Caramels With A Purpose

Where We've Been

Hope's Caramels began out of a decade of life changes and a sweet tooth. In March 2003, Hope became a stay-at-home mom; however, she wanted to continue contributing financially to their household. It started with a degree in Graphic Design doing freelance, then morphed into specialty cakes, cookies, and cupcakes. Then came her A-HA moment. Hope's salted caramel cupcake was a huge seller. It was so loved that one of her husband, Brady's, co-workers wanted only the caramel in the middle of the cupcake. So, Hope cooked the caramel longer, cut them, wrapped them in wax paper, and that was her first sale. That was in 2014.

In 2019, Hope's husband, Brady, left his job at the hospital. He walked away from his salary, medical benefits, and security to work with her full-time. Then, two weeks before the world (literally) shut down, they signed a lease and moved into a commercial kitchen space in West Chester, PA. They had no idea what they would face in the coming months, but they knew for the business to grow they had to move out of their home kitchen. They prayed and trusted without knowing what to expect. 

Where We Are

Hope's Caramels has continued to grow, despite a couple years dealing with the pandemic. Hope and Brady have been able to add a few part-time employees who help in the day to day operations. Hope's Caramels are currently in 15+ retail stores in PA, MD, DE, MA, and OR. You can find them at farmer's markets and festivals throughout the year where they meet and engage with thousands of customers. Currently, they donate 10% of their profits to non-profit organizations fighting against human trafficking. They opened their Shopify store in 2022 and are excited to watch their fan base grow!

Where We Are Going

Hope's and Brady's desire in the coming years is to begin hiring people who have come out of human trafficking. They want to create an environment where victims can grow, learn, and succeed. Hope's Caramels wants to give them the opportunity to learn new skills, take classes, and develop leadership skills they can take with them into their future. Hope and Brady love caramels and they love helping people. How wonderful to create a business that does both by bringing the sweet life to everyone!