StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Forbidden Pleasures, Flash Freeze, Bob Gauvreau and Innovation Cluster
PTBOCanada is delighted to be running StoosNews columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…
Jane and Hal Elliott opened Forbidden Pleasures in 1989, 33 years ago.
Since then, the company has grown to three locations, the Market Plaza and the Brookdale Plaza in Peterborough and the Verne Plaza in Oshawa. The Elliotts are happy to announce the sale of the business to their daughter Kristen Destounis. Kristen has worked alongside her parents since the 90s and has contributed much to the growth and success of the stores. Jane and Hal would like to thank their loyal and diverse group of customers, as well as all of the staff over the years who have helped create a comfortable, safe and inclusive place to shop.
Freeze Dried Candy is a thing…
Billed as Peterborough’s newest and chilliest Candy Company, the Flash Freeze Candy Company recently launched with an exclusive distribution deal through Couture Candy. Couture Candy owner, Lisa Couture, is proud to be supporting another female-led local company and loves the new freeze-dried product, describing it as the biggest and most viral global trend in candy. Check it out at or stop into the store at 386 George St. N.
Bob Gauvreau recently announced some big news, that Envolta, a cloud accounting firm originating in Ottawa, has joined the Gauvreau Brand.
Formed in 2012, Envolta is an innovative cloud-based accounting firm that serves the North America market with a heavy emphasis on utilizing the latest technology. With team members located across Canada, the combined team, which will continue under the Gauvreau name, now has over 80 team members, an experienced executive team, as well as partners for the Accounting, Tax, Law and Advisory arms of the business. As Bob says, ‘it’s go time.’
Congratulations to Mike Skinner and John Gillis, who recently announced their retirement from the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
With Mike as CEO and John as President, the Cluster has seen tremendous success, both as an organization, and as the launching pad for more than 300 companies, the creation of nearly 900 jobs, and an economic impact of $54 Million dollars. Successful in their own right, the cluster was a true labour of love for the pair, so a tip of the hat to Mike Skinner and John Gillis on a job well done. Watch for an announcement on a new CEO before the end of the year.
