Member Article

“Teessides very own Heston“: Michael Goodchild of Fudge Fancies on his sweet success

Despite spending 23 years as a plasterer, Michael Goodchild always harboured an unusual passion – for baking and cookery.

However, it was only when the recession hit that he considered that his hobby could become a full time career.

“A few Christmases ago I made some fudge using my Gran’s recipe and sent it out to family and friends,” he recounts. “I got an amazing response, and suddenly it clicked that this could be a great opportunity for me –, plastering work was drying up fast –and I’d never really liked it anyway.”

Michael began to develop his ideas and recipes, and after receiving funding from Cleveland Council and Business Link, his company Fudge Fancies was born.

“I spent many late nights perfecting the recipes, and after several burnt pans and frustrating late nights I eventually got what I wanted,” he continued.

Michael believes that “there is nothing like the look or taste on the market today”, and after sampling his products, I can certainly verify his statement.

Exquisitely designed, each morsel of fudge looks more like something you’d expect to find in a high end Parisian Chocolatier than in a kitchen in Middlesbrough.

Michael’s unusual choice of flavours include Eton Mess, Cherry Trifle and Victoria Sponge Cake – all traditional sweet treats in themselves – add to what Michael believes is the unique appeal of Fudge Fancies.

“I had a vision to do something with fudge, but fudge has a very old fashioned look, and I wanted to modernise it, and make it into an art form.”

While Michael is setting his sights high, and hopes to eventually supply his products to high end retailers such as Harrods and Fortnum and Mason, the business is still in its early stages and Michael has experienced several setbacks long the way.

“I started off by taking the product to farmers markets, and they always sold out, but the problem was that there aren’t regular farmers markets.

“Business through the website was initially very disappointing, and I quickly realised that I needed to use every available networking resource – I ran competitions on Facebook to boost my “friends and fans”, as well as joining Twitter.”

“While I’ve really been thrown in the deep end, I’ve also learnt so much about running a business, both through my own experiences and the people I’ve met along the way.”

Michael continues to proactively market himself, and has recently begun to supply Endemol, the production company behind Big Brother with fudge. He has also diversified his products, and creates unique fudge cakes for weddings and celebratory events.

Inevitably, I ask him what his old building mates make of his career change:

“They all had a good laugh when I told them what I was doing, but ultimately they’re all really proud of me.

“It wasn’t an easy decision to change careers, but its definitely the right one – I have to pinch myself sometime to remind myself its all real.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .