Image Credit: Courtney Gonzalez
From family recipe to family business, we bring you
"Toffee to Go," a sweet treat whose decadence you
will discover at first bite. Our toffee is made with only
the finest ingredients. Each batch begins with farm fresh
butter, premium chocolates, California almonds and
Georgia pecans. Enjoy our three delectable flavors –
Milk Chocolate Almond, Dark Chocolate Pecan and
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut.
Since 1998, our buttery, sweet, crumbly toffee is a Tampa
treasure, distributed coast-to-coast, enjoying a national
reputation for award-winning sweets.
Our handmade toffee has been honored as "Best
Chocolates", "Best Candies", "Best Desserts", and earned
us favored status from the editors of Fancy Food
Magazine and celebrity wedding and event planner,
Colin Cowie.
Whether it's holiday gifts, business gifts, corporate gifts,
birthday gifts, thank you gifts, party favors or just a treat
for yourself, Toffee to Go is perfect for any occasion. We
take pride in the fact that no preservatives are added to
our toffee and it is still made by hand in small batches.
We love the candy business and we are delighted to
share our family's toffee with you. Enjoy!
&
Jim and Lisa Schalk
Owners
3251 W. Bay to Bay Blvd.
Tampa, FL 33629
Toll Free 866.863.3332
Ph. 813.831.6247
Fax 813.831.0472
[email protected]
www.toffeetogo.com
The Sweet Facts
3,014
From family recipe to family business,
we bring you “Toffee to Go,” a sweet
treat whose decadence you will
discover at first bite.
In December 2012, the largest
number of packages shipped
out in a single day
80,000
Toffee to Go started as a
home based business
600
Pounds of toffee sold
1998
20,000
Retailers in 35 states including Puerto Rico.
Other locations include Trinidad, The
Virgin Islands and Canada
125
1998
2007
2012
During the 4th quarter we make
900 lbs
2002
of toffee per day using
Opened the original retail shop
and became incorporated
324 lbs
Bay to Bay Blvd.
MacDill Ave.
S. Ferninand Ave.
Himes Ave.
of butter per day.
2007
Chosen as a
Colin Cowie
FA N TA S T I C F I N D
2012 – Best Candy – AmericasMart
2011
Moved to current location,
which is three times larger
than our original location
AWARDS
2010 – Best Dessert – AmericasMart
2010 – Editor's Choice – Fancy Food Magazine
2009 – Best Candy – AmericasMart
2006 – Best Chocolate - AmericasMart
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lisa Schalk
Phone: 813.831.6247
Email: [email protected]
Toffee to Go celebrates 10 years of Sweet Treats
Tampa – From their humble beginnings in the kitchen of their
South Tampa home, Lisa and Jim Schalk never imagined that
Jim’s family recipe for toffee would soon become their family
business. But that is exactly what happened, and now Toffee
to Go, a sweet treat whose decadence you will discover at first
bite, is celebrating its 10 year anniversary.
Since opening as a retail operation in 2002, Toffee to Go has
not only become a Tampa treasure, but is now distributed
coast-to-coast and internationally to the Virgin Islands, Trinidad
and Canada, garnering awards along the way.
The handmade toffee, made with only the finest ingredients,
including farm fresh butter, premium chocolates, California
almonds and Georgia pecans, has been honored as “Best
Chocolates”, “Best Candies”, “Best Desserts”, and earned
favored status from the editors of Fancy Food Magazine and
celebrity wedding and event planner, Colin Cowie.
So join in the celebration and try some Toffee to Go today!
Indulge your sweet tooth and discover what everyone is raving
about. It is truly “love at first bite!”
For more information on Toffee to Go, contact Lisa Schalk at
[email protected] or call 813.831.6247. Toffee to Go images
and logos are available on our press page at www.toffeetogo.com.
