#46 - Organizing virtual tastings and in-person food tours

It's time to talk CHOCOLATE! Founder and Chief Chocolate Officer of Cocoa Beantown Tours and Events, Victoria Kichuk, joins the show. As an expert in coordinating tasting events, she shares her experience pivoting to virtual tasting events and tips for running them. As well as advice for organizing in-person tasting events and tours. 

Transcript

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Savannah (Purplepass): 

Welcome back to another episode of The EventBuzz Podcast. Today we are speaking with Victoria Kichuk, the founder of Cocoa Beantown Tours and Events, a chocolate education and experience provider. Yes, I said it chocolate. 

And I know everyone is seeking the same thing. How can I become a chocolate experience provider too? I'll be researching this later, don't worry. Cocoa Beantown provides events and Event Services for public, private and corporate groups with experiences being anything from walking tours, virtual and in person, chocolate tastings and pairing events, trivia nights, picnics, and more. They specialize in connecting consumers to other small businesses who make quality bean to bar craft chocolate. Their events discuss everything from history, geography, world culture, and more with the intention to connect people in real time while creating a memorable experience. On today's episode, we will of course, be talking about chocolate, but about conducting tasting events in person as well as virtually. 

 Hi, Victoria. Thanks for coming on to the show with us today. We are so excited to have you. How are you doing this morning? 

Victoria (Cocoa Beantown): 

I'm great. I always have chocolate around. So there's always potential to have a good day when that's... 

Savannah: 

Oh, yeah. Well, you're talking to someone who I am. I can't have too much chocolate in my house because I do not have any limitation or self control. So you're talking to the right person. So I did attach a brief intro letting the listeners know about your story and Cocoa Beantown. But I do want to hear from you kind of how you got into you know this endeavor this, creating this business? And I'm not going to ask why chocolate? Because I understand. 

Victoria: 

What's your motivation? Well, that's pretty clear. Um, the the joke line answer to that is that my mom likes to say I was born with chocolate on my mind, because my birthday, which is actually Sunday, May 15 is National Chocolate Chip Day. And I that was not my, my mother's due date when when she was pregnant with me. And so I just had to wait for just the right day, as it turns out, but the end and that's 100% truthful folks can Google May 15 National Chocoloate Chip Day. But the true kind of trajectory of things was that in college, I worked for the admissions office at my school as a tour guide, helping friends and family, you know, take in the campus and learn about the school, not knowing at the time because it was something I took on just as a way to earn some extra bucks for school and fun. 

And I would later use that experience when food tours became a thing about about 12 years ago or so at least in the Boston area. Tours were starting to really crop up and become really popular. And so I took a part time job as a tour guide. And the way my I was kind of attracted to the position was that it was an ad that said 'Do you like people? And do you like chocolate?' And it's like, well. Also says my name on the ad listing, 'Is your name Victoria?'. So I applied, thinking that no matter how much or how little work came from the experience, it would always be fun. And at the same time, I was working as a freelance writer. 

And part of the work I was doing was food, restaurant, entertainment related pieces for website content development and things like that. So I was already communicating about food in a different sense. And I started doing the tours and what I thought would honestly be a summer gig turned into about eight years of contract work. 

And a few years ago actually in 2017, the person who owned that business, he had multiple businesses and had owned businesses for decades, more or less decided he was no longer interested in running a food tour company and shut things down. I was really distraught. I think a part of me was like oh no all my chocolate freebies disappearing my soul supply network. But yeah, the other thing truly was that I realized that there was a lot more that I thought I could contribute in the space and that there had indeed been ideas over the eight years that I had shared that maybe didn't get prioritized, or they kind of got put on the back burner, and never really, a lot of enthusiasm went behind them. 

And I thought, well, you know what, I really do think those ideas are worthwhile, and there's something that can be done with them. And so someone who had never envisioned becoming a business owner was at a point where I was considering taking the leap. And I let me tell you the imposter syndrome thing. I know, it crops up for lots of people in different professions and different lines of work. When you have never anticipated becoming a business owner, at least for me, I didn't want to be one of those folks, those stories where they take the leap, and then very quickly after they fall on their face. So I spent a lot of time talking to people, they say, you know, always aim to be the least smart person in the room, because you want to surround yourself by people who know more than you so you can learn from them. 

