Decadent and Delicious in Spooner
World class chocolatier sets up shop in northwest Wisconsin
When perusing the gourmet chocolate candy bar section in a Whole Foods Coop or specialty candy shops, visions of chefs in white hats pouring over their passion in Switzerland, Belgium, or France might come to mind. But, upon closer inspection, a gourmet line of chocolate gaining major traction is being hand curated in Spooner, Wisconsin.
Daniel Herskovic has devoted his life to the kitchen. First, as a chef in fine dining establishments in New York, San Francisco and Chicago. Then, as the owner of a catering company in Chicago. It was during this career that the vision for Mayana Chocolate was born.
“I wanted to create a take-home gift for my clients and everyone loves a box of chocolate,” Herskovic explains.
But, it couldn’t just be any box of chocolate. Herskovic wanted it to be the best.
“Chocolate can be mysterious. A lot of people are afraid of chocolate – but I find it fascinating. How it varies in different parts of the world.”
To truly learn the craft, he studied with some of the most well-known chocolatiers in the world. He had a solid business in Chicago. And then, he and his wife Tamara fell in love with northern Wisconsin.
Daniel’s in-laws live near Spooner. In the early 2000s, the couple would vacation in northern Wisconsin several times a year. It was during one of those Winter vacations that they dared to dream.
“It was December 2010 and we had just spent a few days skiing around Spooner and we thought, wouldn’t it be cool to relocate here?”
For most, nothing would ever come of that question. For the Herskovics, it was the beginning of Mayana Chocolate relocating to Spooner, Wisconsin.
“It didn’t happen overnight. As a new business without capital, these things take a while. But, ultimately, we were able to get a modest loan from the Northwest Regional Planning Commission in 2013,” Herskovic says.
That loan has paid major dividends. Today, Mayana Chocolate can produce up to 5,000 chocolate bars a day. They employ about 30 people, or about 15 full-time equivalents. Their largest customer is Whole Foods Market – where you will find their bars in every single store.
In addition to Whole Foods, Mayana Chocolate is shipped to every state and several countries in the United States either via people ordering online or through their strong wholesale distribution.
Herskovic credits this more national presence to being located in Spooner.
“Moving to Spooner forced us to think of the whole country as our market because there just aren’t enough people in the area to support our business. When we were in Chicago, our focus was limited to the Chicago market.”
He also says the strong entrepreneurial spirit and support he’s received as yet another reason his business is thriving.
“There are definitely pain points as a new business order. I’m so glad we came here when we did. There’s been such great mentorship with the Northwest Regional Planning Commission. We’ve experienced more support than we would in Chicago.”
NWRPC Business Development Specialist Rick Roeser has been working with businesses in northern Wisconsin for over 25-years. He says while NWRPC focuses on their revolving loan fund and providing technical assistance, it ultimately is about the relationships that make a business thrive up north.
“We’re really here to help out wherever we are needed. We’re not just a lender. But instead, we really look at this as a relationship. We’ve found the more involved we are and the more we understand the business, the better the outcome for everyone involved,” Roeser says.
As the company continues to grow, Herskovic acknowledges that keeping up with demand while also maintaining quality can at-times feel like a juggling act. The bars, which are handcrafted, are not your run of the mill candy bars. Instead, Daniel aims to take something that people love and are familiar with – a candy bar – and make it a delicious and decadent experience.
“Our goal is to take what people love and present it in an unexpected way.”
Roeser says Daniel and Mayana Chocolate are just one shining example of businesses that are bringing incredible value to northern Wisconsin. “One example is they obviously employ a number of people. But another example is they diversify our economy. They, like so many other companies, find a way to bring revenue from outside the region to the area which helps the economy in northwest Wisconsin.”
As people take notice and the company continues to grow, Herskovic sees a bright future in northern Wisconsin. “We’re emerging as a national brand. As we do, we definitely see more benefits than drawbacks to being in Wisconsin. We have wonderful employees. We have access to all of the ingredients we need. And, a community that supports us. I think we’re going to continue to get noticed and become an important player in fine chocolate.”
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