Chocolate inspires family
Julia Keller and her husband, Jordan, moved to the Okanagan from Saskatchewan in 2013 to start their family-run chocolate business, Liv a Lil Chocolate. The business name is a combination of their daughters’ names, Olive and Lily. Keller recently spoke with The Daily Courier about the inspiration behind her chocolate business and how her years as an analytical chemist prepared her for a career in chocolate.
COURIER: What inspired you to start Liv a Lil Chocolate?
KELLER: We took a family trip to Quebec City right before moving to the Okanagan, and the quaint chocolate shops in Old Quebec inspired us to start a chocolate business of our own. The chocolate shops invoked feelings of childlike wonder and piqued my curiosity into the chocolate making process. I loved watching my daughters marvel over the amazing assortment of flavours and designs.
COURIER: Had you ever worked in the food industry or run your own business before?
KELLER: We have owned several small businesses over the years and were excited to start another one after our relocation. With backgrounds rooted in chemistry, we felt the transition into chocolate making was a natural fit.
COURIER: How did your chemistry background prepare you for chocolate making?
KELLER: There is a lot of chemistry involved in the process, particularly in tempering the chocolate. Tempering is the process of melting chocolate and having it reform into the correct crystalline structure. Additionally, I find working in my chocolate kitchen similar to a chemistry lab in that you are measuring by weight, carefully monitoring many variables such as temperature, timing the cooling process and documenting everything.
COURIER: Did you do any chocolatier training?
KELLER: Jordan has a chocolatier certificate from Ecole Chocolat, Professional School of Chocolate Arts, in Vancouver. I have become a chocolatier by trade from many hours of working alongside Jordan.
COURIER: What is the most challenging part of making chocolate?
KELLER: Hand painting each chocolate. I hand paint every one. Each individual chocolate mold is painted with coloured cocoa butter, the fat part of chocolate, which is tempered before painting to ensure a glossy finish. Creating new designs is both the most challenging and rewarding aspect of the process.
COURIER: What is it like running the business with your husband?
KELLER: We enjoy working together as well as involving our daughters in the business. Growing a business as a family has been a fun adventure.
COURIER: What makes Liv a Lil chocolate different?
KELLER: We strive for small portions, simplicity, high quality and beauty in design. We want to provide our customers with a local product that is made by hand and is also aesthetically pleasing. We also create products with local ingredients such as our signature Orchard Collection that uses local fruit from Lake Country and spirits from Okanagan Spirits.
COURIER: What is the most unique chocolate you sell?
KELLER: Our Meltaway Collection is a signature collection that we have year round. The flavours and the design change seasonally, but it is always made with coconut oil and dark chocolate. This vegan, dairy-free option appeals to a lot of customers.
COURIER: Where can people find your products?
KELLER: You can find all of our products at livalilchocolate.com with a local pick-up option from our commercial kitchen in West Kelowna. You can also find a selection of our products in gift stores throughout Kelowna including Funktional, The Artful Hand, Scallywags, Glenmore Gift Gallery and Visit Our Okanagan.