ARRIVALS
Chocolatier Constance Popp
“Sharing Winnipeg and Manitoba through chocolate.” By Tania Moffat
T
he sign on Provencher Boulevard reads “Choco- latier Constance Popp.” It’s simple and elegant just like the white brick exterior, but as you open the front door you are transported into a chocolate fan-
tasy world. A crisp white interior and dark wood floors provide the
background for rich chocolate temptations. Stunning three dimensional chocolate creations peek from behind pack- aged delicacies in mouth-watering flavours. If you have never been to Constance Popp’s shop, you should go, and if you don’t already love chocolate, you will. Believe it or not, Constance began her affair with choco- late seven years ago as a second career. When asked what made her make the change from an environmental man- ager for Palliser Furniture, she says she can’t even explain it. “Chocolate was not even remotely on my radar. I guess a lot of things led me in that direction, but I’m not sure what pushed it over the edge. To make chocolate the choice.” She
50 • Summer 2014
recalls writing and directing a play at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival called Shout. At the end someone asks the main character what she is going to do now and she replies, ‘I don’t know, maybe I’ll open a chocolate shop.’ “I think it was kind of like that for me, just an idea that took shape.” “My kitchen was always the centre of my world,” she says.
“I cooked all the time, I think my obsession started before I even realized it. If it wasn’t chocolate it would have been cheese, bread or maybe wine.” She learnt that her hometown of Montreal was the epicentre for the chocolate industry in Canada, and with her determination, persistence and talent was able to meet the requirements to enter the Barry Calle- baut Chocolate Academy near Montreal where she trained. A true artisan, Constance and her small team create mouth-watering delicacies that reflect their use of whole ingredients. “We buy premium grade chocolate, including single origin and single plantation chocolate,” explains Con- stance. “We use all natural whole ingredients in everything
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