How It Started
Working as a chef during the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Ryan lost his job. Like half the nation, he took up cooking at home to stave off boredom. Soon he was posting extra chocolates, jams, biscuits and more to the family and friends he couldn’t see.
Daryl was working in corporate sales, when one of Ryan’s boxes of chocolates arrived. He called up his friend with an idea for a business. Working together, Buíoch was born.
The name Buíoch comes from the Irish word for Gratitude. We wanted Buíoch to be a way for people could express thanks to the people they cherish. The name is pronounced Bwee-Ock. We know it can be a little hard to say, but we think it’s perfect!
When we first launched in November of 2020 we had a small website, a rusty tent, and a spot to sell our treats at a market in the small town of Rathcoffey, Co. Kildare. We sold jams, chutneys, chocolates, and biscuits, all handmade.
We learned a lot of things from our first Christmas season, things like:
Winter Markets are very cold, wear protection!
Boiling jams are very hot, wear protection!
There were lots of other things we learned, but those two were super-important. Wear protection.
Finding Our Inspiration
As Markets started to wind down for the season, we took the time to sit down and figure out what we wanted to do going forward. We talked about all the markets we had attended, and all the support and feedback we had gotten from our customers. Even though we were making a range of jams, chutneys, relishes, biscuits, chocolates and fudges, our customers only wanted to talk about one thing. Chocolate. So, we decided to trust our customers, and go all in on our chocolate treats!
When we first started out, we had only three chocolate products available, our Chocolate Clusters. We knew we’d need to expand that range if we were going to be a proper chocolate company. Over the following weeks and months, we played around with recipes, and took each batch of new treats to markets for our customers to try. We asked for feedback at markets, and online, and from that, our second range of chocolates was born, our Marshmallow Bites were a huge success!
Ever since then, we’ve looked to our wonderful customers for inspiration. Whether it’s in person, on social media, or by email at inspiration@buioch.ie. No idea is too crazy for us to at least attempt, and if it’s popular enough with our customers, we make it a permanent product.
Using these inspired ideas, our chocolatiers work out a recipe we think will make you happy and after that, the fun begins. The Inspiration is packed up in a (biodegradable) pouch, and samples are sent out for free with every single Buíoch order!
Then we ask our followers what they think of the new Inspiration. When we find an Inspiration people absolutely can’t get enough of, we make it a permanent part of the Buíoch range.
How It's Going
Today, our chocolate factory lies in the heart of Celbridge, Co. Kildare on the banks of the River Liffey. We sell our chocolates at Buioch.ie, At Seasonal Markets, and in a growing number of Shops across Ireland. We’ve gone from having just 3 chocolate treats, to 24 Inspired delights!