###
toffeetogo.com
3251 W. Bay to Bay Blvd., Tampa, FL 33629 | Toll Free 866.863.3332 | Ph. 813.831.6247 | Fax 813.831.0472
the
Toffee Times
OCTOBER 5, 2012
Long-time friendship fosters
breast cancer awareness,
advice
Two friends partner for breast
cancer awareness
TAMPA - The insight from a breast cancer survivor at
breastcancermystory.org is like advice from a friend,
rather than filled with scientific terms. The writer’s
long-time friend is helping to support her effort with
an awareness campaign.
“We’ve known each other since 8th grade,” said
Britta Wilk McKenna. “We’re not going to say how
long that is, but it’s been a long time.” Now
McKenna runs her own non-profit in Chicago
and her friend, Lisa Schalk’s, family-owned toffee
business has taken off in Tampa. So these old friends
are forming a new partnership.
“She’s so inspirational, and doing such a great thing,
and we really wanted to be a part of it,” explained
Schalk. Schalk’s company is packaging toffee in
pink boxes for October’s Breast Cancer Awareness
Month and for her good friend, who is a survivor.
“I had bleeding from the nipple and I kept pursuing
things that it might be, and it turns out it was
Ductal Carcinoma in situ,” said McKenna. The
DCIS was diagnosed in December, 2010. It’s the
most common type of non-invasive breast cancer
that starts inside the milk ducts. In the midst of one
mastectomy, four reconstructive surgeries and a lot
of doubt, McKenna had an idea to make it easier
for others.
“We Googled everything and we found very sterile
definitions. This is the disease, ok, I understand
that and then I’d go deep down to find blogs
about botched plastic surgeries. And I didn’t feel
there was a safe place online to go,” she said. So
McKenna built her own, from her own front porch.
“Interviews with doctors, questions to ask, personal
blogs so that you can get some insight,” she lists in a
video on her website.
The insight on www.breastcancermystory.org is
like advice from a friend. “I did not know that
you should order your prescription meds without
the child-proof top because you have no upper
body strength. Well, nobody told me that,” said
McKenna.
When “Toffee to Go” www.toffeetogo.com sells a
pink box of candy, Schalk will send 10-percent of
the profit to McKenna’s venture. You’ll find a card
with her newly formed non-profit’s website tucked
inside.
“She’s a very good ribbon tier,” said McKenna.
“Thank you,” said Schalk laughing.
That’s what good friends do — especially ones who
know 30 years of friendship is rare.
Taking Action for You
http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_tampa/long-time-friendship-fosters-breast-cancer-awareness-advice
the
Toffee Times
SEPTEMBER 24, 2012
Terrific Toffee
Toffee. Rich, buttery, crunchy, toffee. Just hearing the word makes my
mouth water in anticipated delight.
This locally-made, South Tampa treasure is made
from scratch right around the corner from Datz.
Only the finest ingredients make the cut including
California almonds, Georgia pecans, farm-fresh
butter and premium chocolate. Since moving into
their first location on El Prado in 2004, Jim and Lisa
Schalk have watched their homemade goodness
soar to new heights and have recently moved
into the larger Bay-to-Bay location. According
to Lisa, the move was much needed. “We were
busting at the seams at our old location and
needed something much larger. When we found
the spot on Bay to Bay we knew it would be great
for our retail business and we loved that it was
free standing with lots of parking. Our kitchen and
production areas are 3 times larger.”
My love affair with toffee began at the age of 9
during a holiday party my parents were hosting.
The pink tin with the silver bow caught my eye, so
without a second thought I grabbed the can, ran
into my room and opened it up. I took one bite and
found my replacement for my then favorite candy
bar, Skor. Of course, my thievery was short-lived.
The Almond Roca was a party favorite so it didn’t
take long for my mother to notice it went missing,
and who the culprit might have been. But there
was no scolding… She, too, knew the temptation.
The trip down memory lane was sparked during my
last visit to Datz when I spotted another gorgeous
box (this time lime green!) with a chocolate bow.
