Zaeire Artisen Chocolates
I was born and raised in sunny South Africa and have had a real love and passion for chocolate from a young age – I’ve always liked eating it…the making it came many years later.
I left Cape Town in 1997 after finishing high school and went to the UK where I pursued my professional career in hospitality, where I managed high end restaurants. Paul (my husband) and I left London in December 2010 and headed back to Cape Town…it was always the dream to move back to the sunshine and my family. However, faith found us in Wexford a few months later, this was to become home! Later that year my daughter Keira was born.
I started making chocolates from my kitchen in 2013 and it was much more of a hobby at this stage. I soon realised that this was a business opportunity and I seized the day.
The name Zaeire comes from the coming together of South Africa (ZA), my homeland and Ireland (EIRE), my husbands homeland. It is the story of my husband and I.
The business has grown over the last few years, with my Zaeire chocolates now being stocked in select outlets nationwide and also available in the online shop.
Zaeire Chocolate have won multiple awards in recent years, these include – a Gold Star Award from The Guild Of Fine Food at The Great Taste Awards 2016, finalists in The Blas na hEireann Awards 2017 for our boxed chocolates, where they won the silver award the following year in 2018. Our newest product, The 66% Single Origin Brazilian Chocolate with Pistachios, Cranberries, Golden Raisins and Caramelised White Chocolate Crumb won a Gold Star in the 2019 Great Taste Awards and our Caramel Hot Chocolate Swizzle stick was a finalist in 2019 Blas na hEireann Awards.
I love sharing my passion for chocolate making and run chocolate making workshops for Children during the school holidays. After many requests from the moms, I now also run fun adult chocolate making classes!!
I look forward to seeing the business grow even more this year…feel free to let me know where you would like to find my chocolates and I’ll be happy to help tickle your tastebuds.
