A wide variety of chocolates are sold at a store located on Marsh Street, a place commonly known to San Luis Obispo residents as Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates. Within the next couple of weeks, though, the store will be changing its name to Mama Ganache Artisan Chocolates.
The process of picking a new name started this past May when there was a trademark issue, according to co-owner Tom Neuhaus. It took four months to come up with a name the owners liked and could trademark for their business.
The business settled on Mama Ganache Artisan Chocolates because the owners felt it was true to their character and what the store offered customers. Small changes have been made to the chocolate-dipped Earth logo, but Neuhaus plans to keep it as similar as possible.
“It is better if you choose a logo or a name that is better in keeping with who you are,” Neuhaus said.
In regards to the name, the word organic was dropped because not every product the company offers is certified organic.
Artisan was added in its place because “it is descriptive and we do a lot of stuff by hand, so that is artisan,” Neuhaus said.
The name change could lead some to believe aspects of the business are changing along with it, but Neuhaus said that is not the case.
“We are still the same company we were before. We have not changed hands, we still employ a lot of local people and we use very high quality products,” Neuhaus said. “We had to change our name, and that is done and now we move on.”
Tom Neuhaus is also the adviser for Cal Poly Chocolates. Sara Adams, biological sciences junior and member of Cal Poly Chocolates, said she hopes the new change won’t negatively affect the business.
“Luckily, he’s got a strong local following. But I do like the name better; I think it is catchy and clever,” Adams said.
Mama Ganache Artisan Chocolates will still be a fair trade and organic business. It will continue to distribute products to restaurants, bakeries, natural food stores and other places across the country.
The changes are expected to take place by Oct. 31. Labels need to be renewed and approved to be organically certified. Neuhaus said not all the products will be available as of Nov. 1, but any mark of Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates will be gone by then.
Mama Ganache Artisan Chocolates will host a Halloween party from 2-5 p.m. on Oct. 28. Attendees are encouraged to dress up as their interpretation of Mama Ganache, Tom Neuhaus’ wife, Eve, said. Select products will also be half off on Oct. 15, Tom said.
Tayler Duprel contributed to this article.