CHAPEL HILL -- Cackalacky Inc. is expanding the reach of its original Cackalacky brand Spice Sauce into 18 Earth Fare supermarkets.
The Chapel Hill-based business recently partnered with Global Specialty Foods, allowing Cackalacky to enlarge its distribution territory in the Southeast. Based in Chamblee, Ga., Global Specialty Foods is a national leader in natural and organic specialty foods distribution.
Created in Chapel Hill by H. Page Skelton Sr., Cackalacky Spice Sauce is a naturally spiced condiment that is made with more than 20 ingredients including sweet potatoes, chile peppers and red wine.
To learn more about Cackalacky, go to www.CACKALACKY.com or call (919) 967-4992.
To learn more about Global Specialty Foods, go to www.GlobalSpecialtyFoods.com.
$1 paper hearts benefit McDonald Houses
CHAPEL HILL -- In an effort to raise much-needed funds for the Ronald McDonald Houses of North Carolina, McDonald's owner/operators are encouraging their customers to "Share their Hearts" this Valentine's Day and buy a paper heart for $1.
Restaurant patrons may purchase pink paper hearts for $1 at their local McDonald's now through Feb. 14. All proceeds from heart sales will go to the Ronald McDonald Houses of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, Durham, Greenville, Winston-Salem and soon-to-be in Charlotte. Visit rmhcofnc.org to make an online donation or log onto Facebook for more information.
The Ronald McDonald House is a nonprofit that provides comfort, support and a "home-away-from-home" for families of seriously ill or injured children receiving treatment at area hospitals. More than 2,800 families from across North Carolina, other states, and around the world stay at the Ronald McDonald Houses of North Carolina each year.
Chocolate Door opens Saturday
CHAPEL HILL -- The Chocolate Door, a gourmet retailer specializing in handmade chocolates and truffles, will celebrate its grand opening at 516 W. Franklin St. on Saturday with specials on their sweets and samples for tasting.
Owner Meghan Rosensweet makes all chocolates by hand on premises using local ingredients as much as possible. Truffles and chocolates will be sold by the piece with 25 permanent flavors and special seasonal options to choose from. Other treats such as handmade chocolate bark will be sold by the pound. In addition to chocolates, the store will carry baked goods and coffee to go. Free parking is provided next to The Chocolate Door.
"We've been wanting to open our own shop for a long time," Rosensweet said. "We're really excited to be a part of downtown Chapel Hill and the West End."
Rosensweet graduated from Le Cordon Bleu of Culinary Arts in Atlanta. She worked as a pastry chef at Atlanta's Four Seasons, and worked at Le Cordon Bleu in the Patisserie and Baking Program. Prior to opening the store, Rosensweet was making chocolates for sale at West End Wine Bar in Chapel Hill and Durham. The Chocolate Door will continue to supply gourmet chocolates wholesale and offer its products for weddings, private parties, and other events.
The Chocolate Door will be open Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. It will be open from 2 to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, and closed on Sundays. For more information on the store, visit www.thechocolatedoor.com.
Business planning course offered
HILLSBOROUGH -- The Durham Technical Community College Small Business Center and SCORE Chapel Hill/Carrboro are presenting a 10-week business planning course at Durham Tech's Orange County Campus in Hills-borough. The course, "Planning for Success -- How to Write an Extraordinary Business Plan," will cover, in depth, all aspects of starting and running a business and writing a business plan.
Topics covered in the course include understanding your products and services, market research, writing a marketing and sales plan, small business operations, and understanding, analyzing, and using financial statements to improve a business. Successful businesses have strong, dynamic business plans. Eighty percent of small businesses are not in business five years after their start-up. Most of the businesses that fail did not have a well thought out and well written business plan.
This course is for anyone starting or currently operating a business who wants to learn how to write a better, more complete business plan. Beyond the mechanics, this course will challenge participants to perform the critical thinking necessary to be more successful in business. The course begins on Feb. 18 and runs from 6 to 9 p.m. The cost is $149. Register by calling the Durham Technical Community College Small Business Center at (919) 536-7241 extension 4505 or send an e-mail to gulleyd@durhamtech.edu.
