3/22/12 UPDATE: GOAL #4 $2,500
This will allow us to buy the dream machine, our basic AND secondary supplies in bulk at a discount, add some desired items to our reusable kitchen equipment, and get materials for labels and shipping. Details are in update #3 & #4.
As an added incentive, (in addition to all previous incentives for goals met) we're offering select pledge levels a CHOICE for one of their rewards of one (or in some cases more) of the following: 1 3oz bar of Cavegirl Fudge, 1 3oz bag of Cocoa Nib Brittle or 1 4oz cup of Agave Sweetened Fudge Sauce. See update #5 for full details!
3/13/12 UPDATE: GOAL #3 $1,750
This will allow us to buy the dream machine, get all our basic supplies in bulk at a discount, get materials for labeling and for shipping (of course). Check out update #3 for all the deets.
And as an added incentive, we're offering to make a limited run Cavegirl Fudge flavor with a spicy Kick for Kickstarter. That's right, our ever popular Mexican Spice blend of True Ceylon Cinnamon and Cayenne Pepper in Cavegirl Fudge, topped with crunchy cocoa nibs and zingy sea salt. This is NOT one of our regularly offered flavors, and in addition to your stated reward, plus the extra fudge for helping us reach our second goal, we would send a 1 oz serving of this spicy treat to everyone at the $5-$20 range, a 3 oz bar to everyone at the $25-$75 range, 2 3 oz bars to the folks at $100 & $250, and another lb to anyone at $500 or above.
Thanks so much for helping us reach for our dreams!
We now return you to your regularly scheduled kickstarter project.
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We set out to make a form of chocolate that the most people possible could enjoy. It had to be free from common allergens such as wheat, soy, peanuts and dairy. It had to be free from animal products. It had to be free from added sugars, and free from artificial sweeteners. And most importantly, it had to taste so good that no one would miss those things.
And we did it.
However, because our Fudge is made from whole fruit and all natural ingredients, it doesn't have the best shelf-life. In fact, like any other fruit or natural fruit product with no preservatives, if it sits for a couple weeks at room temperature, it can start growing, and not in a good way.
The Cavegirl Fudge Packaging Project is to help us get the necessary equipment to properly wrap, store & ship this amazing chocolate in a way that will keep it fresh and delicious until it gets to your taste buds without having to add any extra ingredients.
Q: Where will the money go?
A: We need several things to make this project a success. Here's a list of the most important items.
1) A vacuum sealer. Nature may abhor a vacuum, but so does mold. A good airless storage system will solve 80-90% of the problem. The more money we raise, the better sealer we can buy. Good consumer grade vacuum sealers can cost between $100 and $500, so our minimum goal only budgets for a lower quality one, and we'd love to buy a better one, so feel free to help us exceed that goal. *check out UPDATE #2 to see the dream machine*
2) Ingredients. We gotta make more to see if it works, learn the best techniques and what temperatures are safe to store it at. We use fair-trade, organic ingredients, so pay a little more, but its worth it. The minimum goal includes about $100 for ingredients, which may sound like a lot, but really will only make about 10-12 lbs of fudge, some of which will likely go bad while we try to make it not grow mold, and a lot of which we'd like to be able to send to you. If we make double our goal, we'll send everyone who's getting a fudge reward extra fudge, so tell your friends. *UPDATE #3, you busted thru double with no trouble, so now we're offering even cooler, or hotter... rewards for meeting the new goal. Check it out.*
3) Packaging & Labeling Materials. We really like using compostable & recyclable materials, but sometimes they don't hold back the elements as well. To get the best of both worlds, we expect to have to try more than one brand. Our minimum goal includes about $100 for this, which will limit the types we can try. So if we earn more, we can try more and have a better chance of finding the perfect package, which is really the whole point. *UPDATE #2: bad news, compostable plastic can't survive a vacuum either, so we have to use regular for now. good news, much less expensive. But we promise we won't give up hope of switching as soon as the science catches up*
4) Cooking & storage supplies. Other specialized equipment, like cooling pans, silicone molds (the shaping kind, not the growing kind), fudge slicers, a dedicated shelf in the freezer. Equipment like this makes the production more efficient and pleasant, resulting in more fudge in less time, that looks more appealing and has fewer fingerprints (just kidding). Our minimum goal doesn't have a budget for these things, but we really want some, and if we exceed our goal we will happily expand the kitchen drawer.
5) Shipping. We have to send you your just desserts somehow, right?
Q: Why is the est. delivery date of the rewards in the fall?
A: Two reasons. One, we don't want to ship a refrigerated product in the summer. In fact, if you are living in a really warm climate, you might look to receive your reward a bit later, but I promise its worth the wait. Two, we need time to test the shelf life for several months before we can be sure its working right.
However, if we exceed our goal, we can check out options for cold shipping as well, so we might be able to send it out in warmer months after all.
Q: What dietary restrictions and allergens does Cavegirl Fudge address?
A: A Lot.
All flavors are: Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, All Natural, No Added Sugar, No Corn, No GMO, No MSG, No HFCS. If we forgot to mention something, let us know.
Safe for most Diabetic & Paleo or other low-carb, low-sugar dietary lifestyles
Containing Only: Dates, Pears, Fair Trade, Organic Cocoa Butter, Fair Trade, Organic Cocoa Powder, Natural Vanilla & Sea Salt
Some, but not all, flavors include tree nuts, peanuts, coconut, and various other fruits and natural spices. If you have allergies to these, please let us know so we don't send you a reward you can't enjoy.
Questions about this project? Check out the FAQ
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Funding period
- (30 days)