Young Chilliwack entrepreneurs launch Confectionery Kidz business

Three Chilliwack children with an entrepreneurial spirit have launched a summer business that will appeal to your sweet tooth and help children battling illness at BC Children’s Hospital.

Eleven-year-old Sianna Hemmings, 10-year-old Anaya Hemmings and 10-year-old DeAngelo Darko call themselves the Confectionery Kidz.

They are selling tasty treats and donating partial proceeds to Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon (RMH BC).

Sianna and Anaya are sisters and DeAngelo is their cousin.

They also get help from two-year-old Daya Hemmings, Sianna and Anaya’s little sister who goes by the nickname Boss Baby.

Their venture started in July when they went door-to-door selling cotton candy in the Chilliwack neighborhood of Promontory, using a small cotton candy making machine that Sianna got for her birthday.

They made $11, donating 10 per cent of their earnings to Ronald McDonald House.

“The kids wanted to pick something that would help other children,” said Jasmeen Hemmings, mom to Sianna, Anaya and Daya and aunt to DeAngelo. “We were familiar with donating to Ronald McDonald House and saw the impact that they make.”

Encouraged by their initial foray, the kids decided to take it to the next level and raise more money for the charity. Jasmeen helped them design a logo and got them set up with an Instagram account (@confectionerykidz).

“It was the cotton candy that sparked it,” Jasmeen said. “DeAngelo comes to stay with us every second weekend. They were making cotton candy at home and decided to see if anyone on our street wanted to buy some.

“Being business owners and entrepreneurs ourselves (The Hemmings Group, an employee benefits solutions firm), my husband and I suggested they start a little business on the side.”

The kids got to work in the kitchen, dreaming up a menu of yummy summer treats like their ‘Fresh Fruit Poppin’ Popsicles,’ which come in four flavours (peach, mango, strawberry and watermelon at a cost of $1 each.

They offer fresh lemonade for $1 or smoothies (Blueberry Blast, Morning Sunrise and Chunky Monkey) for $2 and they have five different things to choose from on their $1 baked goods menu including chocolate chip or Mini-Egg cookies, chocolate or vanilla cupcakes, plain or chocolate Rice Krispy bars and Ooey Gooey Chocolate Brownies.

We are so proud, and seeing them develop skills that are going to be useful to them for the rest of their lives is inspiring,” Jasmeen said. “We are supporting them as much as possible for as long as they want to do this. We think it’s important for kids to be able to see the ins and outs of running a business that they can utilize one day in running their own, but also want them to be kids and have as much fun with it as possible.”

Treats can be ordered through the Confectionery Kidz Instagram account or by emailing confectionerykidz@gmail.com.

Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon (RMH BC) opened its doors in 1983 in the Shaughnessy neighborhood of Vancouver. The 73-bedroom house provides services for families who have children receiving treatment at BC Children’s Hospital. RMH BC also operates a Family Room in Surrey Memorial Hospital.

@ProgressSports eric.welsh@theprogress.comLike us on