Former customers of Zocalisa, a mom-and-pop fine chocolates and gelato shop which closed the doors to its Burbank Drive location in December, can prepare their appetites once again as owners Jeff and Alissa Dickey set up a temporary arrangement in the LSU AgCenter Food Incubator.
Though the couple will use the incubator for chocolate and caramel production, Jeff Dickey said they will cease gelato production to “focus [their] passion on what [they] do best” — making chocolate.
Dickey said he believes the storefront location failed because he and his wife’s small operation did not support the large retail space on Burbank Drive. However, he said the incubator space offers ample kitchen space and “scaled up” equipment.
“We’ll be able to start on production through the incubator just in time for Valentine’s Day,” Dickey said.
Gaye Sandoz, director of the Food Incubator, said the Dickeys joined the incubator one month ago. She said she anticipates they will begin production in February and stay for about two years.
Sandoz said the AgCenter designed the food incubator to assist food entrepreneurs in starting and creating successful businesses, offering space for them to process their edible products. That responsibility has grown to aiding tenants with labeling products, scaling recipes and forming connections outside the AgCenter, she said.
“We have produced over 50 tons of product out of the Food Incubator in three years,” Sandoz said. “We have 28 tenants at count right now.”
Since Dickey and his wife can sell their chocolate and caramel out of the food incubator, Sandoz said they can market their product for other vendors to sell.
Dickey said the Food Incubator offers “step-up production” without much investment, citing a thousand-dollar copper kettle for caramel production provided by the program as an example. This change will maximize the business’ efficiency.
“Instead of making a couple dozen [chocolates] at one time, hopefully we’ll be able to make several hundred at one time,” he said.
As Zocalisa drew from a New Orleans clientele, Dickey said the pair will likely market themselves to stores in the Crescent City area, but his goals are not geographically limited.
He said he will continue selling Zocalisa’s chocolate treats online, as well as deliver throughout Baton Rouge until they get set up in several local stores. The husband-wife team are already in discussion with a restaurant and a deli store to feature their chocolate.
Dickey said he is also seeking out specialty grocery stores, such as Calandro’s Supermarket, and the downtown Baton Rouge farmer’s market as possible venues for his products. He said he is even considering “pop-up retail,” or opening short-term sale spaces.
Though uncertain of his former shop location’s future, he said potential buyers interested in opening a pizza parlor approached him.
While excited by the prospect of a non-inclusive marketplace, Dickey said he still harbors nostalgia for the shop on Burbank.
“I’m gonna really miss the delight I see on customers’ faces when they bite into one of my chocolates,” he said.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Wingate Jones

Jeffery Dickie makes use of the LSU Food Incubator for his company, Zocalisa on Tuesday, Jan. 19 2016 at the LSU Food Incubator