wine and Winnie cuddles!

So yes, we may have appeared quiet in Jan but actually there’s a lot that’s been going on behind the scenes in both chocolate and non-chocolate related news.  Firstly, I started a new job on Happy Radio doing evenings 7-10pm Monday to Thursday and I’m loving it. If you live outside the area they have an app and it’s on Freeview channel 277 plus you can stream online or ask your SmartSpeaker to play Happy Radio UK so give it a whirl and see what you think.

Also, you may remember me saying I got the role of the evil Witch Mouldywart in Macclesfield Majestic Theatre Group’s Pantomime “Once upon a time in Pantoland” and for the week of 15th January I was on stage loving every minute. Honestly it was a hoot and the best way to brighten up a dull month even if I had to be painted green each evening and am still a little yellow around the edges now! Lol.

After Panto week I knew I’d be somewhat lackluster, so Ben organized a few days away in the Cotswolds. It’s our little haven for us as we go with Winnie and it holds lovely memories of when we got engaged. Needless to say, we did not even attempt dry January and much needed Spa and R&R’ing went on and a LOT of food and drink was devoured. Nom Nom Nom.

And back to the chocolate side of things, Ben has been keeping up the pace developing new ideas, trialing new designs, purchasing new equipment and even developing new flavours. -He’s literally been cock-a-hoop. He’s particularly fond of his new chocolate tempering wheel which he says makes things 100% easier and his little eyes lit up so much when it arrived. -It may not be my idea of a good time but whatever tickles your pickle I guess!!!  

You may have seen on our socials that we have 4 new flavours incoming and once again I’ve tasted them all. WOW, You are gonna love them…… Thanks for your guesses online so far and although I cannot confirm them, as I’ll let Ben do the big reveal, I can assure you there won’t be any minted lamb which was inspired but it’s a firm NO! Hopefully we will be good to go with these soon but as ever follow us online @benonachocolates for all the latest info.

Some great news for us too, and you if you live near Bramhall. We have a new stockist: Woodford Park Notcutts on Chester Road in Woodford. Not only do they have inspired ranges of plants and a beautiful garden to explore but they have a fab restaurant, loads of gift ideas, clothes, furniture, pets and a vast range of beautiful food on offer too. It’s a great day out and we are so pleased to now be a part of it. So check out the selection if you are passing as there are perfect gifts for Valentines and what better way to say I love you than with a box of Benona’s finest. Yep the countdown is on…. A mere 13 days to bag the perfect present. And whilst I’m doing reminders; Mother’s day is March 10th this year, Easter is a bit earlier than last with Good Friday on 30th March and Father’s day is on June 16th all of which we will be on hand for your chocolate fixes. -As ever just order online or drop us a message if you have any queries.

Right I think that’s all for now and I promise I won’t wait as long next time xxx

The Juggle Struggle is real!!

So did we all open our Benona advent calendars today to reveal a salted caramel today? A strong start I think you will agree!! And just wait till you reach those limited edition Christmas flavours… Divine.

 Thank you so much for all the incredible orders we had for them… It was a sell out and we appreciate every single sale so thank you so much.

Are you feeling festive? Ben and I…. Well that’s a stretch… I, put the Christmas decorations up last Saturday whilst he faffed about with the lights as it was our only free weekend before Xmas and the house is looking resplendent if I do say so myself… Apart from the dining room, which has become packing HQ and I can assure you I have been beavering away night and day to get orders ready, boxed and sent… Even Buddy the Elf would be proud!

In and amongst all the chaos we have been able to enjoy some celebrations and had a lovely evening at Hoarcross Hall for their Christmas Shopping night, we were inundated at Wilmslow market, spent three days at the glorious Arley Hall and similarly had a fab time at Bramhall Lights Switch on which was as well attended as ever and of course we ditched the car and had a few light libations after to toast the success. Plus we had a celeb purchase…. Ryan Thomas and his beautiful fiancée Lucy Mecklenburgh! How very exciting!

