Bean to Business

Dan & Melanie
  • 0.0 (0)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

We started a chocolate factory with zero experience in chocolate. Bean to Business is a weekly show from the team at Hill Country Chocolate in Fredericksburg, Texas. We make bean-to-bar chocolate—starting with raw cacao beans and turning them into finished bars right here in our production facility. Every week, we pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to run a small manufacturing business. The wins. The mistakes. The stuff nobody warns you about. We talk about sourcing ingredients from around the world, working with Italian production equipment, building a brand in a tourist town, and figuring it out as we go. Sometimes we bring in guests. Sometimes we just answer your questions. If you're running a small business, thinking about starting one, or just curious what happens inside a craft food operation, this show is for you. New episodes drop weekly.

Episodes

  1. 2D AGO

    Wine, Chocolate, And Building From Scratch

    Ever wondered what it actually takes to turn chocolate craft into a dependable manufacturing business? We pull back the curtain on our Fredericksburg factory and walk through the real decisions behind the glass: why we chose a wine region, how we built from an empty shell with European machines and food‑grade air, and what automation looks like when labor is scarce but quality has to sing. We talk candidly about first-year mistakes—too many SKUs, too much cash in packaging, and not enough discipline around our ideal customer profile—and how we fixed them with a tighter assortment, a CRM tied to Shopify, and a marketing engine built to overcome a low‑visibility location. If you’ve ever been asked why your bonbons cost more than end‑cap candy, you’ll get our full pricing logic: Swiss couverture, imported ingredients, packaging that protects gloss, and a war on waste that boosted first‑pass yield and kept prices steady during cocoa spikes and tariffs. Seasonality is the silent competitor, especially in the Texas heat. We share how experiences, wine‑and‑chocolate pairings, and a wholesale‑ready brittle line help smooth revenue beyond the holiday crush. You’ll also hear the nuts and bolts of buy vs lease in manufacturing (spoiler: most gear is built-in), the unglamorous truth of entrepreneurship, and the quiet power of great bookkeeping to reveal SKU‑level margins and protect cash. Along the way, we highlight the mentors and makers who shaped our approach and the team culture that pushes for seven‑star service without burning out. If you’re building a small manufacturing brand or leveling up a confectionery side hustle, this conversation gives you the playbook we wish we had: visibility, discipline, and repeatable attention. Listen, subscribe, and share with a maker friend who needs the nudge. Got questions or a topic you want us to tackle next? Email info@hillcountrychocolate.com and tell us what you’re wrestling with. Check out our chocolate factory and book and experience or class at hillcountrychocolate.com

    42 min
  • 1 Episode

About

We started a chocolate factory with zero experience in chocolate. Bean to Business is a weekly show from the team at Hill Country Chocolate in Fredericksburg, Texas. We make bean-to-bar chocolate—starting with raw cacao beans and turning them into finished bars right here in our production facility. Every week, we pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to run a small manufacturing business. The wins. The mistakes. The stuff nobody warns you about. We talk about sourcing ingredients from around the world, working with Italian production equipment, building a brand in a tourist town, and figuring it out as we go. Sometimes we bring in guests. Sometimes we just answer your questions. If you're running a small business, thinking about starting one, or just curious what happens inside a craft food operation, this show is for you. New episodes drop weekly.

Information

  • Creator
    Dan & Melanie
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    1
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Bean to Business
  • Show Website
    Bean to Business