Meet the Makers: Squish Interview
We never cease to be amazed by the innovative Canadian companies we are surrounded by. For the month of March, we partnered with Squish, a Montreal-based candy company whose naturally flavoured candies have us on a sugar high!
- Your website has so many interesting flavours! What inspires you to get creative?
I take inspiration from my love for food and travel! Experimenting with taste profiles from different cultures is very intriguing to me. Also, the cocktail world inspires what we do—we’ve made flavours with Yuzu and Sake, for example. There’s a lot of demand for these more refined flavour profiles, like our Vegan Sparkling Bears. Our clients love freezing them to add a special touch to cocktails!
- Have there ever been any candy experiments that did not go as you expected? What did you learn from them?
Yes, totally! We’ve had some failed experiments with a tequila flavour—enough said! We definitely try out a lot of different stuff and do extensive research before launching a new flavour. A lot of times, our starting idea ends up tasting a lot different than we imagined it. There are so many factors to take into consideration, whether it’s the taste, the texture, the look, the choice of ingredients, etc.
- If you could fire up your time machine and travel back to the founding of Squish in 2014, what advice would you give?
I think we would have started up our subscription club and loyalty program a lot sooner! Also debuting with a mobile app would have been amazing—basically anything related to building a trusted customer base and strong tech tools.
- What has been the biggest challenge for Squish during the pandemic?
Definitely closing stores—that was heartbreaking! Having to part ways with the team after all the years of hard work was an incredibly tough decision, especially during COVID. The passion and energy that came from our retail store teams was something else!
- What skills do you think are essential for successful entrepreneurs?
Believing in your product and having a unique and original product are essential. Also, following your instincts and taking risks, all the while trying to adapt your product to the industry’s trends. And of course, surrounding yourself with the best people! As an entrepreneur, you need to be backed by a team that believes in the product and is willing to get behind your craziest ideas!
- What is your favourite candy flavour?
Chili Ginger Hearts – a spicy heart-shaped gummy with a unique spicy flavour!
- If you could only have one cocktail for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A Negroni (and yes, we have already made a gummy tribute to it!).
Thank you for chatting with us, Squish! It is always so inspiring to learn about how other businesses are overcoming challenges and pushing themselves. We wish you sweet success!
