Today we’d like to introduce you to Lani Fox.
Hi Lani, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We’re reinventing the marshmallow! Marshmallows get a bad rap as bland, chewy treats that only kids enjoy. At Rosemallow Artisanal (www.rosemallow.com), we create truffle-inspired, marshmallow-like confections packed with flavor from seasonal ingredients. Stuck at home during the pandemic, I needed a creative outlet and I found it when I started crafting homemade marshmallows for my kids. My lightbulb moment came when I began incorporating fresh, homegrown ingredients. The result was an incredibly sophisticated, subtly sweet dessert with continuously unfolding layers of depth and flavor.
We locally source the freshest, highest quality, organic ingredients (most of which we grow ourselves on our urban farm). And our flavor combos—like peppermint-basil, spicy chocolate almond liqueur, loquat chocolate—are truly unparalleled. The marshmallow-like medium is part of the Rosemallow magic, allowing ingredients to play off of one another, develop, and delight as each bite melts in your mouth. Customers consistently tell me that they can’t stop thinking about them, even months or weeks later!
One of my favorite current flavors is a rose chocolate delight—a cloud-like cocoa confection topped with aromatic rose petals and rose petal-infused sugar which creates a subtle crunch and bursts of divine rose flavor. The grapefruit spritzer Rosemallow is a journey for your palette, starting with the slight tartness of grapefruit, a sweetness of white wine, and a hint of honey-anise from the fresh fennel and a touch of fair trade, organic cocoa. With the spicy-almond-cocoa liqueur Rosemallow, the chocolate flavor is followed by a rich almond liqueur and finishes with a slight kick from jalapenos and the spicy, edible nasturtium flower on top.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
At first, people thought my passion for Rosemallows and my ambition for the business was totally bonkers. But once they tried them, they got it. It’s an out-there idea, but that’s also what makes Rosemallow Artisanal special and unique. There’s nothing like Rosemallows, which is both a compelling niche to forge and a hill to climb since I’m basically introducing a brand-new confection to people. Starting a new business is inherently risky, but risks are necessary to bring adventure and passion to our lives.
I’ve always had a clear vision about the core values of Rosemallow Artisanal. I’ve been told repeatedly that to succeed, I need to cut corners, using the cheapest produce, ingredients, and packaging materials. But I am thoroughly committed to using only the highest quality, freshest produce primarily sourced from our own farm or trusted partners. And we go above and beyond ensuring that Rosemallow’s packaging is fully compostable at home in the green waste or a home compost bin. I do not want this product rooted in the earth’s beauty adding to its destruction.
I’ve also been advised to over a handful of straightforward flavors that will have the most general appeal, like vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. But the beauty of Rosemallows is the way I can pair culinary art and creativity to give real fruits and herbs the opportunity to shine. Our seasonal offerings bring excitement because the flavors are only available for a short time and the produce is at its peak so they taste incredible.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
There are very few sophisticated tasting experiences available, especially if you don’t eat cheese or drink alcohol, and almost none when it comes to dessert. Rosemallow Artisanal offers a bespoke and super fun culinary experience. We create small batch seasonal offerings every 5-12 weeks with new flavors inspired by a specific theme that relishes in the season’s peak ingredients. Our samplers are inspired by boxes of flavored truffles and come with a tasting guide, a perfect gift (even for yourself!), and a dynamic addition to any special occasion—a date night in, a girls’ night, a dinner party—allowing the host to offer something incredibly delicious AND wildly unique.
Our current offering’s theme is chocolate, and our upcoming sampler is inspired by British afternoon tea, with dessert-like flavors including strawberry rhubarb Victoria sponge and mango-passionfruit pavlova as well as tea-inspired flavors such as Kenyan assam tea with locally grown bergamot for a bespoke Earl Grey and refreshing Jamaica and jasmine tea Rosemallows made with locally grown roselles. Another offering will highlight California’s ecology and feature ingredients from California native plants such as Bay Laurel, manzanita flowers, candy cap mushrooms, and coyote mint.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
We all need beautiful experiences in our lives and starting and running Rosemallow has brought so much love, kindness, and beauty into my life. One of my core beliefs is that a rising tide lifts all boats. Society is a more enjoyable place to be when we are willing to go out of our way to help others. That ethos is ingrained in our offerings—I want Rosemallows to bring beauty and joy to as many people as possible. We have friends who keep halal and others kosher, and others who are vegan, so customers have the option of getting Rosemallows made with halal grass-fed beef gelatin, kosher fish gelatin, or vegan gelatin. Rosemallows are also celiac-safe and allergen friendly—free of dairy, eggs, soy, gluten, as well as nut-free options. This is incredibly important to me because my husband and daughter have an autoimmune disease and cannot eat even the tiniest amount of gluten. There are a lot of can’ts in life with food allergies, so it makes me proud that Rosemallows are safe for indulgence and celebration.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rosemallow.com
- Instagram: @rosemallowArtisanal
- Facebook: @rosemallowArtisanal
Image Credits
Rebecca Zeller Photography
