Our Story

Our story is a love story. A story of hope, of passion, of wellness and of adventure!

Love Ya Fudge started from a desire to give back to our community, after our family received an over whelming amount of generosity and support with my very personal journey through breast cancer.

So here is my story so far....

My name is Maree Tippett and in November 2014 I came back from Europe with what I thought was the flu. Fatigue and general tiredness had been a feature, however, I put this down to a busy lifestyle. Commuting daily from Oxford to Christchurch for work, dropping off kids, and completing a multitude of other domestic tasks along the way. Not too dissimilar to many other families I know.

However, about mid November 2014 shortly after returning from holiday and returning to work, I discovered a lump under my arm. Not painful, but certainly significant. I went to my GP. He promptly sent me for a mammogram. I remember reading his referral note. It had the words “possible CA” written on it, in small but unmistakable letters. I was 44 years old.

Late November 2014. Mammogram. It started as a benign kind of appointment. However, by the end of the day, my life as I had defined it, and all those precious people in my world were changed. This knowledge that I was sick, now the defining focus of our day to day lives.

Things moved quickly with a referral to see a surgeon. The following evening, I was given a preliminary diagnosis of breast cancer. A week later my surgeon sat very competently in front of my partner and I and confirmed that I had stage 3 triple negative breast cancer. An aggressive and invasive cancer. It was in my lymph nodes and I needed surgery.

Immediately after this appointment we went across the road to an upmarket wine bar for a stiff drink. I joked that I needed to “sit in the shade” as I can't be getting melanoma. My humour wasted on my partner who at the time looked like he had decided I was going to die. After all, people with cancer do die, and die young, and I was now a 'cancer chick' that had joined a exclusive club where no one celebrates their membership!

Surgery and chemotherapy followed. So did the reminents of my life as I had experienced it. I took leave from work for 10 months, and spent time in Intensive Care. My hair, eyebrows and eyelashes fell out and there were times, if I had the energy to jump out of an upstairs hospital window, I would have done so gladly!

A good friend in our area rallied the troops from the local community of Oxford, along with West Eyreton School. A meal roster was set up with meals and baking delivered to school, put in their freezer, then delivered to our home! We had beautiful kind women do amazing birthday parties for our children so they could forget for just a little, about the ‘sickness’ that had wrapped around their hearts.

So in December 2016, with 15 months clearance of wellness, we as a family decided in a small way to give back. To give back to our generous community and to support other women and their families affected by Breast Cancer.

An idea started, that I would make fudge. Good fudge, from real food ingredients. We made lots of fudge, and sold it at work, at the gate and at the West Eyreton Fete. In just 3 short weeks we raised over $1000 and gifted this to Oxford Community Trust. What an amazing and joyous feeling!

It was truly a family effort. My 11-year old son shared our fundraising idea with all of the senior school and fudge was sold by the boxes to many beautiful families. I was, and am still so proud of him for his efforts. A brave and courageous young man.

So the next chapter begins. I woke up one day and made yet another radical and life affirming decision. This decision however was one I could choose. I talked with my husband and we agreed I was going to resign from my full time stable job of 9 years as a Social Worker to make Fudge. Not just any fudge, Love Ya Fudge!

And so, my business was born!

My philosophy and focus remains clear. I make fudge. I am passionate about making fudge. I am passionate about giving back and about “loving our Community”.

We use real food ingredients with no additives, only use eco sustainable packaging, and we give 10% of our monthly profits back to the Cancer Society.

We are inclusive and want others to share in our success!

Love Ya Fudge - Loving our Community!

Love Ya Fudge is handmade artisan fudge made locally in North Canterbury, with love . We welcome your feedback and any suggestions that you may have in helping grow our business, and expand our range of flavours.

We hold a Certificate of Compliance for the manufacture of fudge varieties. Registration Number WMR200002/1

National Programme 2

O my goodness picked up some fudge at the winter festival today, it's so soft and creamy and not sickly sweet like fudge can be at times. It's near perfect fudge thankyou so much, will definatly head to another market day to get some more,amazing!!

Samantha Marley

hi we picked up a double choc at the Ohoka farmers market
on Friday and shared it with my sister i really didn't want to
but i did anyway.

p.s i would love a Russan fudge Flavour.

jake young

We picked up some salted caramel on friday at the Ohoka Farmers Market and its well and truly finished already, hubby did not get his fair share!

Allanah

Very smooth and sweet with the right texture and firm to the bite. To say it did not last long is an understatement... try all the flavours!

Kelly E