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After the September 11 attacks in 2001, East Hampton resident Donna McCue wanted to bring some sweetness into people’s lives.
That desire eventually led to Fat Ass Fudge, a cheeky name for a unique line of gluten-free fudges made with organic goat’s milk and butter that Ms. McCue created using her grandmother’s recipe for the treat.
She ran the company for six years and distributed her chocolaty concoctions to stores across the East End and the rest of Long Island, even appearing on the entrepreneur-driven show “Shark Tank” in 2012 in an unsuccessful attempt to expand the company.
Last year, however, Ms. McCue came to the conclusion that she wanted to return to her roots as an entertainer and comedian. She embarked on a mission to find the right new owner for her business, beginning her search in February 2013 and interviewing dozens of candidates.
And now, more than a year later, she finally found a new owner in Linda Johnson, a certified chocolatier and founder of the Port Jefferson-based company Chocology Unlimited. Ms. McCue sold Fat Ass Fudge for just under $1 million, she and Ms. Johnson both said, although neither would specify the amount.
Ms. McCue said Ms. Johnson was the perfect person to take over the business because of their mutual love for crafting the best chocolate. “I was able to sell to somebody like-minded who wanted good quality, who felt the passion,” she said.
Chocology Unlimited, which opened in August, is an online, family-run business that distributes gourmet chocolates all over the country. With flavors ranging from balsamic caramel and crème brûlée to milk chocolate ganache and Tahitian vanilla, Ms. Johnson had been looking for a line of fudge to add to Chocology’s collection. She had known about Fat Ass Fudge after meeting Ms. McCue at the Whole Foods Market in Lake Grove about five years ago, and when she learned that the company was for sale last year, she jumped at the opportunity to acquire it.
“I have tasted a lot of fudge over the last year, and there’s just nothing like it,” Ms. Johnson said.
Since purchasing Ms. McCue’s company just a few weeks ago, Ms. Johnson dedicated countless hours to perfecting the Fat Ass Fudge recipe so that she can make it herself, just as Ms. McCue did in a professional kitchen in Amagansett. Ms. Johnson’s goal was to make the fudge taste as if the business had never changed owners, and Ms. McCue confirmed that she eventually nailed it.
Moving forward, Ms. McCue will act as a consultant of sorts if and when Ms. Johnson needs her help, but from now on she is going to dedicate herself to being a comedian and full-time intuitive consultant. Touching on both, when asked what the difference is between an intuitive consultant and a psychic is, she replied: “$200.”
Chocology will be selling Fat Ass Fudge on its website for $30 a pound, $15 for a half pound, and $10 for a quarter pound, and it will be offered it in various flavors such as dark chocolate, white chocolate and peanut butter. Ms. Johnson said she hopes to bring the treat back to the East End by hosting events at restaurants out here, as she does in Port Jefferson, where she allows diners to sample not only fudge but also Chocology’s signature chocolates.
So far she said she has done two tasting shows and has seen firsthand how much people enjoy Fat Ass Fudge.
“It’s seeing the look on people’s faces when they bite into it,” she said. “You can see their eyes, their smiles. It’s a very exciting time.”
on Nov 19, 2014