Anna-Lize's journey:
I grew up in the floral kingdom of the Namaqualand, where freedom and the joy of down to earth country life, became part of my being. I still vividly remember my dolls house in the garden and making clay sugar bowls from the mud formed on the dirt road after the rain. My most exciting moment in this make-believe-kitchen was when one day the mud mixture I was stirring, started to boil (a result from the magical baking soda I snuck from my mother’s pantry). Growing older, our kitchen seldom saw me, except when making fudge after school for friends. It was only in my late thirties, that my entrepreneurial skills awakened, powered by the passion to travel and explore new places and cultures. In order to carry out my dream I needed to supplement my income, and the Christmas church markets seemed to be the platform to sell my artisanal craft. Initially I made chocolate truffles, using local chocolate and a friend’s homemade liqueur. Later, remembering the melt-in-the-mouth Lindt taste experience I had while visiting Switzerland, I decided to switch to couverture. My aim was to create a delicious decadent sweet/candy, with a more refined texture than fudge, keeping the quality of the couverture and extending the shelf life. It was in my kitchen in 2007 that ANNA-LIZE’s SWISS CHOC CARAMELS were born. Still earning a salary in the corporate arena, weekends and holidays were now consumed by my new choc caramel passion. The weekdays of drab grayness of the corporate environment became such a contrast with my weekends of fun, reflected in the bright, colourful, playful wrappings of my caramels. So when I was informed of my retrenchment in 2011 after 26 loyal years, the initial shock was soon replaced by a blessed feeling and relief that God had a greater plan for me. On my path I was blessed with the support of family, friends and work team. Life is wonderful and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds. ANNA-LIZE
