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Cocoa Bombs!

THE KIDPRENEUR FILES

Meet some amazing kids who started their own businesses!

Hot Co Explosions (all images)

NAME:
Jack and Benny Roberts

AGE:
Jack, 15; Benny, 12

BUSINESS:
Hot Co Explosions, based in Jefferson, Georgia

Starting a Business

It all started with a wish: Jack and Benny Roberts wanted to buy their mother a Christmas gift with their own money. So in October 2020, they started a business making and selling hot cocoa bombs. These tasty treats are chocolate globes filled with hot cocoa mix and mini marshmallows. They’re beautiful to look at and fit in the bottom of a mug. When you add hot milk or water, the chocolate melts and the cocoa bombs break apart, “exploding” to release the mix inside.

That first year, Jack and Benny’s mother, Anastasia, set up a Facebook page for their business. By early December, they had so many orders that they had to hire a neighbor to help make the goodies! Local stores also started selling their cocoa bombs.

It all started with a wish: Jack and Benny Roberts wanted to buy their mother a Christmas gift. And they wanted to use their own money. So in October 2020, they decided to start a business. Jack and Benny make and sell hot cocoa bombs. Those are chocolate globes filled with hot cocoa mix and mini marshmallows. They’re beautiful to look at and fit in the bottom of a mug. When you add hot milk or water, the chocolate melts, releasing the mix inside.

Jack and Benny’s mother, Anastasia, helped them get started. That first year, she set up a Facebook page for their business. By early December, they had more orders than they could make themselves! They hired a neighbor to help them. Local stores also started selling their tasty treats.

Just put the cocoa bomb in a mug and add hot milk or water!

On the Job

Jack’s main job is to prepare the chocolate shells and cocoa mix.

Everyone has a different job to do. Jack makes the chocolate shells by pouring melted chocolate into bowl-shaped molds and letting it harden. To assemble a cocoa bomb, Anastasia melts the circular rim of one chocolate shell on a hot pan, adds cocoa mix and marshmallows, then softens the rim of a second shell and sticks it on top, sealing in the filling. Once that seal hardens, Benny decorates the cocoa bomb with additional candy and sprinkles. (Sometimes his mom helps!) Each cocoa bomb goes inside a cupcake liner that sits on a coaster decorated by Benny. “I package everything,” Benny says.

That first year, their neighbor helped by making the chocolate shells so that when Benny and Jack came home from school, they could fill and decorate the cocoa bombs. Anastasia runs their social media page and helps with whatever the boys need. The family describes the business as “Kid-Led, Mom-Managed.”

Everyone in the family has a job to do. Jack’s is making the chocolate shells. He pours melted chocolate into bowl-shaped molds and lets it harden. Then Anastasia assembles the cocoa bombs. She starts by melting the circular rim of one chocolate shell on a hot pan. Then she adds cocoa mix and marshmallows. She melts the rim of a second shell and sticks it on top, sealing in the filling.

Once the seal hardens, Benny decorates the cocoa bomb. He uses additional candy and sprinkles. Each cocoa bomb goes inside a cupcake liner. The cupcake liner goes on a coaster, which Benny decorates. “I package everything,” he says.

That first year, their neighbor helped by making the chocolate shells. When Benny and Jack came home from school, they filled and decorated the cocoa bombs. Anastasia now runs the social media page and helps with whatever the boys need. The family describes the business as “Kid-Led, Mom-Managed.”

What We've Learned

From selling the cocoa bombs in person at a local winter market, Benny learned how to make change. Jack learned baking techniques. “You have to know how to use the kitchen tools the right way,” he says. “This matters so I don’t get hurt.”

Jack and Benny both agree that the business taught them to save money. “I learned how to use money wisely and save it in case you need it for something later,” Benny says.

The brothers have also sold cocoa bombs in person at a local market. That’s how Benny learned how to count change. Jack, meanwhile, has learned baking techniques. “You have to know how to use the kitchen tools the right way,” he says. “This matters so I don’t get hurt.”

Jack and Benny both agree that the business taught them to save money. “I learned how to use money wisely and save it in case you need it for something later,” says Benny.

Writing a Budget
Watch an instructional video about writing a budget.

MATH BEHIND THE BUSINESS

Key Math Idea:

Making a Budget
Jack and Benny sell their goods at the Beechwood Holiday Market in Athens, Georgia. To prepare, they create a budget, or an estimate of expected income and expenses. Business income is money received from selling products. Expenses are money spent on supplies and services. You can find the profit by subtracting the expenses from the income.

Key Math Idea:

Making a Budget
Jack and Benny sell their goods at the Beechwood Holiday Market in Athens, Georgia. To prepare, they create a budget, or an estimate of expected income and expenses. Business income is money received from selling products. Expenses are money spent on supplies and services. You can find the profit by subtracting the expenses from the income.

Here's how they do it. Record your work and answers on our answer sheet.

Here's how they do it. Record your work and answers on our answer sheet.

A. Complete the budget chart above with the total expenses, income from sales of each item, and total income.

A. Complete the budget chart above with the total expenses, income from sales of each item, and total income.

B. If they sell out of all of the goods they made in their budget, what will Jack and Benny’s profit be?

B. If they sell out of all of the goods they made in their budget, what will Jack and Benny’s profit be?

Jack and Benny donate 10% of their profits to charitable organizations, use 30% as spending money, and save 60% for future expenses like college. Based on their income from the holiday fair, how much did they set aside for each category?

Jack and Benny donate 10% of their profits to charitable organizations, use 30% as spending money, and save 60% for future expenses like college. Based on their income from the holiday fair, how much did they set aside for each category?

Financial Literacy
Income, Cost, and Profit, Budgets
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