Member Spotlight: MOCO

Our VSFA Member Spotlight features a member each month highlighting their business, products and experience in the industry. For this spotlight we asked MOCO: My Organic Coco a series of questions.

Answers provided by: Amy Perotti, Co-Owner, MOCO

Q. Tell us a little bit about your company’s background and what you produce.
A. MOCO is pure & simple hot chocolate. Nothing lab-created here, just chocolatey goodness made from real foods. Because this all-time favorite should be enjoyed and never questioned!

Q. What do you find most rewarding about owning your own business?
A. Seeing people’s expressions turn from somewhat skeptical to enjoyment once they’ve tasted our mix. What tops that is when it’s a child! Because we all want to help our kids create healthy eating habits, right?

Q. What is your proudest accomplishment as a business owner?
A. We were shocked and humbled when we found out MOCO’s Peppermint won the 2020 sofi™ New Product award for the Coffee and Hot Cocoa (Non-Ready-To-Drink) category. As proud of that award as I am, converting kiddos over to MOCO and away from the sugary staple we all grew up on is right up there with it!

Q. How has COVID-19 changed your approach to business?
A. Like so many small businesses, the impact of being closed off from people has been huge. We relied on events like festivals, fairs, and trade shows to get our name out there, and since the pandemic, we had to pivot to specialty platforms to build our audience virtually. I never expected entrepreneurship to be easy and I knew I’d have to roll with what came along, but this one was a doozy.

Q. Why did you choose to become a member of the VSFA? How have you benefited from being a VSFA member?
A. As soon as we decided to go for it, we researched support organizations and found the VSFA. The time and effort the VSFA staff invests in building this community speaks volumes of their passion for helping. It’s been the perfect resource for introductions, collaborations, and finding answers. I can drop them a note and have confidence a response will be delivered that day…a skill I’m still working on!

Oh, and a big shout out to the folks at the VSFA who worked diligently for us and reimagined in-person events into virtual ones during this unprecedented time.

Q. What do you most enjoy doing in your spare time? Do you have a hobby/favorite pastime?
A. Exercise (or I’ll go crazy), cooking for friends and family (gotta make memories while you can) and laughing (besides hot cocoa, that’s the best kind of medicine).

Learn more about MOCO by visiting their website: mocovt.com