I have to mention our chocolate making experience at the Tawny Hotel too. There is no wonder that it is on everyone’s wish list to stay. Not only is the accommodation stunning and in a picturesque location but the staff are beyond helpful and accommodating too. Thanks to all the guests who took part and made our Sunday one to remember. We’ll be back with bells on!

Personally I’ve also been kept busy with panto rehearsals for Macclesfield Magestic Theatre Groups “Adventures in Pantoland” and have been bribing the cast with choccy treats in order to stop me eating them as I have a catsuit to wear in the new year!!! I play MOULDYWART the evil witch and if you want to come I can be seen from Jan 15th with tickets available to purchase at www.ticketsource.co.uk/mmtg Honestly it’s hilarious and not just for the kids!

Right, I’ve got about 17 other jobs on the go right now so best get back to them… I’m not one to wish away time but bring on Christmas day as I think that’ll be the next time I see Ben (He’s a slave to the Chocolate box and working crazy hours) and the next time I get to put my feet up! It’s definitely worth it though especially when I see posts you’ve tagged us in! Keep them coming @benonachocolates on Insta and remember the cut off point for online orders is 14th December. Ho Ho Ho indeed x

Christmas is coming…Fiona is getting fat!

I’m writing this whilst at the hairdressers waiting for my colour to take and frankly enjoying the downtime with a hot cuppa. Things have certainly started to get exciting and I’m here for all those festive vibes. In fact we did our first Christmas shopping night a few weeks ago for Prevent Breast Cancer in the Crown and Conspirator in our home town of Bramhall and it was a huge success making loads of money for the charity. Not only that but cos it was so local we managed to indulge in a few beverages whilst working which I feel is the way forward!

The weddings seemingly slow down a bit this month but our glorious couples in October definitely kept us busy and creative so thanks to the newly wed Cockram’s, Broadhurst’s, Peterson’s, Van Alst’s and Morris’. We are so pleased we could play a small part in all your big days.

Also, just a little hi to the amazing people at Oscar and Olivia who we see at all the wedding fayres. Sue, Emma, Wendy and of course Colin are ace, brighten what is always a frantic day, and unfailingly clean my rings!

In fact it was Emma at the Aintree show who I first told that I’d got the role of MOULDYWART in Macclesfield Majestic Theatre Groups pantomime! I’m the evil queen -“oh yes I am”… and performances start on January 15th… I’m currently in the thick of rehearsals and loving every minute. If you fancy a fun night out in the new year check out the website for tickets https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/mmtg

It was another fab night too for our chocolate making experience where as ever Stockport Gin were the perfect hosts and there are still tickets available for our December event on the 7th through www.Benona.co.uk - which coincidentally is where you can pre order your advent calendars as the clock is ticking!

And as we are mentioning the C word remember that we will be at Hoarcross Hall Christmas Event on the evening of Wednesday 15th of this month, Wilmslow Market on the 18th and Arley Hall between the 21st and the 23rd. We’ve got our big boxes of 48 available and all our chocs have a 2 month shelf life so are a perfect gift.

I realise I’ve bombarded you with dates so the easiest thing to do is follow us on insta @benonachocolates and hopefully when I next check in I’ll have my decorations up! -Last year we were so busy they only went up on December 22nd so I’ve marked a day on the calendar for the end of November and I’m determined to stick to it…. Wish me luck.

Right I’m off to the backwash to reveal my bouncy blonde barnet courtesy of my hairy godmother Rosie xx

The countdown is on….

Hi there, I’m smugly writing this from a sun-lounger in Rhodes as we take our annual trip with my family and for the first time this year on our holidays it’s sunny! I may be all self satisfied right now but I know that as soon as we step off that plane then we will be immersed in the Christmas stuff and rushed off our feet so the break is definitely required!

