Unlike most businesses during the height of Covid, especially restaurants that struggled to keep their doors open, grocery stores, albeit by curbside pickup or delivery, flourished. Families were staying home and cooking, but that wears thin after prepping, cooking, and cleaning day in and day out for months on end.
Enter the charcuterie board.
Best friends, Ashley Elvis and Casey Young started their company, Board in Aiken, in the fall of 2019. In the beginning, they made charcuterie boards for family and friends. Their business grew quickly from there.
A year later when Covid was in high gear, they thought it was all over but, lo and behold, the pandemic was credited with a charcuterie boom, according to Food Business News.
“We offered delivery or pick-up and customers loved it. For so many who didn’t feel safe going out to eat, our charcuterie boards were a great option,” they explained.
The charcuterie trend, which has been around since the 1500’s, is enjoying a real moment in the spotlight in today’s world. Part of the popularity can be attributed to social media. The visual appeal of food on a board artistically arranged is tailor-made for Facebook and Instagram.
Board in Aiken posts frequently on both platforms. Their displays make you hungry, which is the goal.
“Our most popular board is the traditional board,” Young said. “From a small box to a large board, it’s filled with meats, cheeses, crackers, veggies, and fruit and can feed one or two, up to as many as 20 or more. As more people are gathering, the board sizes have grown.”
Charcuterie boards aren’t just snacks on a board. They are an easy option for families and at-home entertaining. As a bonus, they are healthy, for the most part, and usually contain the four basic food groups unless, of course, you have a sweet tooth. There are options for that, too. If you think of the board as a palette, the sky is the limit. No board is too small or too big.
“The charcuterie options we offer have grown into catering for business meetings, tailgating parties, weddings, and baby showers; in other words, preparing a table of food for any occasion,” Young said.
Business, no matter what kind, is often competitive. But for small businesses and entrepreneurs, mutual uplifting is vital. Young and Elvis are all over that concept like the variety of artistic boards they create.
“We get products for our charcuteries from Bottomline Bakery in Evans, River Bluff Honey in North Augusta, Poppa D’s Peach Chutney from Edgefield, and MacDaddy Macarons here in Aiken,” she said. “Our wood boards are made by Lea Massey from Carolina Bole and Beam in Saluda.”
Could you do a DIY charcuterie board? Yes, but it takes some time and an artistic eye to create an edible masterpiece. It’s hard to argue with the success.
Some start their business as a side hustle, and a few have approached six figures in sales in less than a year. The business of charcuterie is expected to continue growing. Restaurants and grocery stores are also cashing in on charcuterie board sales.
“We are tracking the growth and success of Board in Aiken and may at some point look at business expansion opportunities,” Young said.
In the meantime, if you are bored and hungry, you can learn more about Board in Aiken and their pickup, delivery, and drop-off locations on their website or Facebook page.
Editor’s Note:
Mitzi Oxford is a veteran broadcaster and features writer who also worked at the same television station in Columbus, Georgia as Augusta’s Brad Means!
If you have a South Carolina story idea for Mitzi, please email her at mitzioxfordcreative@gmail.com.