And I just did everything I could to tap into my network and talk to the people that I knew that already were business owners and owned businesses for years. And, and it was all nature of businesses to it was just getting advice from people who had all these different experiences that I could draw from and ask them honestly, do you think I can do it? When the first couple people said yes, without hesitation, I was feeling good. But by the time the 10th, or 11th, or 12th person was like, yeah, you can do this. I was like, why am I hesitating? 

Savannah: 

I know. It's scary. 

Victoria: 

Yeah, it was incredibly scary. And I am not a totally risk taking person. But I understand when there are certain risks that have great consequences. It is worth doing your research. So I decided to take the leap after all, and Coco Beantown will be celebrating five years in business this fall. 

Savannah: 

Wow, congratulations. 

Victoria: 

Yeah, thank you. It's really exciting, especially considering what the last two years have been like. But it has allowed me to now be able to claim the job title of besides a small business owner and founder, but I am a chocolate sommelier or chocolate educator, I literally get to write chocolate purchases off on my taxes. Adult Achievement unlocked. And it's been something that people are always surprised to hear that it's a professional opportunity, they usually get a little bit retro actively angry at their high school guidance counselors, for not telling them that it was might have been an actual career choice. But I think it's also been something that has even surprised me at times, what sorts of opportunities have have arisen from choosing a very niche business with a very niche skill set? 

Savannah: 

Well, that's awesome. That's an amazing story. And I'm glad you, you know, took the leap of faith because a lot of people don't do that. Like you said, it's scary. And but sometimes we just got to take that risk, especially if it's this type of opportunity and surrounded by chocolate all the time. It's worth it. 

Victoria: 

Totally. 

Savannah: 

And like you said, regarding the last two years, I did want to ask, not just how it's been with the pandemic. But did you guys were you guys doing virtual tours prior to the pandemic? Or do you start doing that because of the pandemic? Or how did that work out? 

Victoria: 

Yeah, no virtual events was not something that we were doing at all the business prior to, excuse me, march 2020, was pretty evenly split between chocolate focused food tours in neighborhoods of Boston and areas around it. And also, the other half was doing in person events. So bringing a tasting event to a corporate office for team builder or bring them to a private home for like an anniversary party, or bachelorette party or something like that. 

So though virtual events, I had heard of them in the like chocolate tasting space a little bit, I there, there was a few people in the kind of craft chocolate community that that had sort of conceived of a format of doing it. But it was not something that was on our radar. Actually, we were about to launch a new format for our in person tasting events just just prior to the pandemic. And so we got shut down. And lots of businesses did but it was also an interesting case of not only were we zeroed out basically overnight, but we had people that had bought tickets in the future or had put, you know, retainers down for in person events. And now so not only we don't have any revenue coming in, we're having to issue refunds, know when we'll be able to do an event. 

Savannah: 

Yeah. So during the pandemic, did you start doing the virtual events? Like you've kind of figured out how to do that? 

Victoria: 

Yeah, that was a, it was another, you know, the trial by fire phrase comes up a lot with these sorts of things. And, you know, initially it was, you know, remember when we were all really cute at the beginning, and it was like, Oh, it'll be done in a couple of weeks. Right? 

Savannah: 

Oh yeah. Just a month. 

Victoria: 

A month? It'll be done in months. You know, June 1, June 1. No, for real this time. It was really quaint and cute of us to think that would have been the case. So initially, we it was my thinking that well, if that is going to be the case, because I, like everyone else had had no experience, luckily, being a little pandemic before I thought maybe, okay, if it's, it is going to be June 1, we can hang out for a couple months. It's not the most comfortable position. But we can hang out. 

And to be quite honest, the the reality for our business is because we don't have a brick and mortar. We work full with the events in a sense of like, being a caterer, we're bringing it to a space. In the nice sense, was that, okay, no commercial rent to worry about. So that was great that that was not an overhead situation. But on the other hand, the visibility drops significantly, because if we're not marching people down the street with our little logo goodie bags, or bringing an event to a space and putting our signage up, people are gonna forget about us. And that was my first concern. And I didn't want people to necessarily worry about, you know, there was a lot of pull at that time, like, make sure you're buying gift cards for restaurants and things. And I was truly like, well, if it's going to be a month or two, Coco Beantown can be okay, because we don't have that staff and that overhead to worry about, but I just don't want people to forget about us. So I started doing just live stream shows once a week on Sunday, figuring that people were literally locked in and worrying about you know what to do. And, you know, for even adults just sitting at home stressing, I know, a lot of young people in Boston that would just their anxiety was going up, they're worried because they they also were working salaried jobs, and they weren't weren't getting hours, they were furloughed. 