We’ve had a lot of new followers recently too after a post from The Hollies Farm Shop so hi there 👋🏻 and thanks for supporting us. I’m Fiona, the “Ona” part of Benona and wife to Ben who makes up the prefix and does 98% of the work from his ‘chocolate box’ in the garden. -Which by the way has been incredible and given me back 4 cupboards and 2 drawers to fill with Tupperware, tat and utensils I’ll never use in my actual kitchen. 💞

We have loads of thank you’s for the month of September too. Our gorgeous couples who got wed; Rob and Shan, the Price’s, Sampson’s, Benson’s, Hickman’s, Crompton’s and the Kitson’s thanks for choosing us. Our loyal suppliers and a few new guys too including The Marriott in Worsley and The Damson Tree who are literally around the corner from us and make incredible cake to go with their glorious coffees and lunches. 👌🏻

Also massive shout out to Paul and Cheryl from Stockport Gin who trusted us with our first GIN BAR EXPERIENCE. What a night it was and the team from Tim Groom Architects were a delight to work with and the most competitive bunch I’ve witnessed! Be aware if you are booked onto one there are prizes up for grabs and your knowledge will be well and truly tested.... You’ve been warned. Hahahaha.
There are many more planned so keep your eyes peeled on our socials and another date for your diary is on the 19th where we will be at the Crown and Conspirator for the Prevent Breast Cancer charities Christmas shopping event and then a few days after the next Wilmslow market will be taking place on 21st October. - I told you it was non stop!

If you haven’t seen we are taking pre orders on our advent calendars too which have some incredibly decadent and exclusive Christmas flavours in them too including my fave the egg nog - which doesn’t actually contain egg but instead a rum cream and tastes divine. I mean I love my job as taste tester but now I’m in my bikini maybe wish I hadn’t taken it quite so seriously 😂 And as I’m mentioning rum I feel it only right to go grab a pina colada and toast another successful month.
As always feel free to drop us a message if you need further info on anything and I’ll be sure to update you next month on my post holiday weight gain, stress levels and hopefully more exciting times that we’ve had. xx

Back to the routine. September is on!

I am writing this whilst roasting some hazelnuts, so I figure I’ve got about 20 mins before I need to check on them…. Here goes!

Apologies first off for it being a little late only Ben and I managed to sneak in a little mini break with my parents to Sorrento which was lovely albeit a bit wet to begin…. Typical. However, since we’ve returned it’s been glorious and now that Ben is in situ in his Chocolate Box there’s no worry about the temperature spoiling his chocs as he’s fully air conditioned! Hoorah!

So production is at full throttle in every aspect as we are soaring through the year and have now officially perfected our limited edition flavours for our forthcoming advent calendars. -Trust me as chief taste tester they are an absolute taste sensation and 100% festive and fabulous!

We hope to have these available on pre order soon so make sure you keep your eyes peeled on our Instagram for all the details. I wouldn’t want you to miss out.

We made a return to the wedding fair scene the other weekend too at the wonderful Marriott Worsley where Sean and the team made us feel very welcome and even put on a lovely spread for us too! Big love to all the future brides and grooms who came and tasted the goods and then booked with us! We really do appreciate it and I’m very excited to be a small part of each of your big day.

This month is quite a biggie for wedding fairs so if you are at either the Etihad or the Cheshire View one then make sure you come find us for a free sample. Nom nom nom. And to our August and September couples so far; The Glenn’s, The Booth’s, The Richardson’s,  The Thomas’ and the Smart’s thank you for choosing us and many congratulations.

Similarly this is the month we do our first ‘proper’ chocolate making event with Stockport Gin on the 22nd September which we are primed and ready for. I mean is there any better combination… A night making chocolate whilst drinking Gin and cocktails???  -If you agree then just to let you know we still have a few places available for our October event on the 14th and you can book now through our website benona.co.uk/events.

As we are heading towards our 2nd wedding anniversary (11thSeptember) it’s been quite a time for reflection to see just how far we have come in those 2 years and we are thrilled at how it’s all evolving. We couldn’t do it without your support and sales though so thank you to all our brides and grooms past and present, our wonderful suppliers and shoppers and all our supporters. It really does mean the world……

And on that note I think my hazelnuts should be nicely golden.

Rain Rain Go AWAY!!

