By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
MAY 16, 2025 | Remember those two guys who ran an exquisite chocolate and gelato shop in The Forum in Peachtree Corners? They are now offering high grade chocolates via the internet out of a private kitchen in Norcross, under the name Scoffrey’s Chocolates, a name combining owners Scott Gottuso and Geoffrey Wilson.
They departed the Peachtree Corners retail shop after the management company would not renew their lease. They closed their retail operation at the end of July, 2024. They opened online in November, 2024, had a good Christmas season, and are developing new ways to operate, often with new tasty chocolate products.
Scott Gottuso says: “We pivoted in our sales outreach, and what happened has been very positive. We streamed our operations, and it is just Geoffrey (Wilson) and me. We went from operating a retail shop seven days a week and 12 employees, to just us two.” That goes to say that they cut their overhead tremendously. They have found success with having their chocolates at one local church, and may seek other similar arrangements.
Their new business model is streamlined to sell the chocolate products that their customers love. (Have you ever had their chocolate popcorn? Wowee!)
Wilson adds: “We’re not in front of customers all day. We are working on new methods to reach our customers. We offer free delivery to nine Zip Codes in the area, from Dunwoody and Johns Creek to Duluth and Lilburn. For delivery outside these limited Zip Codes, there is a $10 charge.”
What is their best seller: Gottuso says: “By far it is the chocolate covered Oreos. That sells at six in a box for $12; a 12 piece box for $30, and a larger box for $59.”
Wilson says: “We are also finding a lot of interest in truffles, which we make in many flavors. Personally, I want to get us into pralines, something I’ve always wanted to do. And there is more interest now in flavored bars, such as a Black Forest item, but also rum, lemon and the trendy stuff with spices and other flavors. We’ve not been in that area before.”
The Scoffrey’s kitchen is also changing its packaging. Wilson says: “Where once people could come into the shop, and select varying chocolates from the counter, that’s no longer possible. We used the same simple packaging before. But now about 50 percent of our sales is for gifts, so we are using a gold box with bows on them, making them beautiful and taking the restraints off and doing business differently.”
A problem that has hit all in the chocolate business is the increased wholesale cost of the basic chocolate bean. “Most of the chocolate comes from the Ivory Coast of Africa. There has been a 35-40 per cent increase in wholesale chocolate prices. And you must buy wholesale well in advance of the Christmas season.” The owners are also concerned, as many businesses are, of what impact tariffs might affect their costs.
Gottuso and Wilson have always operated by giving back to the community as they could.
Gottuso says: “We’re married to a mission of supporting the community, and we continue to do so. Now we have the time to work with the Neighborhood Community Ministries. There I’m helping out with intake, and when we had a retail shop, we never had the time before.”
Just looking at the vast array of different chocolate products on their internet site makes your mouth water. We look for Scoffrey’s to have solid future success.
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