So I was like, if we can make for maybe a one hour distraction, once a week. And that's valuable to people, it wasn't even, you know, we weren't even charge me was a free live stream. So I got on there and was doing chocolate chats and it would be topics like, you know, the masses, the history of chocolate in Massachusetts, or chocolate in the environment. And we even got into themed ones as time went on about how to pick out the best Mother's Day chocolate, you know, helping people like you. So trying to be useful, but also entertaining, and just really get people's minds off the off what's happening inside. 

As that went on. And it was clear that June 1 was not going to make a difference, then was okay, we do need to find something else that brings in revenue. The only thing that we had done prior to that that was a ticketed virtual experience was this weird kind of brainstorm I have had related to Easter. And we did what we call a virtual Easter egg hunt, where I literally went down to a park not far from my apartment and hid easter eggs and took pictures of like the scene kind of like those old seek-and-finds from like a highlight... 

Savannah: 

That's cute. 

Victoria: 

Yeah, yeah. And then we sold it was like $5 tickets per family. And we said, we released the pictures on our social media, the Sunday morning of Easter, and whoever you know, would be different categories of like, who was the fastest and who found the most eggs. We even had a chocolate bunny and one of the pictures that was like a surprise bonus if you could find that. And that wasn't a huge moneymaker. But it was the first dip into a monetized virtual event and the feedback was across the board, whether it was from families with little kids, or just adults that were like 'finally an Easter egg hunt that I can participate in without shame." They don't let you attend the ones that the kiddies do in real life, well, you could sit on your couch in your jammies with a glass of bourbon and search for Easter eggs.
People over and over, over again, sent in their photos with the circled eggs. And a note that said, 'You provided so much distraction, I think this is the first time I've smiled in two months.' That's awesome. That was really, it filled my heart up. Because obviously, we've all got rent or mortgages to pay. But part of why I do this is about intentional moments of joy. And so I knew that virtual events were going to be something important to us and taking the tasting events from in person to virtual meant acquiring a new skill set of I've learned so much about the US Postal Service and FedEx and shipping chocolate. Not something that I had any depth of knowledge in before. And then also the different way that has to be conducted and how to make timelines because we need to get the information from the clients, you need to package things up, then get it shipped and make sure you ship it in advance of the events, and then conduct the event itself. 

So there was a weird moment where it was like wow, used to be event days were super, go go go really stressful because you have to drive to the location, set up before the event time conducts the event, then cleaned up and all this stuff. And now it was more protracted where the all the kits and and chocolate was being assembled ahead of the event day. And then the event day, you know, an event at 5pm I can sign on to the zoom at 10 of you know, leisurely start the initiate an event that way. So those all were sorts of transitions that now seem really old hat two plus years into it. 

Savannah: 

Yeah. I mean, that's impressive. I, I can imagine that virtual tastings are really hard to coordinate. And I did have a question for you, since you've kind of gotten a hang of doing virtual tastings or you know what it takes if you had any tips. Or maybe maybe the major mistakes that you've made, in the beginning when doing them that you can kind of share with other people that are trying to do virtual tastings as well. 

Victoria: 

So the shipping component is obviously huge. And it is also the part of the process. That's really important because you have to hear from your folks don't have their chocolate or or whatever you might be tasting out for the event. Even though it's possible to still learn things from the event and engage with it. People are a lot less enthused to watch their cohorts eat chocolate when they, you know, they're still waiting for theirs to arrive. So, but it is the part that's out of your control. As I have often had to remind folks that the Cocoa Beantown has been really lucky to have found, you know, found our pandemic pivot that enabled us to overcome the losses of 2020 and build on that success. We still we don't we don't have that Bezos money. Like we're not we don't have our own planes. 

Savannah: 

Yeah, drop it in, drop it in the backyard. 

