Conference Connection – Kate Hufnagel and Sun Cups
The theme of the first year of the Food Allergy Bloggers Conference was “Connecting” and we are happy to report many of you did just that! If you are considering attending this year and want to know if it is a worthwhile event, don’t just take our word for it. This year’s conference theme is “Celebrating Others” so we wanted to celebrate and spotlight a few attendees that credit the event with some exciting opportunities and experiences.
First, we have Kate Hufnagel and Sun Cups. Both Kate and Sun Cups plan to be back for FABlogCon 2014 and we are thrilled to read about their connection. The post below is written by Kate, check out her blog at www.thediaryofanaphylaxis.com and see her Q&A post from last year prior to the event.
Kate Hufnagel, the founder of www.thediaryofanaphylaxis.com, attended the first ever FABlogCon about a year after experiencing her first anaphylactic reaction (thanks to lentils) and learning she was allergic to seven foods (this number has increased since then).
While at FABlogCon, she came across the Sun Cups table and politely explained to the gentleman behind the table that she was familiar with his products but wasn’t stopping because she’s allergic to sunflower. The gentleman, Sun Cups Founder David Lurie, casually slid the box of Caramel Cups forward and said “these don’t have sunflower in them.” This stopped Kate dead in her tracks as her brain attempted to process the notion that there was a nut-free — and sunflower-free — chocolate in front of her. After tasting them, Kate knew she had finally found a new-found love in Sun Cups’ Caramel Cups and frequently stopped by David’s table to sweet talk him into another sample.
Caramel Cups
After FABlogCon, Kate ordered three boxes of Caramel Cups to give as holiday presents to people who are important to her (well, she did keep a box for herself). As she was preparing to relocate from Virginia to Colorado at the start of the year, Kate reached out to David to find out if she could do a Twitter campaign for Sun Cups as she drove across most of the country. And, after settling into her new home, Kate contacted David to find out if he’d be willing to give her a tour of the Sun Cups facility (after all, her love of Caramel Cups had now turned into somewhat of an addiction). David happily obliged and invited her to the Sun Cups facility in Boulder, CO. Little did Kate know that David had other ideas in mind. After a huge welcoming hug and a tour, David asked Kate if she’d be willing to help out Sun Cups.
Today, Kate is putting her social media know-how and project management skills to use as the Sun Cups Customer Ambassador. She is thrilled to be associated with a company that is fanatical about not only creating some of the most delicious chocolate she’s ever had but also ensuring that their chocolates are free of so many allergens (gluten, nuts, soy; just to name a few).
Thank you, Kate! Don’t forget to register today (be sure to check out our new schedule system that lets you build your own schedule of events and panels to attend) and we’ll see you in September!
Interested in sponsorship? E-mail us at jenny@fablogcon.com or homa@fablogcon.com. If you have a connection you’d like us to feature, feel free to e-mail us about it as well.