What a July! After the wettest one on record, I am longing for sunnier days and the chance to hang my washing outside and get my well needed dose of vitamin D. However, Ben has been pretty happy with the unseasonal temperatures as it’s meant that it’s been far easier to make his chocolates… and make chocs he has been doing! From weddings to corporate orders to celebration boxes and gifts it’s been none stop… And there was me thinking things slowed down in the summer!

It's not all been a hard slog though, as we got to dress up in our finery and attend our inaugural awards ceremony; The Cheshire Life Food and Drink awards, which was held at Carden Park where we were up for Best Food Producer. Sadly it was not meant to be but to be shortlisted into the final 3 in Cheshire was wonderful and we celebrated with many glasses of bubbles, a few shots and a hell of a hangover the next day! -Thanks to our table friends “The Forge” from Chester who were up for Best Chef and up for a lot of fun too!! -Scott from Scotland I shall see you and the guys soon I promise! Also, if you have a copy of this month’s magazine then check us out on page 270 as we are featured in the handcrafted artisan creations segment!

We did make a small faux pas though at the doo as everyone was asking to sample the chocs but neither of us had the foresight to bring any along (I was too busy remembering all my hair products!) so we made sure we rectified that the week later when we attended another wonderful Cheshire Life event. This time it was their luncheon at the newly refurbished Manor at Greasby which is simply stunning. Being on a Monday it was such a delight to get away from the normal grind of job number 1 and indulge in a 3-course bespoke meal of duck liver parfait and lamb and one of the best desserts I’ve ever had, all paired with exquisite wines and a gin cocktail too…. I can definitely get used to more Mondays like that and will certainly be back to enjoy more of The Manor’s hospitality.

Back to reality though and out of the lime green power suit and it’s full speed ahead to Christmas…. Yes, it’s now less than 145 days to go and I’ve already been sampling some seasonal delights that Ben is trialing. Obviously I don’t want to give too much away but my favourite so far includes marzipan… Don’t worry if you don’t like the sound of that though as there are plenty more delights that go alongside. NOM NOM NOM.

Oh and just before I sign off, a big thank you to those who have supported our “Benona Chocolate Bar Experience” at the Loft with Stockport Gin. It’s a sell out and we are very much looking forward to bringing you these interactive workshops and hopefully they will be on your radar for future gifts or just treats for yourself! 

Right I’ve rambled enough and need to walk the pooch so until next time – Mwah xx

Lucky Number 7

So I’ll start by apologising for the delay in getting the blog out but as per usual it’s been a whirlwind. June was chocca, LITERALLY! There were so many wonderful weddings, orders, and corporate things we had to fulfil, it shocked us both!

Plus Father’s Day was a big hit for chocolates. I know my dad enjoyed his! I do think that’s most of the official calendar “celebrations” over with until Halloween and with it now being closer to THIS Christmas than it is to LAST, we are developing ideas for a bumper festive season. Ben’s going hell for leather and I’m just using it as an excuse to get my Xmas wish list started early!!

The best news about June was the completion of our “Chocolate Box”, the new bespoke kitchen unit that we had erected in the garden for Ben to work from. We enlisted the help of The Cheshire Outhouse and it’s a family business with Danny and Kev being a father and son-in-law team! If ever you need a cabin building these guys are fantastic. Clean, self-sufficient and timely to say the least! Check out their Instagram for a nose!

We are just awaiting the cabinets, which we sourced separately, to be installed, but hopefully, that won’t be long now and Ben will be in. I know he’s already eager as it’s fully air-conditioned which is EXACTLY what he needs when making chocs in the summer months. – Who knew how difficult it could be in 30 degrees?…. Well obviously not me but Ben was fully aware and was up before the sun most days: Now that’s dedication!  

And on that note if you do need any orders over the next few months and the website happens to say ‘sold out’ then simply contact us and we’ll do our best to fulfil your requirements. We are still producing them and will always try our hardest and this is completely normal for chocolatiers as they battle with summer conditions, because it’s not just the manufacture you have to consider it’s also the postal deliveries.

