A Victus Ars Project
A center for training in confectionery science & technology
welcome to
The Institute of
Confectionery Excellence
A center for training confectionery science & technology in an innovative, entrepreneurial space in the heart of Chicago, the “Silicon Valley of Food”. Founded and directed by Michelle Frame, CEO of Victus Ars and esteemed expert in the field, with classes led by a diverse group of highly skilled scientists
About
The Institute of Confectionery Excellence takes a unique, 70% lab-based approach to education. The program immerses students in principles of science using a repetitive, approachable and applicable modality to provide immediate value to cross-functional roles.
Method
Our curriculum is designed to cultivate an understanding of the science and technology that makes food development and manufacturing effective, food-safe, and delicious!
Our small-class model is designed to benefit a diverse range of professionals — from food scientists, to production operators, engineers, sales & marketing, purchasing, and executive teams. Each role returns home with usable knowledge to make better business decisions and communicate across functions.
We emphasize repetition to build confidence, technical proficiency and applied knowledge.
-
Dive into the science behind gummy production and learn how ingredients and process parameters work together to create perfect confections. Struggling with slimy, lumpy, or overly tough gummies? We’ll cover the most common issues and how to prevent them—so every batch is a success.
Desiged For: line operators & lab technicians looking to enhance their technical skills.
Key Learnings
Sugar:Syrup Ratios – Ingredient and nutritional labeling
Flavors, Colors, Acids – Troubleshooting top issues
Ingredient Functionality – Shelf-life: safety and robustness
Dry Weight Basis Calculations – Process parameters for consistent production
Cooking Methods – Developing & combining textures
Syllabus Overview
Day 1: Making starch molds & beginning batching
Day 2: Gelatin batching & pectin batching
Day 3: Finishing & troubleshooting
-
Panning is an art that demands patience, precision, and adaptability. Using 24” conventional pans, we’ll start with the fundamentals and progress to more challenging coatings. But be ready—if your panning room has “perfect” conditions, this course will push you beyond them with real-world challenges straight from our instructors’ playbook.
Designed for: cross-functional technical and non-technical roles looking to develop hands-on panning expertise.
Key Learnings
Chocolate, Soft Sugar, Hard Sugar – Panning room parameters for each method
Ingredient Functionality – Troubleshooting top issues
Understanding What the Candy is Telling You – Designing syrup for shell sensory attributes
Panning Techniques – Process parameters for consistent production
Adjusting for Center Types – Optimizing coating strategies
Syllabus Overview
Day 1: Chocolate & Compound
Day 2: Soft Sugar Shell
Day 3: Hard Sugar Shell
-
This hands-on course gives you a broad understanding of how various candy types are made, how existing plant equipment can be adapted for new product development, and the technical language needed to collaborate with R&D and operations teams. Plus, you’ll get to take home some delicious treats—or learn from a few glorious candy fails!
Designed for: Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, and other business teams looking to deepen their confectionery knowledge.
Key Learnings
Sugar:Syrup Ratios – Aerating, emulsifying, graining
Flavors, Colors, Acids – Troubleshooting top issues
Ingredient Functionality – Ingredient and nutritional labeling
Dry Weight Basis Calculations – Shelf-life: safety and robustness
Cooking Methods – Hard candy, caramels, marshmallows, gummies, chews
Developing & Combining Textures – Process parameters for consistent production
Syllabus Overview
Day 1: See, taste, and analyze a variety of candy textures, flavors, and types
Day 2: Hands-on production of hard candy, marshmallows, and gummies
Day 3: Making taffy and experimenting with panning
Day 4: Playing with chocolate—exploring tempering, enrobing, and more
Courses & Schedule
DESIGNED FOR
Food Scientists
Business Roles
Production Operators
What do
we teach?
While the specific topics may change, these key principles are included in each course.
-
Be amazed at how many candy types start out similarly! Test your skills at pulling taffy, hand depositing gummies, and panning chocolate-covered raisins. From hard candy to marshmallows to caramel, we cover a range of product types and how they are similar and different from each other.
-
Understanding how non-crystallizing syrups and sucrose work together is key to understanding most confections. Adding fat, protein, gelling agents, etc., differentiates the eating experience and the process.
-
Understanding the ingredients and how they function isn’t the end of the story, but just the beginning. When and how they are added, and how they are cooked, cooled, and handled all play into the recipe plan.
-
How does changing or adding an ingredient affect the cost? And is it worth it if it alters the eating experience? Let’s consider some scenarios.
-
Sometimes a new product requires a whole new line, and sometimes, one piece of equipment can open up a world of possibilities! How equipment affects the finished product will be explored.
-
Accuracy is critical in achieving the desired finished products. Understanding weight, pH, water activity, and brix brings consistency and repeatability to our products.
-
Not everyone plays the same at 2 lbs and 200 lbs. We'll review some typical hurdles and how to plan for adjustments.
-
Most ingredients used for confectionery are safe in dry format, but become petri dishes once hydrated if not handled properly. Critical analysis of the process is necessary to ensure a safe and fabulous end product.
-
All the hard work isn’t worth it unless we delight our customers! We'll review our efforts, along with some commercial products, to ensure customer satisfaction.
Food Scientists
Acquire a one-of-a-kind, hands-on experience in product development and benchtop methods
Gain knowledge of the scientific methodology in food, beverage & confectionery production.
Learn advanced methods for producing confections that deliver a delightful eating experience, while maintaining regulations and standards.
Gain greater opportunities for career advancement by understanding the business impact of product development decisions
Production Operators
Develop an advanced knowledge of materials used every day in confectionery production, including ingredients, equipment, quality checks, and processes.
Acquire skills necessary for identifying potential problems during the production process and developing appropriate solutions.
Leverage newfound knowledge to handle tasks and challenges with greater confidence and accuracy.
Build skills needed to advance in pay level and production roles.
Business Roles
Become proficient in the key technical terms R&D and Quality use, and how they hit the bottom line
Learn ingredient and process capabilities and limitations involved in creating food for human consumption
Discuss standards and regulations that impact the confectionery industry, ensuring marketing efforts are compliant with applicable laws and regulations.
Understand equipment capabilities to assess additional new items that can be manufactured with no or limited capital costs.
Magnificently located in the Windy City!
Our lab is based in Chicago, a bustling culinary epicenter that is often referred to as the 'Silicon Valley of Food’. Our facility boasts state-of-the-art equipment and a lab that is pleasantly located down the street from Chicago’s trendy “Restaurant Row” where Chicago’s food scene hosts its most inspiring establishments!
Instructor Team
-
Michelle Frame
-
Allison Voll
-
Renee Evans
-
Michelle Schwenk
ENROLL TODAY!
At the Institute of Confectionery Excellence, our courses not only provide key technical training in new product development of sweets, snacks, and beverages, but also offer invaluable insights into business strategy and how product development impacts the company’s growth. Enrolling in our programs will empower your team to generate innovative product ideas while understanding the bigger picture of communicating technical information in a way that executive, business, and operations roles both understand and can act on. We are dedicated to providing insights and methods so you and your team excels.
Classes are kept to sixteen students per class, to ensure an interactive and intensive experience. Secure your attendance to The Institute of Confectionery Excellence's 2025 academic season by enrolling today.