NOKA Chocolate

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NOKA Chocolate

• Where it all started DallasYear founded
  2004Annual sales NAHow much will it set you
  back? Try a box of 12 pieces for 39 Founders
  Noah Houghton and Katrina Merrem were trained in
  finance, but their real passion is quality
  chocolate. Known as some of the most expensive
  chocolates on the market, these single-estate,
  dark-chocolate, "vintage" pieces and truffles
  have received instant recognition, and the
  relatively new company already has two boutiques
  in the U.S. and in Japan. Despite early success,
  the company has already landed itself in a bit of
  controversy after a lengthy blog exposé accused
  NOKA of unwarranted markups.

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Chuao Chocolatier

• Where it all started San DiegoYear founded
  2002Annual sales NAHow much will it set you
  back? An assorted box of 16 bonbons and truffles
  costs 27Brothers Michael and Richard Antonorsi
  founded Chuao in 2002 as a luxury chocolate brand
  that stands out for its use of exclusively
  Venezuelan cacao (produced in the Chuao region)
  and for its unique blend of flavors. The Flavors
  of the Region box features original creations
  with pear tahini and rosemary butter caramel,
  while the ChocoPod collection features
  interesting strawberry and balsamic, banana, and
  passionfruit-flavored caramel fillings.

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Lindt Sprüngli

• Where it all started ZürichYear founded
  1845Annual sales 2.15 billion/CHF2.6 billion
  (2006)How much will it set you back? Try a
  15-piece assorted gift box for 15Started by
  the Sprünglis as a small business in 1845,
  innovative leadership catapulted the company into
  expansive growth, which included the acquisition
  of famous chocolate-maker Rodolphe Lindt's brand.
  Popular items include their wrapped Lindor
  truffles and simple premium chocolate bars that
  are regular duty-free favorites

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Guylian

• Where it all started Sint-Niklaas, BelgiumYear
  founded 1960Annual sales Approximately 200
  million How much will it set you back? A box of
  22 seashells goes for 14Guylian's name was
  fused from the names of husband and wife team Guy
  and Liliane Foubert who operated out of their
  kitchen in Belgium to make chocolates to sell to
  local chocolate shops. Founded in 1960, the
  brand, with its signature seashell-molded
  pralines, has created a strong international
  presence with 96 of sales coming from exports
  outside of Belgium.

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Ghirardelli

• Where it all started San FranciscoYear founded
  1852Annual sales NAHow much will it set you
  back? Get a bag of 70 signature square pieces for
  27Italian immigrant Domingo Ghirardelli
  started the company in San Francisco in 1852. It
  did so well that Ghirardelli (pronounced
  Gear-ar-delly) Square has since been declared a
  city landmark. The company, which sells a range
  of products from quality cocoa mix to its
  signature filled squares, has opened retail
  stores in a number of locations across the U.S.
  Lindt Sprüngli acquired the brand in 1998.

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Perugina

• Where it all started Perugia, ItalyYear
  founded 1907Annual sales NAHow much will it
  set you back? Get a 5-oz. bag (approx. 10 pieces)
  of Baci for 6This Italian confectionary has
  been creating chocolaty goodness since 1907,
  becoming famous for their Baci chocolate,
  hazelnut-filled kisses wrapped in a love note.
  Perugina was acquired by Nestlé's European
  Chocolates division, which also includes brands
  Quality Street and After Eight.

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Ethel's Chocolate

• Where it all started Henderson, Nev. (Ethel M)
  Chicago (Ethel's) Year founded 1981 (Ethel M)
  2005 (Ethel's)Annual sales According to Mars
  spokesman Phil Levine, since its launch in
  spring of 2005, the Ethel's Chocolate brand has
  experienced double-digit growth each year.How
  much will it set you back? A 12-piece box of
  truffles sells for 14Mars revamped its premium
  operation with a new brand name in 2005. With
  locations exclusively in Nevada and Chicago,
  Ethel's Chocolate features cozy coffeehouse-style
  chocolate lounges that still sell the Ethel M
  Classic Collection alongside Ethel's newer
  product lines. Each collection is distinctly
  themed (i.e., fruit, cocktail, and caramel and
  nut), which is consistent with the brand's
  promise of no mystery middles.

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La Maison du Chocolat

• Where it all started ParisYear founded
  1977Annual sales NAHow much will it set you
  back? A box of milk chocolate and dark chocolate
  ganache (22 pieces) goes for a little over
  36Master chocolatier Robert Linxe opened his
  first La Maison du Chocolat boutique in 1977,
  creating a gourmet brand known for its subtle
  flavors and savory ganache. They are made only at
  the Paris production facility, where 25 trained
  chocolate-makers create the handmade chocolates,
  which are then shipped to retail locations in
  France, London, New York, and Tokyo.

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Neuhaus

• Where it all started BrusselsYear founded
  1857Annual sales NAHow much will it set you
  back? Get a half-pound ballotin for 40John
  Neuhaus did not set out to become a luxury
  chocolatier when he opened up his pharmaceutical
  confectionary back in 1857 in fact, his first
  products of bitter chocolate and licorice were
  designed to alleviate painful symptoms, not to
  delight the senses. Soon the store began to offer
  the sweet pralines that can now be purchased in
  more than 2,000 sales outlets in 50 countries.

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FERRERO ROCHER chocolate

• Ferrero Rocher is a spherical chocolate sweet
  made by Italian chocolatier Ferrero SpA, the
  producer of Tic Tac and Nutella. The sweets
  consist of a whole roasted hazelnut encased in a
  thin wafer shell filled with hazelnut cream and
  covered in milk chocolate and chopped hazelnuts
  and walnuts. The sweets each contain 69 calories,
  and are individually packaged inside a
  gold-coloured wrapper.

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Dove

• Created with love by Greek-American founder Leo
  Stefanos, DOVE Chocolate has been a rich family
  tradition since the 1950s. Witnessing his son
  racing down the street after an ice cream truck,
  the Chicago candy store owner developed the
  DOVEBAR out of concern for his childrens
  safety. Hand-dipping ice cream in premium
  chocolate, Leo took months to refine the recipe,
  naming the new treat after his south side candy
  shop, a moniker chosen for its peaceful
  quality. Those first rich, creamy DOVEBAR were
  an instant success, but it wasnt until Leos son
  grew up and followed in his fathers footsteps
  that DOVE Chocolate became known from coast to
  coast. By the late 70s over one million DOVEBAR
  were sold in a single year by street vendors to
  eager children and adults. The DOVEBAR
  popularity soon caught the attention of another
  family of expert chocolatiers. MM/Mars acquired
  DOVE in 1986 as the crown jewel of their
  company, and refined DOVE Chocolates purity and
  taste before introducing milk and dark chocolate
  bars in the 90s.

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• Put "eat chocolate"
• at the top of your list of
• stuff to do nowadays.
• That way, at least you'll get one
• thing finished .

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• Thank you!