Another exciting order that came to us very last minute was a lovely lady from Hyde whose husband was having a “When I’m 64 party” and last minute decided on some chocs to go with the event. If you are unaware of the theme – it’s the Beatles- and Ben had 7 days to make Beatles-inspired Bon Bons which recreated their iconic ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ album cover with the fab 4’s faces even being sprayed onto their own flavours… Lennon’s Lemon Cheesecake anyone?? As a massive music fan and even bigger Beatles enthusiast, Ben was in his element and thrilled with the final result.

Also, a huge congratulations to our friends Paul and Cheryl at Stockport Gin who successfully completed their events space renovation and held a fabulous opening party last week. I LOVE an excuse to drink on a Sunday and was happy to sip on their pink grapefruit and pink peppercorn craft gin whilst admiring their new space which will host an array of workshops and conventions including our own chocolate experiences in the near future, so WATCH THIS SPACE!!

So, looking forward, keep your fingers crossed for us on the 24th of this month for the Cheshire Life Food and Drinks awards. Regardless of the result it’s fab to be nominated and I’m getting closer to narrowing down an outfit! Hopefully in the next blog I’ll have some fun news to report and a few piccies to share so watch out for that. Till then, ta-ra xx

Halfway through!!!!

How on earth are we on month 6 already? I mean I’m not complaining as finally we have arrived at some warm weather, which yes may not be conducive to making chocolates but it’s ideal for getting a bit of colour…. And as my friend Jane once said, “if you can’t TONE it, TAN it!”

Once again we have crammed in so much over the last 4 weeks. We started it off with a little vacay to Crete which was lovely despite the fact the whole of Europe was suffering heavy rainstorms and 50% of the jolly was awash…. Cue making the most of the all-inclusive bar!! Then we got back just in time for Ben’s birthday which was a low-key affair spent in our favourite place in Bramhall Long Bar,  followed by a raucous weekend with our beautiful friends in Manchester getting locked up in Alcatraz, sipping bubbles in the sunshine and eating at a fancy restaurant. (Thanks so much Bricks!)

- I mean you probably are wondering how we have managed to keep on top of the business, but with Ben across it we covered all bases and sent out hundreds of chocs to our lovely suppliers, did a handful of weddings, have been booked for our first official presentation and even got nominated for another award! Yes I know, VERY EXCITING!!

In fact, this honor is not just recognition for Benona but in particular my role within it, as part of the women in business at the 2023 enterprise vision awards! The nods are in the family business, new business and hospitality categories so it’s really wonderful. - I was nominated anonymously so if you are reading this and it was you who put me forward, firstly Thank You, and secondly I am totally gobsmacked but so incredibly proud and very much looking forward to the awards ceremony which obviously will require a new frock! 

Also, away from accolades, and I don’t want to jinx ANYTHING, but we have got our fingers in a sensational pie which if it gets pulled off I will be uncontrollably elated and shouting it from the rooftops so keep all your fingers crossed for us and hopefully we should know more come July!!!

In the meantime, the next date of significance for us is June 12th when the new kitchen office will begin construction. I’m over the moon as this will mean that Ben can have his own space away from the house with everything at his fingertips instead of hidden away in cupboards and I’ll be able to get back my Tupperware drawer! Hurrah!

So with boundless positivity, by the time I write this next month all will be in situ and Ben will be happily tucked away. Until then I’m remaining optimistic but here’s hoping and place your bets….  

The Month That Just Keeps On Giving…

Here we are again and what a lovely way to start the new month than with a Bank Holiday…. Seriously, 4 day working weeks should be the norm and this month gives us 3 of those so we will be taking full advantage with a little break to enjoy some downtime and recharge our batteries.

April was once again one of those hectic months where it seems the wedding season has well and truly kicked off and to all our lovely couples who have tied the knot recently congratulations and many thanks for choosing us to be part of your day. -Ben actually delivered one order to Colshaw Hall, which was our wedding venue, and where it all began chocolate wise, and he commented how he was sad that our wedding day was over and we wouldn’t get to do it again… So, there may well be some wiggle room for a 10 year vow renewal down the line!!

