Spotlight On | Handmade by Rose
In this case study, Rose shares her journey from experimenting in her kitchen to selling at bustling markets and reveals how the right packaging and premium labels helped elevate her brand. Discover how thoughtful design choices reflect her chocolates’ artisanal quality and why she believes investing in great labels is a game-changer for small businesses.
Tell us about Handmade by Rose
What inspired you to start the business, and how has it evolved over time?
“At Christmas I used to make Delia Smith’s home-made truffles every year. My children and guests used to really enjoy them. Then my daughters grew up! One of them got engaged and asked, “Mum, will you do the favours for my wedding?” She meant chocolate truffles! I had to “up my game” if I wanted chocolates that would last and I could make in advance, especially as we had to transport them (and us) to the wedding in London from Oxfordshire where we lived.
“I started experimenting, and friends and colleagues loved them. Even my husband took some into work to see if people there liked them. One day, he came back with a £20 note and said someone wanted some more of “those gingerbread ones”! It was very encouraging.
“I continued to make chocolates for birthdays, Easter and Christmas. People told me I should be selling them. For Christmas, that same daughter who got married gave me a book about how to make and sell for business.
“My husband took voluntary redundancy, and I left my job as a teaching assistant in a secondary school. We bought a house with a kitchen I could work in, and I did some courses and took some advice from a business advisor. I also did some research to see what other chocolates were available in the area. As far as I could see, there was nowhere you could get fresh handmade chocolates. Handmade by Rose was born!
“All of my chocolate truffles and caramels have fresh ingredients in them. No artificial preservatives or flavours. No factory in sight! Just me in my kitchen at home. I sell at craft fairs and produce markets in Dartmouth, Dartmoor, Widecombe and Manaton mostly.”
How important is packaging and presentation to your brand, and what role do labels play in that?
“Choosing my packaging and labels was crucial to me. I started off simply, but soon decided I needed my packaging to work for me. I wanted something that looked sophisticated, elegant and luxurious - after all, these chocolates are a real treat. An indulgence. They are grown-up chocolates with real flavours. I needed my packaging and labels to reflect that.
“In fact, I chose my labels before I chose my packaging! That’s probably the wrong way around, but I needed something that reflected me, the chocolates and the brand. inkREADible Labels were great. They gave me a pack of labels to look at to gain inspiration, which really helped. I decided on a circular label with a gold foil heart and rim on a black lacquered background. Then I chose black packaging to go with the label.
“Later, I decided it would be good to have something to depict that my chocolates were made in Devon and decided to incorporate my contact details at the same time. So again, with inkREADible Labels helping me, I designed an oval label with the Devon flag on and my website details in the middle. It was important to get the right size, and inkREADible were very patient with me on this. The labels had to fit on specific places on my slabs, bags and boxes.”
What advice would you give to other small businesses that are thinking about investing in better product labels?
“The advice I would give is to think about your product. What is your target audience? Get in touch with inkREADible Labels and ask them all of your questions – they understand your requirements, and the variety of choice you have is amazing, although I never felt overwhelmed, and the design was purely mine. The pack they gave me was one of the best things I could have had, it really inspired me.”
What’s next for Handmade by Rose – and will labels play a part in any upcoming plans?
“Well, that’s a question! To be honest, I am nearing retirement age now and have another grandchild on the way. I am hoping to carry on selling until Christmas and then retire from my markets and craft fairs. However, when I mentioned this in the presence of my granddaughter who is 7, she said, “but Grandma, your chocolates are the BEST in the world! You can’t stop making them!” So, I guess I will still be making them for friends and family and will hopefully have more time to spend seeing them as they live all over the country. I’m quite sure I will still be sticking on my labels that say “Handmade by Rose”.”
Order your free sample pack
Rose’s story is a delightful reminder that the best businesses often start with love, a sprinkle of courage, and a little help from the perfect label. Order your free sample pack today!