Victoria: 

Yeah, not even close to Christmas time there's only one guy with flying reindeer that can make overnight. So those edits it, you know, we can laugh about it. But there are some folks that that go, Well, what do you mean, the chocolate didn't make it? Well, I can't help that there are truck drivers shortages in some areas or sorting machines that got thrown away or weather, you know, electrical outages, snowstorms, all sorts of things that can happen that you can do your darndest and build in cusion time to schedule and sometimes things just still don't work out. And there are two choices for on the client end at that point. They can either acknowledge the human side of life and know that we as a small business did everything we could to make sure things happen the right way. But inevitably there are sometimes these perfect storm situations. And I can say for sure that December 2020 that was that perfect storm of, you know, the systems were overloaded. All the shipping carriers were totally bombarded. There were planes that were being diverted for vaccine distribution. And and there was weather situations and people ordering more stuff in general. So there were there were cases of, you know, if you had sent things I mean, my my parents live in Connecticut, a two hour drive away. And my mom sent my Christmas present two weeks before Christmas, I didn't get it till January 7. 

Savannah: 

Yeah, wow. 

Victoria: 

It was just, you know, my mom was upset because she's like, you have a Christmas present to open on Christmas. I'm like, but you know what, it's okay. Because, here, and then it will be a celebration again, you can either make things worse by trying to pin blame on folks. But I luckily have not had many situations where, folks, you know, we're kind of on unduly trying to pin blame. But I think it's a good rule for anytime you have collaborations between businesses, that, with everything that we've all been dealing with, it's so important to to, just as in your personal life and your professional life, maintain a sense of grace and patience for people as much as you can. 

Savannah: 

Yeah. And that goes both ways. It's always hard when you are dealing with maybe a client or a customer that doesn't have the same grace, or understanding. And I mean, you can't do anything. I mean, you just have to be like, well, it is what it is. But that's a good tip. I always wondered about, like the shipping and stuff that kind of went went on behind virtual tastings and getting the food there. But I didn't even think about the disaster that we've had, obviously, not just COVID, but the effects it had on our shipping, even now, like we are greatly understaffed. 

So yeah, patience across the board and understanding is key for everyone participating in anything. So that's a good point. And are you? Are you guys still doing walking tours? Are you guys back to doing like in person walking tours? 

Victoria: 

Yes. So we, when the virtual tastings began, I thought initially that that was going to be in totality, what we would be doing until the all clear sign happened. But what was also interesting was that at the same time that was launching, which expanded our reach, because Coco Beantown, you know, our name comes from the nickname for Boston being Beantown. And then the connection to chocolate being made from a cocoa bean. So we like to say everything, you know, from a chocolate perspective. But most of our customers, though, if they weren't local, the reason they were finding us is because they were traveling to Boston, you know, for business or, or tourism and coming on a tour, or perhaps attending a public tasting event that we would also occasionally do. And when the virtual events happened, now, suddenly, they were, you know, we'd work with a company in California, and ship chocolate to their company over there, or internationally, we actually put up a map, we just redid our website about a month ago. 

And we'd have a map now where we plotted all the international places we ship chocolate to we've got pretty good coverage amongst you know, I think we've we've hit at least five continents. And it's been interesting with the the local fans that were already aware of us while that the virtual events were getting launched, they started requesting by the end of summer 2020. Is it possible to do an in person event? And I really wasn't sure and to be honest, I was kind of surprised. I was occasionally getting emails or social media comments to that effect. So I started thinking, well, is it something that is reasonable to do because I, I want to satisfy customers, but I also wanted to be safe and responsible. I'm really fortunate. I have a family member that works in public health, which I highly recommend everyone getting in a pandemic situation. It's a great resource. 

Savannah: 

Oh, yeah. Yeah, no, I have a friend that's mistakes. She's in and I text her all the time. I'm like, what is this? Why do I feel like this? 

Victoria: 

Yeah, no, it's true. Because you know, they can break down they can read the full roots reports and then break it down. You know, to the these are the need to know things. And so that's what I was lucky to have that resource because especially in that first summer, we still didn't know, we didn't know then what we know now about all the different kinds of aspects of what would be safe. And so I felt confident after discussions that doing something totally outdoors for a shorter time than the walking tours, the walking tours were about two to two and a half hours on average. 

