Taste of Conwy - The Tipyn Bach Chocolate Company

Bodnant Garden Nurseries
Tal-y-cafn
Colwyn Bay
Conwy
LL28 5RE

Contact:
Alison Lindsay

Tel: 01492 650046

Website:
www.tipynbach.co.uk

E-mail:
info@tipynbach.co.uk

Truffles, creams, pralines, chocolate covered Turkish delight, marzipan, ginger, nuts and coffee beans.

Gift boxes and hampers. Wedding favours. Corporate gifts.

On sale at:
Online from website.

Bodnant Garden Nursery Arts & Crafts Studios, Tal y cafn.
Conwy Fine Wines, Conwy; Sarah’s Deli, Beaumaris; Lottie & Wren, Caernarfon; Aberconwy House (National Trust), Conwy;
Bron-y-Wendon Caravan Park, Llanddulas;
Ffatri Fferins, Llanrwst;
Galeri, Betws y Coed;
Rhug Farm Shop, Corwen; Chirk Castle (National Trust), Chirk; Powis Castle (National Trust), Welshpool; St Davids Visitor Centre (National Trust), St Davids; Fabulous Welsh Cakes, Mermaid Quay, Cardiff.

Welsh Food Festival, Glansevern Hall, Welshpool – 1st and 2nd September 2007.
Mold Food & Drink Festival, Denbighshire – 22nd & 23rd September 2007.
Apple Fair, Erddig (National Trust), Wrexham – 6th and 7th October 2007.
Gwledd Conwy Feast, Conwy 27th and 28th October 2007.
Christmas Fair, Glynllifon, Caernarfon – November 2007 – date to be confirmed

From midwifery to confectionery requires a large leap of imagination but, never the less, that is where Alison Lindsay, founder of The Tipyn Bach Chocolate Company started her working life. Trained as a midwife at Glan Clwyd and Wrexham Hospitals, Alison went on to work in the United States where she met her husband in California. It was on return to the UK in 1995 that she felt the need for a complete change of direction and completed a degree in Food and Consumer Studies whilst working as a chef and at the Fresh and Wild Health Food store. Perhaps this, coupled with studies including business ethics and food psychology, is what sparked the interest that was to later manifest itself in the establishment of an ethically based chocolate company, for few foodstuffs have more connotations with psychology than chocolate.

Now with one full time and one part-time member of staff her business has outpaced her projections with her chocolates taking centre stage at the opening of the new Venue Cymru in Llandudno in June. With the presentation of Tipyn Bach’s chocolates to His Royal Highness Prince of Wales at the Arts and Business Cymru event at Theatr Clwyd, Mold, in July Alison now even has a royal accolade under her belt. “It was so hot that day we’re just glad that the royal chocolates didn’t turn to fondue!”

Originally from St Asaph, Alison and her husband relocated to Conwy in 2004 and, within 3 months, the business was up and running, launched with a small range of truffles at the first Conwy Feast Food Festival in October. “I was manufacturing chocolates by hand from our tiny kitchen at home, starting at six in the morning to produce enough for the Food Festival,” says Alison, “but it was worth it as we were so successful.” It was highly opportune that only a few months later one of Bodnant Garden

Nursery’s newly converted studios became available and Alison moved in to the unit right beside the exit from the National Trust managed Gardens in March 2005. “It’s fantastic to have so much passing trade but by our first Easter Monday we’d sold out completely. Considering we were still hand making the chocolates on a temporary machine it’s amazing we didn’t run out sooner.” Since then her range has expanded to encompass truffles, creams and chocolate covered Turkish delight and marzipan, incorporating Conwy Valley Rowen Honey, Condessa’s Hazelnut Liqueur and Toffoc Vodka from Anglesey and Penderyn Whisky and Merlyn Welsh Liqueur from south Wales. Alison is even about to include sea salt from Halen Môn to produce a salted caramel covered in the fairtrade Ghanaian chocolate that has become her trademark.