How a cancer diagnosis galvanised Bovingdon's Fudge Fairy

Amy Marzec truly believes that if she hadn’t had breast cancer, she wouldn’t be in the happy place she is today – building a little empire with the fudge she started making at home during lockdown to take her mind off what was happening to her bod

She was diagnosed with the disease in 2019 and describes her oncologist David Miles as ‘the most incredible man I have ever met – excluding my husband.”

And she smiles: “Only I could start chemo on Hallowe’en with a drug called Red Devil because it was so strong.”

Amy had a very hard time – at one stage having daily radiotherapy as well as oral chemotherapy. She lost her hair, had emergency surgery and suffered a heart attack.

But in spite of all this, she says: “Life after cancer can be positive and it can bring so many things you didn’t dream were possible.”

She’d never made fudge until January 2020, when she was having a three week break from chemotherapy.

“I wanted something sweet to eat but couldn’t get to the shops,” she explains. “So I decided to try to make some myself from what I had in the cupboard . . . and my lemon meringue fudge was born.

"I made a huge batch and sent it to work with my husband Carl the next day.”

Care co-odinator Amy continued making her fudge, trying new flavours, and sending it to Neovia Logistics where Carl was employed “so I couldn’t eat it.”

But he was furloughed during lockdown and she lost her job because she’d had so much time off for treatment.

The couple sat down and decided they would have nothing to lose if they started a small business.

Amy says: “We launched Fudge Fairy more as a hobby – something to keep me occupied on the days I felt able to do something.

"We started our first year with 23 flavours and now have 47, including a vegan fudge.”

Tastes are changed to suit the season – popular favourites are Christmas pudding, advent calendar, eggnog, hot cross bun, fudge-filled Easter eggs and special boxes for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

Amy particularly likes Marmite, which was recommended by a customer. “I thought I’d give it a try and it’s definitely one I’d reach for,” she says.

Her Bovingdon home now boasts five fridges to store her wares and she’s very proud of their five star hygiene rating.

She’s even been approached by Costco which she admits was “a huge confidence boost” and hopes one day to be in a position to supply the wholesale warehouse chain.

In November her husband was made redundant but again, the couple saw this as a positive.

Amy says: “Both of us are taking the reins to grow the business together.

"We’ve got lots of ideas for new products, including merchandise for our die-hard fans.”

They’re currently working on building a website so customers can buy direct.

> The Fudge Fairy is based at St Albans Market every Saturday when you’ll be able to try a free sample.