The YYC Hot Chocolate Festival returns this month.
The festival, started in 2011 by the not-for-profit organization Calgary Meals on Wheels, raises money for the charity that provides healthy, quality, and accessible food for Calgarians in need.
Every February, participating cafés, restaurants, and chocolatiers around the city compete to serve YYC’s best hot chocolate.
Participating businesses donate $1 to $3 per mug of hot chocolate sold to Meals on Wheels.
The YYC Hot Chocolate Festival is a charity event first and foremost.
But for many participating restaurants and cafes, especially up-and-coming ones, the annual festival is a chance to show off.
Festival offers chance for businesses to welcome new customers
Poesie Co, a bakery in Kensington, participated in the YYC hot chocolate festival for the first time this year with a creative submission: hot chocolate in a croissant cup.
The bakery says it has welcomed many new customers thanks to the YYC Hot Chocolate Festival.
Lane Goemans, manager at Pie Junkie’s west location, says that the traffic from the festival has brought customers searching for their store, which is a little out of the way.
Their west location wasn’t open during last year’s festival, but the foot traffic brought in many new customers and increased exposure, boosting their sales.
“You don’t really participate in it to make money. You participate in it to get exposure and do something good for the community,” said Goemans in an interview with the Calgary Journal.
Festival grows in size
The festival has grown significantly since its inception and continues to grow year by year.
Dino Falvo, owner of Amato Gelato, was one of the participants when the festival first started, back when there were only 10 companies involved.
The festival has since grown to over 150 participants.
Falvo says the festival draws in new customers.
With the cost of ingredients and donations to Meals on Wheels, Falvo doesn’t make much profit on the hot chocolate he sells.
But Falvo doesn’t care, saying the festival is all about the community and how much they can raise for charity.
Falvo adds that Amato Gelato, located in Calgary’s northwest, is on pace to break its record again for the number of hot chocolates it sells.
This year’s creation is infused with Sicilian Blood Orange Sorbet.
Last year, the gelato shop sold around 2,300 hot chocolates.
This year, Falvo predicts he’s on pace to sell at least 2,600 or potentially more.
“It’s amazing to see, it’s a lot of money going out to a good cause,” added Falvo.
Warm weather and hot chocolate sales
It’s been warm in Calgary for the last few weeks, prompting a bit less enthusiasm for hot chocolate, according to at least one cafe owner.
But even with the hotter temperatures, the YYC Hot Chocolate Festival still draws people into restaurants, ice cream shops, chocolatiers, and cafes across Calgary.