QC Gifts blog

Shine Chocolates & Confections -  Regina is buzzing with excitement with the arrival of a new business venture – Shine Chocolates & Confections. When we discovered this virtual chocolate shop, we were thrilled and kept a close eye on its progress. We always welcome creative entrepreneurs to our community, and Shine Chocolates & Confections is no exception.

Meet the Owner:

Nicole, the owner of Shine Chocolates & Confections, is a smart, adventurous, and empowered individual with a passion for chocolate. Did you know that she's also a trained pastry chef? Prior to pursuing her love for chocolate, she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador, and later completed her Baking and Pastry Arts diploma from George Brown College in Toronto. As part of her pastry studies, she even worked in France! It's clear that Nicole understood the importance of education when it came to building a successful business.

Following her graduation, Nicole moved to Calgary, Alberta where she honed her skills by working at a chocolate business. When she followed her partner to Hamilton, Ontario for his job, she found herself missing the world of chocolate. To remedy this, she decided to take a bold step and start her

Shine Chocolates & Confections opened in Hamilton, Ontario in 2020 and has since experienced tremendous growth. Nicole's chocolates can now be found all across Canada, including Regina. Her chocolate creations are best described as "edible works of art" with a unique, colorful style and a knack for crafting original flavor combinations. At Shine, Nicole strives to create artisan chocolates using local, seasonal ingredients. Her collections are ever-changing with the seasons, and she's always seeking to push the boundaries with chocolate!

Things to Know About Nicole's Chocolate:

• For optimal flavor, it's recommended to enjoy them within 3-4 weeks. While some products can last up to 6 months, it's best not to let them sit for too long.
• All of Nicole's chocolates are nut-free and peanut-free, though they currently source some ingredients that may contain nuts.
• Nicole is currently working part-time, but her passion for chocolate is driving her to create a niche in Regina's chocolate scene.

Join Us in Supporting Nicole's Dream

At QCGifts.ca, we are thrilled to be a part of making Nicole's dreams a reality. We have no doubt that she will be a huge success, and we are proud to support her journey. When selecting items for your next gift box, make sure to include Nicole's chocolates. They are the perfect treat to add to everyone's gift box!

A few weeks ago I blogged about a fun little project we are doing to stand out in the local gifting scene in my hometown of Regina, Saskatchewan. The project we are doing is developing a jingle with Regina’s local arts community.

Regina, we have some good news to share! We have a new local collaboration for our gift boxes we know you can’t wait to sink your teeth into. Pure Sweetness Treat Shoppe has now joined on with listed products here at Saskatchewan's QCGIFTS.ca.

This past November at Agribition, Darcy and Donna’s booth was directly behind QCGift’s booth. This family-run business is seasoned in pop-up shops. Both Darcy and Donna shared so much helpful advice about their experiences in both the private business world as well as a pop-up vendor. Their experience was evident in the long line always at their booth.

They had 8 different types of popcorn, countless varieties of marshmallows and more. Being as it was our first time as a vendor at Agribition, we were in luck, as it was impossible to get lost with the sweet aroma of popcorn in the air. Additionally awesome- the business owners, Darcy and Donna liked to share!

Community is important to this family business. They work with local organizations by offering their products at a discount for fundraisers. One item that is particularly popular is their kettle corn prepared bags.  Many groups have fundraised with their delectable and wholesome gourmet popcorn varieties. Like us, they understand the importance of our community and choosing local.

As Darcy points out, “You help keep the local economy moving by supporting small businesses and also supporting Canadian popcorn farmers.”

Available today, you can order candy popcorn as well as cotton candy in our gift boxes. Both options are available in the edible indulgences section for the pick-a-box. But that is not all, brother and sister duo, Darcy and Donna, have also agreed to supply our corporate bulk orders too! They do some amazing custom smore bars that can incorporate corporate branding!

Just imagine opening a gift box and not only seeing but smelling this yummy goodness inside. It was a no-brainer to work with this local family-operated business. We are very happy to have them on our list of available products!

• Popcorn options available
• Cotton Candy options available