In an interview with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Nesreen Abusultan, owner and co-founder of WÜD Chocolates and Gifts, shared the personal and heartfelt story behind her venture. The concept of WÜD was born out of her desire to recreate the flavors and traditions of her Middle Eastern heritage in Canada, particularly during the joyous occasion of her son Jad’s birth. This endeavor evolved into a business that not only celebrates cultural heritage through unique chocolate flavors like rose and pistachio but also supports refugee integration and economic success. Nesreen’s journey from concept to a celebrated startup highlights her commitment to infusing love and tradition into each product, aiming to evoke cherished memories and a sense of home for her customers. Her participation in entrepreneurship programs and initiatives like the Refugee Marketplace underscores her dedication to community building and economic empowerment, positioning WÜD as a beacon of cultural celebration and inclusion.
With over a decade of professional experience in development and program management, I’ve successfully led projects for local and international organizations, emphasizing high impact and strong relationships. Driven by a commitment to human development and rights, I also volunteer internationally to support humanitarian assistance efforts.
My entrepreneurial journey began in late 2022 with the launch of WUD chocolates and Gifts, a business dedicated to supporting refugees’ economic empowerment. Through this venture, I’m passionate about celebrate tradition, culture and nostalgia through middle-eastern inspired chocolates and gifts, in addition to initiatives supporting refugees to thrive and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
Nesreen, can you share with us the inspiration behind WÜD and how the birth of your son played a pivotal role in its creation?
Since arriving in Canada, my husband and I have been working hard to secure a job, buy a house, and find a good school for our children. But we always missed our families and friends. We felt the nostalgia in the details of our lives, so we tried to bring in the Middle Eastern traditions from our home to help us maintain our sense of family. We baked the original Eid cookies (Mamoal), we hosted large gatherings, and we cooked authentic Middle Eastern recipes at home. When I got pregnant with Jad, I decided to prepare a tray of chocolate giveaways for him, just as I did for his siblings. I looked around for chocolates that represented my identity and heritage with flavours like rose and pistachio that we were used to and gave us comfort as I wanted to share these. Unfortunately, there were no options available that I could find. This I when I had the idea to bring the chocolates that my family loves to Canada. A few weeks later, I gave birth to Jad, and a few weeks after that I reached out to a supplier and applied to some programs to learn more about business management.
You’ve mentioned the significant support you received from Jumpstart Refugee Talent’s Entrepreneurship program. Could you elaborate on how this program helped you in launching and growing WÜD?
I did not have any business experience before joining Jumpstart Refugee Talent’s HER Start-up Entrepreneurship Support program in early 2023. Through this program, my mentors provided business insights and guidance on e-commerce, as well as how to build a strong brand image and awareness. The program was interactive and educational, and I could successfully meet my business goals for that period with the program’s help. Mentors provided continuous support, answered my questions, and helped me overcome the challenges I faced such as how to navigate finalizing the personalized packaging. Moreover, they also help me overcome the mental health challenges associated with building a brand along the entrepreneurship journey.
As one of the inaugural businesses featured on an online store called ‘The Refugee Marketplace’ that will soon be launched by Jumpstart Refugee Talent, how do you believe platforms like this will impact the economic success and integration of refugees in new communities?
The soon to be launched Refugee Marketplace will be a platform that showcases refugee-owned businesses to scale their high-quality products and services to market. This exciting and unique online store is really for customers who want to support refugee-owned businesses or want to find curated, high-quality artful goods (or both), but perhaps don’t know how to do this. The Refugee Marketplace also supports businesses that aim to digitalize their processes and shift to e-commerce, which is another way to reach a wider market and increase sales. Overall this is a win for everyone, including consumers who have wider and more diverse choices in finding goods, and for refugees to take more control of their economic future while providing opportunities for local employment as they scale their businesses.
Your brand is deeply connected to the concept of heartfelt gifting and the Middle Eastern culinary heritage. How do you ensure that each chocolate box from WÜD carries this essence and connects with your customers on an emotional level?
I feel it! I try to design the box in a cheerful way that makes me happy whenever I make it. I also like it when people feel happy when they open their chocolate boxes. I choose high quality chocolates with Middle Eastern inspired flavours like rose and pistachio-infused cream that allow you to travel to the other side of the world and feel that sun and warmth. I add my energy and good wishes to every box I make, and feel blessed that my customers allow me to be part of their memories.
Looking at your journey since launching in late December 2023, what are some of the milestones that have stood out to you, and what future plans do you have for WÜD?
I first started selling in December 2023. Many customers got chocolate boxes for Christmas, then later in March, then chocolate boxes for Ramadan. It’s in these moments that I feel the core value of WÜD, which is a love that crosses and extends beyond any one faith. I am proud of this inclusion and that our chocolates are ordered from coast to coast across Canada.
Regarding future plans—I wish, plan, and work so that WÜD is a destination for celebrating tradition, culture, and nostalgia through Middle Eastern-inspired chocolates and gifts. We envision a world where every bite of our meticulously crafted chocolates and every gift evokes cherished memories, celebrates tradition, and creates a sense of home—all while providing opportunities for refugee economic empowerment and inclusion.