The best thing about being a part of the wedding business is the fact that it’s such a happy industry and this was so very apparent when we did the Great Northern Wedding Show on the 23rd where literally thousands of happy couples piled through the doors to get ideas and meet suppliers. -I say “We” did it but this time I was with my great mate Soph who was holding down the fort as Ben was in Wembley with her hubby watching the football. -She was a star and I must say probably more fun on the stand than Ben! Hahahahaha.

Soph was also coincidently there at a fashion show that we made chocs for supporting The Prevent Breast Cancer Charity in our local village of Bramhall. We teamed up with the amazing boutique (and my favourite shop) Modiste who put on a fabulous catwalk show and as the compare Sue (who owns it) arranged for me to get my hair and makeup done like the models… I felt a million dollars! We raised over £1600 on the night and it was a hoot. Being a local independent and supporting the village is something we are truly passionate about so to be able to help was a real pleasure.

And something else that happened this month, albeit unexpectedly to me as Ben kept it very much under wraps, was that we have been shortlisted as finalists of the Cheshire Life Food and Drinks awards 2023 which means we will be up against the best in the area and get to don our posh frocks for the awards ceremony to celebrate the county’s finest in hospitality and food. What a total honour even if we don’t win!

So May really does have a lot to live up to, although with the King’s Coronation and both Ben and my brother’s birthday I feel it will be very much chocolate filled and full of excitement…. Bring it on! xx

And Breathe……..

Well that was some month.

Fresh off the back of my birthday celebrations and probably still somewhat fueled by fizz I can confirm we had a mega March. Personally, we spent 2 lovely weekends celebrating mother’s day and eating till we could burst. We FINALLY got round to using the anniversary gift my folks got us and enjoyed a glorious meal at Northcote where I sipped on Rose Bellinis and felt very posh and I got to get glammed up again when we celebrated our lovely friends engagement!   

Now it may seem like it was all play and no work but on top of all that we had the BUSIEST 31 days EVER. That demanding and frantic I may well have threatened divorce on more than one occasion!

We’ve done a wedding fayre, International Women’s Day chocs, mother’s day boxes, anniversary favours, 3 weddings and the normal orders for our lovely stockists too, and that’s before we even tackled Easter stuff…..

Ben’s Easter eggs have been flying out. -I mean they are DIVINE and a whopping 500g of salted caramel oozing greatness so what is not to love… But wowzers, and if you’ve bought one I hope you will enjoy it come the 7th if you’ve not already caved and demolished it! Plus the bespoke Stockport Gin miniature filled eggs were a giant success, but then they would be as it’s a tremendous combination!

On top of this we need to welcome our newest collaborator, The Tawny Hotel, which is an INCREDIBLE venue. It’s in Staffordshire and has been noted in some of the best hotel lists in the world including The Times sexiest and as soon as you make your way up their sprawling driveway you can see why. It’s a country escape where you stay in the most idyllic of huts or treehouses or luxury cabins. Seriously, if you are looking for romance THIS is the place to go… HINT HINT Ben!!!

In other news “we’ve” purchased some new equipment to help speed up the process and make things easier and despite the fact I have ZERO clue what these 2 cumbersome and space stealing contraptions do, they have made Ben happier and quicker so yey to that! The next thing on the agenda is to build the purpose-built chocolate kitchen which is booked in and is something even I’m getting giddy about!

We had a great evening doing a mock up Chocolate workshop experience with our friends too which we hope to be introducing soon. It may well have been the added beverages but it went down a storm and is a load of fun as it’s interactive and you get to make your own chocolate memento so hopefully we’ll be launching that before too long. AND I think that’s about it… I told you it was a biggun! Time now for a lie down in a darkened room with maybe another celebratory glass to ease the hangover! See you on the other side of April which I hope is equally exciting xx

Springtime is coming!!!

So here we are again, another month ticked off the calendar and onto the best one… My birthday month, albeit at the very end of March but hey ho.

To be fair February was full of celebrations too as Winnie Bubbles our beloved Cockapoo turned 7, two of our wonderful friends got engaged (Hooray Lucie and Josh) and of course there was valentines which kept us both busy plus who could forget pancake day??…. Chocolate filled of course!

