The serious business of chocolate

Excellent business practices and the allure of chocolate share common ground at Rossland’s Mountain Nugget Chocolate Company

Trish Dyer has a skill with chocolate that brings smiles to the faces of her customers. — Photo courtesy Trish Dyer

“Everything about chocolate is seductive,” said Trish Dyer, owner of Mountain Nugget Chocolate Company for the past five years. It is true, not many people can resist a well-crafted chocolatey treat. 

Dyer was born in Revelstoke, B.C., and grew up in Rossland, B.C. After travelling, attending university and spending some time as a ski bum, she decided to begin training as a chocolatier. A mountain girl at heart, Dyer now creates handmade chocolate truffles and boutique chocolate bars, along with other French- and Belgian-style chocolate confections, at her shop in Rossland.

There’s always something new at Mountain Nugget and the business recently made an exciting foray into artisan ice cream, including products such as ice cream sandwiches and hand-dipped bars. Dyer uses locally sourced organic milk, cream and eggs in her products, as well as fruit from local farms. Everything she sells is made without preservatives, stabilizers or artificial colours and flavours.

Learning and growing

“Every year I make a point of taking at least one course to further develop my skills and to be able to offer our customers creative products,” said Dyer, who originally studied at Ecole Chocolat and furthers her studies at the Chocolate Academy in Quebec. “We want our products to stand proud if compared with the best and we don’t want the size of the community we live in to dictate the perceived quality of our product. We produce awesome chocolate and ice cream, and are constantly blowing the minds of tourists who drop by.”

At Mountain Nugget, this dedication shows. Earlier this year, the shop moved to a larger location. In-shop seating, later hours and special events along with wine and desserts are some of the new features staff are looking forward to this winter. Dyer is particularly excited about her expanding product line and the goal of offering ice cream in other retail locations. Mountain Nugget is always looking at least six months into the future, said Dyer, with growth plans for the next five years. Despite all the focus on business and expansion, one could conclude that the true success of Mountain Nugget comes from Dyer’s passion for her trade and her love of creative expression through chocolate.

“I throw myself into the creative process daily,” she said. “I’m inspired every day by the people I meet, the books I read, the conversations I have and the walks I take. I am very aware of my surroundings and work hard at translating what I see and feel into something tangible.”

Chocolatey goodness

Not every community is lucky enough to have a business dedicated to the art of chocolate, not to mention ice cream and the other treats that Mountain Nugget looks forward to offering. Dyer has many long-term employees and thinks of the team as extended family. She said that the support she’s received along the way is incredible. 

You can’t take the mountains out of the girl, it seems. Dyer said she can’t imagine building a life anywhere other than the magical Kootenays that she calls home. Combining passion, dedication and a beautiful area has meant a wonderful life and business for this mountain girl.

“Being a chocolatier has got to be the best career ever,” Dyer said enthusiastically. "Rarely are people unhappy walking into our store—and if they are, they usually leave with a smile from ear to ear. When people step into our shop, they are walking into a different world where they’re able to leave their worries at the door. We work with only the best ingredients to create the most (amazing) products.”