And doing it in a small group would be reasonable. So we launched something called a Chocolate Tasting Picnic, which essentially is just a chocolate tasting, but outside on a picnic blanket. And I really didn't know how that would go over. But I was my best effort to provide something in person for the folks that were interested. And once again, people gave us feedback that was like, I had no idea how much I needed just an hour sitting outside, you know, seeing a couple a few other human faces, but feeling really safe and enjoying chocolate and and it just helped my stress. 

And so we did those for about, let's say they launched in August of 2020 and I think the last one we did was the first week and then November, and then it just turned to cold. But so that was something I was really confident going into the following summer that at the very least with the regular tours on hiatus, that the picnics were something that we could do. 

And we also offered those at a lower price point too, because it was a shorter experience than the walking tours, understanding that so many people also were struggling financially, with furloughs and layoffs. We really tried to answer a lot of different pain points for folks. And so the following summer, we did picnics consistently for the public and took a few private tour bookings here and there as they would arise, but didn't schedule the public tours, again, as a regular ongoing thing. 

Prior to COVID, the public tours were regularly scheduled all year round. So it would be something even in the winter, we would do, because they were an indoor, outdoor sort of thing where we've walked folks into restaurants for a little bit, and then we go to a next one. And this year, it looks like we will be able to start the public tours up again, probably next month. And we already have some private and corporate bookings for them as well. And the picnics I think will also be scheduled a little bit intermittently, but it is a great option for folks that maybe if if the walking tours, you know, the price point is out of reach for them, maybe they have a larger group or something. Because those don't take as much organization as the tourists because it's just us as opposed to with the walking tour, we have to coordinate with all the locations that we're visiting. 

Savannah: 

And for the public walking tours, uh, do you have any, like top tips that you would also suggest for first time planners, kind of, like you said, coordinating the organization that goes behind that any like main main suggestions you can give? 

Victoria: 

I think with food tours and public walking tours that, especially when you're visiting other businesses, I think the thing that people most wonder about because I get the question from some of the tour guests occasionally. But I know that other folks who have an interest in business or perhaps you know starting something in their town or area is that how do you work out the compensation situation with the businesses that you're working? And because some people assume, oh, well, maybe you're getting everything for free, because it's marketing for the restaurants because you're bringing potential customers or making sure they're aware of these other businesses. 

So maybe you're getting everything for free or discounted. I know that there are some food truck companies that specifically ask for that, like approach a business to say, hey, we'd love to work with you. If you want to work with us, you have to give us the food samples for free because we're providing you this benefit of the help you know, advertising and getting aware and bringing them into your shop or store. I for myself, don't feel comfortable assuming that everyone is able to write off food sampling as a business expense or marketing expense. Especially coming out of a pandemic, when restaurants were in that are still struggling. I mean, we have one set, you know, close here still that say that we we were trying to catch up, but it's just it's not going to have that. Yeah. And places that some of them. I mean, we're excited to be reaching five years, but in restaurant worlds to reach five years is, like the pinnacle, nevermind places that maybe have been in business 15 years and having to close down because of this situation. It's, it's awful. 

So I have always, whenever I've worked out partnerships with folks, I always make it very plain that I am comfortable with what they're comfortable with. And I think you just have to, because if your business model is built on, well, we have to get this stuff for free, then buy rights in my mind, you are you it's not an equal partnership, because they have the right at that point to tell you like we just can't afford this anymore. And so we can't work with you anymore, you're off the tour. And that problem cropping up on a surprise, like intermittent, you know, could happen at any point, just like a business can close at any point. I think that's a lot more risky to have to potentially deal with at any point, then just saying to folks, okay, maybe maybe we work out like we pay your wholesale costs, or, or can we control portion size, and that mitigate costs a little bit? Like there's all different ways to work it? And I think that some food tours really approach it as like, well, the vendors need, excuse me, the vendors need us way more than we need them. And that's not the case. Because if you don't have anyone that wants to work with you, you don't have a food tour. 

Savannah: 

Yep. That's true. That's a good point. Well, honestly, I could talk to you about this topic all day, because I'm a huge foodie. So it naturally just really interests me. And plus chocolate, obviously. But in the show, I did want to ask if you could give us maybe your best or favorite fun fact about chocolate? 