My heart stopped. My mouth watered. And I took
two boxes of Toffee to Go home with me.
Always a supporter of local businesses, Lisa is proud
to promote local shops and says, “Small businesses
make our neighborhood of South Tampa stand
out and we are proud to be a part of that. Small
businesses are the flavor of South Tampa and we
always support local!”
We couldn’t agree more and think that Datz and
Toffee to Go make a sweet combination. Lisa is also
excited to showcase her delicious toffee with us and
when asked why she chose Datz, she said, “Datz has
gone above and beyond to become a destination
in South Tampa. They are adventurous and step
outside the box and they represent South Tampa.”
Now isn’t that sweet? If you have not yet tried Toffee
to Go, come pick some up… before I eat it all.
-Tracy Guida
PURE CULINARY BLISS
http://www.datz4foodies.com/2012/09/24/terrific-toffee/
the
Toffee Times
MAY 4, 2010
I may have said it before on this blog, but
I’ll say it again — I’m a sucker for beautiful
packaging and handwritten notes. So when
Mary presented the Fancy Food editors with a
beautiful green-and-brown box of toffee from
Toffee to Go and a handwritten note from coowner Lisa Schalk, I was ecstatic.
Lisa sent us the company’s three flavors
to sample: Milk Chocolate Almond, Dark
Chocolate Pecan and White Chocolate
Macadamia Nut. Each batch of toffee from
Toffee to Go is made from scratch with
fresh butter, premium chocolate, California
almonds and Georgia pecans, and there are
no preservatives in the recipe, which comes
from Lisa’s husband’s family. (The couple
started their business by making toffee in their
own home and selling it at Christmastime —
read about how they expanded at www.
toffeetogo.com.)
The Milk Chocolate Almond toffee was my
favorite for a few reasons. First, it didn’t present
any danger to my teeth because it was thinner
and not brick-hard like many toffees I’ve had
before. It was smooth and delicate with just
enough of a caramely crunch to it. I liked
how the chocolate was rich without being
overpowering, so the toffee flavor really came
through. I also loved the fact that there were
whole almond pieces in the toffee, which
really added to the nutty flavor and gave it an
authentic, homemade mouth feel.
These gourmet toffees would make great hostess
gifts for dinner parties or special presents for
the holidays. Try them today and you won’t be
disappointed — nor will any of your customers
with a sweet tooth.
-Ashley
AN ONLINE COMMUNITY FOR GOURMET AND SPECIALTY FOOD RETAILERS.
http://fancyfoodmagazine.blogspot.com/2010/05/editors-choice-toffee-to-go.html
the
Toffee Times
SEPTEMBER 9, 2008
Tampa-Based Handmade
Toffee Company Has Big
Friend
When Lisa and Jim Schalk offered boxed samples of
their handmade toffee at a Tampa Bay MPI chapter
event last November, they had no idea what level
of recognition it would result in. Colin Cowie, who
has planned events for A-list celebs from Oprah to
John Travolta, tasted Toffee to Go’s samples and has
since placed multiple orders with the Tampa-based
company.
“I was absolutely ecstatic! I was just floored that he was
calling me and ordering toffee. It was very surreal,”
says Lisa Schalk of the first order she got from Cowie.
Cowie has placed orders as party favors for his events,
and as gifts for family and friends. In a thank-you note
to Schalk, he says of the toffee, “It is truly beyond. It
gets stellar reviews.”
In addition to his personal affinity for Toffee to Go’s
products, Cowie is also promoting the candy to
the rest of the world by including it as one of the
“Fantastic Finds” showcased on his Web site at www.
colincowie.com
One of
Colin Cowie’s
Fantastic Finds
Event Planning News, Ideas & Resources
http://www.bizbash.com/florida/content/editorial/e12518.php#sthash.V9DQHYj7.vQQK84eV.dpbs