For Katherine Anne, chocolate has become a way to ask a bigger question: how can a small business make its community and environment better?
The founder of Katherine Anne Confections started her business at 22. In her conversation with Surfrider Chicago, she described how the focus has grown from proving that the business could work to using it as a place for community, environmental care, and giving back.
Reuse starts with the space
Katherine’s approach begins before a customer orders a drink. When furnishing and updating the shops, she looks for things that can be reused or repurposed. Even fixtures that no longer fit the space may still be useful to someone else.
That habit has roots in her childhood on a Wisconsin farm. Sorting recycling and finding another use for materials were part of daily life. Today, those experiences inform a practical question: can something the business already has do the job?
Making composting part of the routine
Katherine identifies the decision to begin composting in 2015 as a major turning point. In the interview, she described how little trash remained once composting was established, with the business using a residential-size trash container rather than a dumpster.
The work also involves learning from other neighborhood businesses. Inspired by Spoken Cafe, the team reconsidered how customer-facing waste bins were arranged to help address sorting problems. Local milk and cream, along with compostable takeaway cups, are other choices Katherine discussed.
She also recognizes the challenges restaurants face. Tight margins and staff training can make a new system feel difficult to adopt. For Katherine, helping teams understand the routine is central to making composting manageable.
Start with the drinking chocolate
When asked what visitors should try, Katherine recommended the drinking chocolate. Her personal favorite in the interview was the Koval version, with salted caramel ganache, roasted marshmallows and nuts, and a small splash of bourbon.
Katherine Anne Confections has Chicago shops at 2745 W. Armitage Avenue and 3653 W. Irving Park Road. Check the website for current menus and hours, then take a moment to notice the choices behind the treats—from what gets reused to what gets composted.
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