Professionally Feb was a successful too as Benona has found its way onto a few more shelves, namely The Hollies Farm Shop in Tarporley, Dutsons in Marple Bridge, and Blue Door Flowers in Heaton Moor so thanks so much to them and if you are ever passing and pick up a box don’t forget to tag us in online!

All these extra orders have meant it’s been non-stop and finally we are starting some work to give us a bit more storage. – For 18 months I have sacrificed space to house boxes and equipment and ingredients and all sorts of stuff I never even associated with being a chocolatier but hopefully by the time you are reading this I shall once again have a Tupperware cupboard and a “random crap” drawer, and yes I realise that getting excited about this makes me seem old but frankly I don’t give a damn!

Now I don’t know about you, but the lighter nights and longer days lift my mood immensely and the garden is awash with crocus, snowdrops and even the odd daffodil’s popping through which means spring is certainly on its way and therefore so is Mother’s day. -19th March- and if you need any choccie gifts for your mum then rest assured Benona Chocs are given a taste test approval and a giant thumbs up from “Big Di” (AKA my mum) who is notoriously picky and difficult! (Sorry mum but it’s true!)

Oooh and just before I head off we’re planning something dead exciting that I’m hoping you are gonna love. It involves chocolate (of course) and I get to showcase my creative flair and love of chatting… Can you guess what it is yet?! All will be revealed soon as we are currently in the TEST PHASE (Thanks Bricks and Swann’s!) but safe to say it’ll be a lot of fun.

Anyway I’m starting to waffle and the doorbell has just gone meaning there’s either a chocolate box delivery or my new face serum has arrived….one which thrills me more than the other!!!!  Until next time!! xxx

Happy New Year.... Yes I realise it’s February

So as one of my new year’s resolutions I said I’d write a chocolate blog and albeit a month late, here I am. I’m the “Ona” part of Benona, so hi from me Fiona and although I’m not the one actually making the chocolates I’m very much part of the process so I’m gonna give you an insight into what’s been going on from my side....

Firstly I have to take you back momentarily to December; which was a complete whirlwind with production, markets, orders and all the normal festivities too, so if you bought a box in any way thank you. I LOVED seeing how excited Ben was when people messaged over Xmas to say they’d received chocs and enjoyed them.

Then soon came January, which 12 months ago was very quiet as we’d only really begun but this year it’s been great. We managed to take a few days break before we got back into action and returned rested and refreshed, raring to go. -I’m not gonna lie having some time away was ace but I know that Ben never stopped mentally. He’d been toying with ideas and flavours and Valentines concepts since September so I know he was eager to get going.

Before we’d even got through the front door we had to wrestle with tons of boxes and deliveries.- Like I said this Jan has been fab. I mean we were featured in the Feb edition of Cheshire Life to begin with (Pg 124) EEEK and we’ve done far more than we expected, including a golden wedding, wedding favours and started to fulfil our other corporate orders for Valentines. -If you haven’t already seen you can pick up our amazing Valentines boxes at Cheshire Smokehouse, Stockport Gin and Style Agent in Sale too.(Thanks guys)

As ever I’ve taken my role of chief taste tester very seriously and forsaken any post-Christmas weight loss for the sake of the chocolates.... What a hero! But as Prue Leith says they are certainly worth the calories. If you are a regular customer you’ll have noticed that we’ve added 2 new flavours to our collection: Fruit and nut and passionfruit caramel... Plus some of the designs have changed and I hope you’ll agree they look bedazzling! The idea was that they appeared more funky and vibrant but you’ll still get that great Benona taste.

I’m not entirely certain on this but I don’t think we’ll be doing any markets in Feb as frankly I’ve only just started to feel my feet after those cold December days but we’ll keep you posted so keep your eye on our insta @benonachocolates for updates and you can always purchase online for that chocolate fix.

Right, I best get back as those pots aren’t going to wash themselves! Thanks for reading and I’ll fill in again soon. Until then Happy Valentines! xx