Celebrating one year of French gourmet boxes

I am so excited to celebrate my first anniversary of running Madalyn et Rose and sharing the finest French food subscription box with you. It has been such a fun and rewarding experience, not only for me, but also for all of my customers who have joined me on this journey! To commemorate this momentous occasion, I wanted to take a brief moment to share some thoughts about what it’s been like over the past 12 months, as well as what lies ahead.

I am passionate about this adventure because it allows me an opportunity not only to celebrate my love for France, but also to share it with others through our bi-monthly gourmet boxes. When you hear the words “gourmet subscription box,” what do you think of? I imagine a group of friends sitting around in their living room enjoying a lovely meal together. Or maybe a family gathering where everyone is excited to see what was in their box for the month.

The contents

Each box is filled with delicious treats selected by myself based on their quality as well as their authenticity from different regions in France. So whether France is on your bucket list or you are reminiscing about a past holiday, a French gourmet subscription box is an excellent way to make your kitchen feel more like a Parisian café. 

My favourite things

One of my favourite things about the experience has been getting to know other people and hearing their stories. In December 2021, I hosted a community giveaway that involved paying it forward and giving a complimentary gourmet box to an unrecognized hero from the local community.

As a small business owner, I know how important it is to be able to rely on the kindness of strangers, and my community of customers here at Madalyn et Rose are simply the best!

They’re so enthusiastic about France and French culture, they’re supportive of me and my business, they’re kind and generous, and they have been so patient with me as I have learned the ropes of running this business.

Another high moment was the unboxing video by Noel. Naturally being more introverted, it’s been a little hard getting in front of the camera, so I was a little nervous about doing an unboxing video myself. I know some people really like this kind of thing and think it’s fun and a great way to see what is included, but for me it’s always felt a little bit like being on stage. But the response has been overwhelmingly positive, and I’m so happy for that—and Noel!

The challenges with a French food subscription box

However, with every high comes a moment of low and this came in the early stages when creating one of the first boxes. One of the brands I wanted to work with made cookies with a taste that seemed more fit for dog consumption. It left me wondering if my French wasn’t that great and I misread the label and was munching on dog biscuits, or if they really tasted that bad! I’m very grateful that it was the latter of the two. Thankfully, this hasn’t been a regular occurrence, and these are moments that keep me going when I don’t want to eat another dark chocolate cookie. If anyone wants to lend a hand and become a taste tester, I would be more than happy to send some sweet treats your way! 

Earlier this year, there was also a moment where there was an issue with the courier losing the jam/jelly in their system (which is why we require signatures when you pick up your box). Thankfully, it’s rare that something like this happens and as luck would have it, the moment I notified everyone waiting on the box, it would be slightly delayed. Guess who rang the doorbell two hours later? 

Ultimately, it feels like those ups and downs balance themselves out over time because even though there are definitely challenges along this journey, there has also been so much joy. Watching our customers fall in love with each new delivery, and hearing from people who say our boxes help them feel connected across borders is worth it.

What is next for Madalyn et Rose?

I am so excited about where Madalyn et Rose is going, and I hope you are, too!

The French food subscription was just the beginning—and it’s still going strong. But there are a few things that I am planning and will be sharing with the Madalyn et Rose community soon. My customers are so important, and your input is really important to me. I’m not going to tell you all the juicy details just yet, but there are a few new collections that will be added.

Thank you again for all of your support. I hope that you have enjoyed the past year of French gourmet subscription boxes as much as I have. It has been a pleasure to share our love of gourmet French food together. I hope Madalyn et Rose can continue to delight your taste buds with delicious French food, and look forward to making more memories together this year!