We recently connected with Kori Oni and have shared our conversation below.

Kori, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

Kew’s Confections was not my original name or idea. I was nameless for the first 3 years of curating my business. I didn’t even know it would become what it is today when I started. I started my chocolate business just to raise funds for a mission trip I was saving up for and it was such a hit I decided to run with it. After my mission trip I would only do my treats upon request on a ‘if you know, you know’ basis. I played around with a few names but nothing really felt right. At some point I had to pick a name if I wanted to be serious. If I really wanted to make this my business and to be taken seriously I had to have a name right? So I started playing with some asking my family if they liked a few etc. then finally one night Kew’s popped in to my head. Kew (Q) is short for Kori Elizabeth Wainwright and a nickname my dad gave me when I was a kid. My last name has now changed since getting married but the sentiment is still stays. Kew’s Confections has a nice ring to it don’t you think?

Kori, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

In the heart of our bustling little town in Cudahy, where the scent of cocoa and anticipation hangs in the air, lies a cozy corner—the birthplace of my chocolatier dreams. It all began on a whim, fueled by a mission trip fund and the irresistible allure of chocolate-covered fruit. Who could resist those glossy, cocoa-drenched strawberries on a warm summer day? Certainly not me.
Picture this: a sun-kissed kitchen, my apron dusted with cocoa, and a determined sparkle in my eyes. Armed with baking chips (a rookie mistake, as I’d soon discover), I embarked on my chocolatier journey. Spoiler alert: it was a cocoa catastrophe. Those chips clung to the strawberries like stubborn barnacles, leaving me with a sticky mess and a lesson learned.
But I soldiered on. Upgraded to melting chocolate—a step up, but still not the pinnacle of perfection. It flowed better, behaved more politely, but lacked that je ne sais quoi. Little did I know, my chocolatier enlightenment awaited.
Enter the course that changed everything. A room filled with eager chocolatiers, all seeking the secrets of strawberry seduction. And there it was, revealed like a cocoa-covered treasure: melting chocolate isn’t quite what it seems. It’s a cunning blend of fats, oils, and a mere whisper of actual chocolate. Pros? Easy to work with, dries in a snap, and delivers that satisfying crunch. But—brace yourselves—the dreaded cracking. My poor customers ended up with chocolate-streaked hands and half of it on the floor. Waste not, want not, indeed.
Fast-forward to my grand chocolatier debut. The sign swung open, the bell tinkled, and in walked the curious, the sweet-toothed, and the chocolate aficionados. I vowed to offer nothing but the best—the crème de la crème of cocoa. And that, my friends, meant Belgian Chocolate. Sweet, nutty, and velvety, it embraced my creations like a long-lost lover. No more cracks, just sticky-sweet perfection clinging to every berry and pretzel. Belgian Chocolate whispered, “Stick with me, kid—I’ve got you.”
But wait, there’s more! My chocolatier haven isn’t your run-of-the-mill shop. Alongside those plump strawberries, I whip up marshmallow magic, crispy rice delights, homemade peanut butter cookies and Oreo wonders. Rumor has it, my banana bread recipe will make taste buds sing. 🎶

But here’s the secret sauce: my little chocolatier haven isn’t your run-of-the-mill shop. It’s personal. It’s crafted with love. When you step through my door, you’re not just a customer—you’re part of the story. You see, small businesses like mine infuse heart and soul into every berry, every cupcake. We’re not a faceless corporation; we’re your neighbor, your confidante. And that matters.
So come savor the extraordinary. From whimsy to Belgian bliss, every bite tells a story—a story of passion, persistence, and the sweetest adventure.

About the Author: [Kew’s Confections]
Note:Any resemblance to another chocolatier experiences is purely delicious coincidence. 🍓🍫

How did you build your audience on social media?

POST POST POST
On social media there are many stories of overnight success unfortunately that is not everyone’s reality. I may not have 1 million followers, but the followers I do have are in my area and order from me often. How did I manage to do that? The short story is Promote yourself. I ran a few ads on Instagram specifically targeted for the Milwaukee County area, I did local giveaways, I participate in pop-up shops that are mostly indoors because I deal with food. Last but not least clients talk to every single person they know about my treats because they are in fact that good.

Keep up with your social media as much as you can. it can become overwhelming and too much so I personally set aside a day or two a week to create a lot of reels or post to then save or to post at a certain time and day this saves me a lot of stress in the end and not having to create content every single day.

You are promoting your brand in every day life just by the way you treat people the way you talk to people and how you look I try my best to be presentable every day no matter what I’m doing or where I’m going and just overall treat people with kindness. This is just that I live by, but if you want to have a good business with people who actually enjoy you as a person and love what you offer I would recommend Projecting yourself in this light.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I send out flyers for any and every sale holiday etc. that is coming up. A lot of people stress about what they’re going to bring gatherings around Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter Christmas Thanksgiving and so on. A huge day for me that I have found makes about six months worth of sales is Valentine’s Day because my specialty is chocolate covered strawberries so I put a lot of effort in promoting my products during that time.

when my customers make their first purchase, they are provided a discount code of 15% off or less to use for their next purchase. I find that this works really well and also having a digital punchcard is a really good way to keep your customers coming back. I also store all of my customers information on QuickBooks. This is an amazing tool to keep track of your taxes and to store all of your, previous clients information. It’s user friendly and easy to use.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linkbio.co/Kewsconfection
• Instagram: kews_confections_co
• Facebook: Kew’s Confections
• Yelp: Kew’s Confections

Image Credits

All taken by me