16-year-old sweethearts create their own sweet company

Toronto teen sweethearts open chocolate business Two 16-year-olds from Toronto have opened a business specializing in smashed chocolate hearts.

TORONTO — Like many great ideas, a Toronto-based confectionary business known for its chocolate smash hearts was born out of boredom.

“We were supposed to be camp counsellors this summer,” Samantha White told CTV News, “and then since (COVID-19) our jobs got cancelled, and we needed something to do in place of it.”

White, and her long-time classmate Ryan Taub had been baking to pass the time during the pandemic. Six weeks ago, they founded their own confection company called ‘Sweet Sweets.’ Along with being business partners and classmates, the 16-year-olds are also dating.

“On our one year anniversary we were here, and she turned to me and said ‘we should start a business’ and I’m like ‘ok’,” Taub said.

At the centre of their creations are personalized smash hearts.

“it’s like a chocolate geometric heart and we fill it with candy- and then the customer, or whoever buys it, smashes it open,” White said. “And people are also able to put special messages inside, little secret gifts as well.”

The company also makes other treats, including cake-sickles, described as large-sized cake pops filled with cake, edible cookie dough, or banana bread.

To take orders, the pair created their own website and made an Instagram page. The response was almost immediate.

“At the star we thought maybe we were going to get like 10 followers and a few orders,” Taub said. “We’ve gotten so many and they keep coming in.”

“The response, that’s been very overwhelming,” White said. “It’s been very, very amazing, how many people have reached out to us, supported us.”

The couple are now creating on-demand delicacies every day, while also attending high school full time.

“I mean (COVID-19) actually helped us out in a way because we’re able to stay at home now instead of being at school for six hours of the day,” White said.

Another pandemic hurdle—the pair aren’t spending any time together during the lockdown. But according to Taub, they’ve found a way to work around it.

“I’m going out and getting all the ingredients and what not. Everything that she needs to make stuff. And once it’s made, I’m also going out and delivering the stuff to people.”

The pair both say they’d like to open a store one day, one where much of the merchandise is made to be broken.

“I’ve been very tempted to destroy it myself because I’m just like, I made this- I want to do it,” White admitted with a laugh. “But it’s fun because they send us videos of them smashing it as well, so it’s nice to see people enjoying it.”