Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda McCadams.
Amanda, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started making candy as a hobby in 2022, and it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with it. I’ve always loved really good chocolate. One of my favorite little rituals was having a single piece of chocolate for dessert at night. I’d eat it slowly, savoring all the flavors, and eventually I started wondering how hard it would be to make something like that myself.
I have a tendency to want to learn everything I can about things that interest me, and chocolate was no exception. I had absolutely no idea how to work with it, but that didn’t stop me from trying. I also started experimenting with candies I remembered from childhood, like brittles and chocolate barks. Before long, I was hooked. I enrolled in professional classes, bought books, experimented with recipes, and dedicated pretty much all of my spare time to what I thought was just a hobby I loved that might turn into a business one day.
The universe had other plans.
In the spring of 2023, I was laid off from my job. I’d spent years working in digital media but I hadn’t been happy with the direction of my career or the corporate structure in general. Getting laid off was scary, but it also presented an opportunity.
Instead of immediately looking for another W-2 job, I decided to take the plunge and start my own candy company. I used my severance pay to buy equipment, enrolled in even more classes, and Panache Candy was born.
I’ve always been a creative person. My background is in photography, art, and design, and making candy turned out to be an unexpected combination of things I already loved: working with my hands, experimenting, solving problems, and making something beautiful. There’s a surprising amount of art and science involved in confectionery, and I love both sides of it.
Building Panache has been an education in itself. I’ve had to learn not only how to make great candy, but how to package it, price it, market it, and run a business. It’s been challenging, occasionally frustrating, and a lot of fun. What started as one little piece of chocolate at the end of the day has turned into an entirely new career.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in starting a candy company has been finding packaging that doesn’t involve plastic. You wouldn’t believe how much plastic is used in the confectionery industry! Most of the packaging available to small-batch candy makers like myself is plastic, and there aren’t nearly as many alternatives as you might think.
I’m a huge environmentalist, and the thought of starting a business that would contribute more unnecessary plastic waste to our landfills really bothered me. I wanted Panache to be a company I could feel good about, and that meant finding packaging that aligned with my values.
Of course, candy packaging has to do more than look pretty. It needs to protect the product, keep it fresh, meet food safety requirements, and be affordable enough for a small business to use. Oh, and it also needs to look fabulous. This is Panache, after all!
It has taken a tremendous amount of research, trial and error, and testing, but I’ve found a combination of compostable bags and recyclable paper packaging that works for my products without sacrificing the presentation.
It’s not always the easiest or cheapest route, but it’s something I’m committed to. I want people to feel good about giving and receiving Panache Candy, right down to the packaging.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Panache Candy?
Panache Candy is a Nashville-based artisan candy company specializing in small-batch chocolates and confections made with quality ingredients and a lot of personality. I make everything from handcrafted chocolate bonbons and caramels to brittles, marshmallows, and other sweet treats.
One of my favorite things to create is custom chocolates. I can put a company logo, monogram, or special design directly onto a chocolate bonbon using edible cocoa butter colors. It’s a really fun way to turn something delicious into something personal. They’re perfect for corporate gifts, client appreciation, weddings, hotel amenities, and special events. I also make beautifully packaged brittle gift boxes that can be customized for different occasions.
I love the idea of giving something that’s not only beautiful and delicious but also made right here in Nashville. Whether you’re a business looking for a memorable way to thank your clients, a couple planning wedding favors, or someone who just wants to send a great gift, Panache is a little more interesting than another bottle of wine or a generic gift basket.
I don’t have a brick-and-mortar storefront. Panache operates online, and I also sell at local markets and pop-up events. Have you seen the cost of commercial space in Nashville lately? For now, I’d rather put that money into great ingredients and making really good candy! Customers can order online, and I also work directly with people and businesses on custom orders.
I also offer chocolate-making workshops where people can get hands-on experience making their own confections. It’s been a lot of fun sharing what I’ve learned and seeing how excited people get when they realize they can make beautiful chocolates themselves.
The name Panache means flamboyant confidence, and that’s exactly what I want the brand to embody. Candy should be fun! I want my products to have a little attitude, look fabulous, and taste even better.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I think curiosity and tenacity have served me well throughout my life. I’ve always been someone who wants to understand how things work, and when something interests me, I tend to dive in headfirst. I love learning new things, especially when there’s a challenge involved.I also like doing hard things, partly because I enjoy proving to myself that I can do them. I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for my 45th birthday, not because I’m some extraordinary mountain climber, but because I wanted to see if I could do it. There’s something incredibly satisfying about setting a difficult goal, putting in the work, and accomplishing it.
Starting Panache has been another one of those challenges. I knew how to make candy, but I had a lot to learn about running a confectionery business. There have been plenty of things I’ve had to figure out along the way, and I’m sure there will be plenty more. But I actually enjoy that part of it. I like solving problems, learning from mistakes, and seeing what I can accomplish when I push myself outside my comfort zone.
Pricing:
- Brittle…10.98
- Peppermint Bark…10.98
- Caramels…10.98
- Marshmallows…10.98
- Dragees…10.98
Contact Info:
- Website: https://panachecandy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/panachecandy/
