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July 22, 2019 CEO Interview

Q&A: A chocolate entrepreneur with a sense of history

By Peter Van Allen

Kate McAleer, founder of Bixby & Co. in Rockland, is a maker of organic chocolate bars sold in a range of supermarkets and specialty stores. This year, the company’s headquarters on Tillson Avenue, in the old O’Hara ice plant, has adopted a “Bean to Bar” theme to better explain to visitors the history of chocolate. It’s the latest innovation for an entrepreneur that has won numerous pitch competitions, including Top Gun and Greenlight Maine, as well as a $100,000 prize from the Tory Burch Foundation. She’s also a former Mainebiz Next winner.

Photo / David Clough
Kate McAleer, founder of Bixby & Co. in Rockland, is a maker of organic chocolate bars sold in a range of supermarkets and specialty stores. This year, the company’s headquarters on Tillson Avenue, in the former O’Hara ice plant, has adopted a “Bean to Bar” theme to better explain to visitors the history of chocolate.

Mainebiz: Did the exposure and prize from the Tory Burch Foundation change the business?

Kate McAleer: Absolutely! When I prepared for the finalists’ pitch for the prize I concentrated on our goal to offer certain Bixby Bars in the form of bite sized pieces packaged in a closable pouch. The confections market was moving toward packaging in pouches for customer convenience and preference. We used the prize to engage outside expertise to design the packaging, purchase a band-sealer machine for packing the product and to place the first order of pouches. As we look back, the change was a milestone for Bixby. Since then we have expanded our pouched products to chocolate covered caramels, clusters, drinking chocolates, and our recently introduced Needham’s. Our pouched products now account for 75% of our sales and growing.

MB: Bixby has created ‘Bean to Bar,’ an interactive learning experience to educate your visitors. How did it come about?

KM: As we progressed into making chocolate products we were intrigued with the prospects of making chocolate from scratch. This would be a natural extension for us. The microbrewery and fine coffee movements preceded “Bean to Bar.” When we opened our tasting room and retail shop two years ago we wanted to provide a unique educational experience for our visitors, with a brief history of chocolate and how it is made and used in various forms.

MB: To help fund ‘Bean to Bar,’ Bixby received funds from Maine Technology Institute. How did MTI become involved?

KM: We informally sounded out our contact at MTI about developing a bean to bar program. The response was enthusiastically positive. So, we proceeded with the submission of a seed grant for $25,000, to be matched by Bixby. The grant was used to purchase equipment for “Bean to Bar,” including an oven roaster for the cacao beans, a winnower for separating the bean shells from the internal cacao nibs and a melanger for grinding the nibs into chocolate liquor, which is the basis for all chocolate products. The support of MTI allowed us to kick start the “Bean to Bar” operation.

MB: While you are the ‘face’ of Bixby, your parents are very much part of the business. How do your different skills complement one another?

KM: First, my parents represent the new “third age of life,” where they continue to remain quite active professionally, making solid contributions to the mission of our company. They are a testament to the youthfulness of aging today while continuing to be extremely productive and enjoying life to the fullest. I am part of the millennial generation and my parents are of baby boomer generation. This diversity helps to stimulate creativity through different experiences and perspectives. My parents bring their executive experiences each from running large organizations. We each have specific roles using our strengths in each of the roles.

MB: What does it mean for Bixby to be a Maine based company?

KM: Maine rightfully is known as a state for fostering small, start-up companies. MTI, Maine MEP, Top Gun, CEI, FAME and the University of Maine are just some of the resources to assist startups in the launch and scale up to higher levels. Maine has the justified case for authenticity. MOFGA [Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association] was the first certifying organization for organic farms and food producers in the U.S. The state is known for organic farming and innovations in food production. The label “Made in Maine” carries a lot of weight when selling beyond the state’s borders.

Kate McAleer

Title: founder
Company: Bixby & Co.
Headquarters: Rockland
What the company does: Organic chocolate bars

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