SBA Names Savannah Business Owners
2012 Georgia Small Business Persons of the Year
www.fondarific.com Candy Craft Creations DBA Fondarific
ATLANTA– The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has named Laura Darnall and Lois Judy,
Co-Owners of Candy Craft Creations, the Georgia Small Business Persons of the Year for 2012. They
were nominated by Connie Edwards and Lynn Vos of the Georgia Small Business Development
Center in Savannah.
Candy Craft Creations manufactures and distributes Fondarific; a new type of fondant which offers
improved ease of use as well as a pleasing taste. Fondant has long been used by chefs and bakers to
create the smooth malleable icing that forms round edges. It is rolled into a uniform thickness and
laid over cakes. It is also used for detail work such as making intricate flowers.
Small Business Person of the Year winners from 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico
and Guam will converge in Washington, D.C. May 20 -22, 2012 to mark the annual celebration of
National Small Business Week. One of them will be selected as National Small Business Person of the
Year.
The criteria for the award include: Staying power – a substantiated history as an established
business, growth in number of employees, innovativeness of product/service offered, response to
adversity and contributions to community-oriented projects.
With its special qualities, food channel exposure and endorsements by some of the country’s top
chefs and cake artists, it is not an understatement that Fondarific has taken the confectionery world
by storm. In five short years the company has moved from a 10 by 14 foot fabricated building in
Laura Darnall’s back yard into a 10,000 square foot manufacturing and distribution center with 28
full time employees.
Such rapid growth often creates big challenges for new companies. So Laura and Lois turned to the
Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) area office in Savannah to help them manage
critical issues such as cash flow, receivables and inventory growth, just to name a few. And even
more recently the team has been working with the SBDC Export Division to pursue international
markets. Soon the whole world will be in on their “Fondarific” product.
The company was recognized at a luncheon hosted by the Georgia Lender Quality Circle in Atlanta
on May 16. Other Georgia Small Business Week winners are: Financial Services Champion, Colby
Cardin of Columbus; Exporter of the Year, Paresh ‘Perry” Vyas, President of SKAPS Industries of
Athens; Women in Business Champion Judy Randle of Albany; and Susan Taylor, owner of Taylor
Services of Macon, Family Owned Business of the Year.
Contact SBA’s David Perry to coordinate one on one interviews with any of the Georgia Small
Business Week winners 404-331-0267 or david.perry@sba.gov.