Victoria: 

Oh, wow. All right, can I give you two ones with a real short one, and it's just kind of a funny one. So cocoa beans can spin up to a lot of different things. Recently, we just came back from Washington, DC a couple weeks ago for the DC chocolate festival, were invited to put on a program there that was about how chocolate is a comfort food. But in the program, there was a lot of sort of trivia things and it was really fun to see folks who cause folks to go to a chocolate festival. Like that's leveling up in your chocolate nerdom. Yeah, I think you said it. I happen. There's like a Northwest chocolate festival. Dallas has one. Also cocoa bean town will be co organizing the next New England chocolate festival. Another great sort of milestone that we've achieved getting named that but DC one was the first one to come back since the pandemic in the US. 

So the last time they had ran this was in 2019. And so there's there's some fun fun facts to share in that and the one that people laughed at the most just because it's kind of so silly. But there's a connection between chocolate and Coca Cola and it has nothing to do with the recipe or the the taste or anything like that. But next time you get especially one of those glass bottles like the the the coke from Mexico that comes up with glass bottles, or it's sort of the vintage old vintage style looking. 

Savannah: 

Yeah. 

Victoria: 

You can think of chocolate because the shape of the bottle is inspired by the cocoa pod. Yeah, it was actually a design firm in Indiana, basically Coca Cola put out this contest nationwide, because there were a lot of cola competitors at the time. And they just felt like if we're going to last we need to find as many ways as we can to be distinct. And so they thought if they had a distinct bottle shape that would be appealing. And they actually specified make the bottle so distinct that in the dark if someone just feeling the contours of the bottle they would know it was cool. 

Savannah: 

That's cool. 

Victoria: 

The India, Indiana design firm went to look up coca and looked up cocoa instead, and saw that the pods had this bulbous shape in the middle, and ridges. And so those design elements though, they've been more exaggerated in the past, and they've streamlined it as time has gone on, but the shape of the Coca Cola bottle was actually inspired by a cocoa pod. 

Savannah: 

Oh, that's a really good fact to know, actually, because then you see that you can think well... 

Victoria: 

Oh, you'll be the like the great lighting nerd at your next foodie. But the science based one that we've also been talking a lot of inner virtual tasting events is that and because people are talking about self care a lot right? And certainly chocolate is a comfort food so everyone is already aware it's emotionally healthy to eat. If nothing else, but it is there is science backing up that there is real substance to the notion that it's good for you because chocolate actually stir stimulates all four major neurotransmitters. 

Savannah: 

Oh, I feel that whenever I eat it, trust me. 

Victoria: 

Yeah, and it's usually you know, it's everything from endorphins that you usually get only after you go on a run. Oxytocin that usually is only stimulated when you like cuddle someone you love. And, you know, so all of these different ways that you and also like dopamine, they'll reward? 

Yep. So there's all these different things that really happen when you have chocolate that normally you would have to do all these separate activities. huddlestone many love, you know, get a good compliment. You know? 

Savannah: 

That's such a good marketing right there. You don't have to do everything. Just eat this chocolate. 

Victoria: 

Everything you need. Totally. It's like a really, really efficient time. Exactly and the the last neurotransmitter I'd packed into it was serotonin. When you have a good sleep. So don't go on the run. You don't have to cuddle anyone. You don't have to wait for someone to give you a compliment. And you don't need to get good sleep if you just eat the chocolate. 

Savannah: 

That's perfect. Yeah, well, I definitely feel that whenever I eat it, so that's probably why I don't I love chocolate. Me and my husband love it. 

Victoria: 

So now you know the science. It's not just it's I mean, it's in your head, but it's not just in your head. 

Savannah: 

Yeah, exactly ,exactly. Well, thank you so much for coming onto the show. I really enjoyed talking to you. And I know our listeners enjoyed it. And after we're done here feel free to send me any links that you want me to share and I will go ahead and post that on our blog or wherever I share and like the show notes so people can learn more about Cocoa Beantown. 

Victoria: 

Great. Thank you so much. This was really fun. I love being around other chocolate fans and nerds and anytime anytime you come to Boston or any you could do a virtual event love to feed folks chocolate because you know it's it's just gonna be good good things. 

Savannah: 

Yeah, well now I know about fest I honestly didn't know there was chocolate festival. So now I'm going to start looking and I need to attend one of those because that sounds great. 

Victoria: 

Yeah, you'll you'll you'll you won't regret, that situation.