World's Finest Chocolate
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| World's Finest Chocolate | |
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| Type | Private |
| Founded | 1949 |
| Headquarters |  Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Key people | Ed Opler, Sr., founder; Eddie Opler, current CEO |
| Industry | Chocolate manufacturer |
| Products | See list below |
| Website | WorldsFinestChocolate.com WorldsFinestFundraising.com |
World's Finest Chocolate is a chocolate company based in Chicago, Illinois. They are one of only 10 companies in the United States that manufactures chocolate "from bean to bar". They also have a sales office located in Campbellford, Ontario, Canada.
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[edit] Fundraising Division
The company is most well known for its $1 Almond Bar chocolate bar that is used for fundraising. The company's chocolates are most often used to help not-for-profits raise money, and the products are commonly sold by churches, schools, athletic organizations and social service organizations in the United States and Canada. The most unusual aspect of the chocolate bars is that they can be labeled with a group's name and fundraising purpose, and a picture or a logo can be printed on the bar wrappers.
[edit] Gift Division
World's Finest Chocolate can be used for personal or business gifts. These products can be used as gifts for holidays or any special occasions. The majority of the gift products can be personalized free. They are sold through a catalog and online.
[edit] Retail Division
World's Finest products can be found in several large retail stores such as Wal-Mart, Walgreen's, and Target. The products sold include Continental Almonds, Mint Meltaways, and Caramel Whirls.
[edit] Company History Timeline
1918 - Ed Opler, Sr. joins his brothers' cocoa business in New York.
1922 - Ed Opler, Sr. establishes E&A Opler Co., a cocoa packaging company.
1939 - Ed Opler, Sr. sells Siren Mills and starts Cook Chocolate Company, Chicago.
1944 - Cook Chocolate Company joins the Chocolate Manufacturers Association (CMA).
1949 - Chocolate product fund raising begins with the World's Finest milk chocolate with almond bar.
1950 - World's Finest becomes a sales division of Cook Chocolate Co.
1951 - World's Finest introduces Continental Almonds.
1956 - Trademark, World's Finest is registered in U.S. Patent Office.
1958 - World's Finest begins manufacturing and sales operations in Campbellford, Ontario, Canada.
1963 - World's Finest introduces Imperial Almonds.
1972 - World's Finest Chocolate, Inc. becomes the corporate name of the company.
1973 - World's Finest chocolate bar package design registered in Patent Office.
1975 - World's Finest establishes its own experimental cocoa plantation on St. Lucia, West Indies.
1979 - World's Finest introduces Mint Meltaways.
1985 - World's Finest moves into its 500,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art factory in Chicago.
1994 - World's Finest introduces its most complete line of gift products for fund raising and corporate gifts.
1999 - World's Finest celebrates 50 years in Fund Raising with over five billion bars sold, and is proud to be one of only eleven chocolate manufacturers in the U.S.
2000 - World's Finest partners with QSP, the fundraising division of Readers Digest to broaden the distribution of World's Finest Chocolate fundraising products. It also makes its entrance into the internet, retail, and food gift markets.
2002 - World's Finest opens its second outlet store, located in Orland Hills, IL.
2003 - World's Finest introduces its first branded retail product line.
2005 - World's Finest up-dates its corporate logo, launches a new holiday retail lineup, and new fundraising packaging.
2006 - World's Finest purchases the Queen Anne brand and begins manufacturing cordial cherries in its facilities.
[edit] List of Products Offered by World's Finest Chocolate
| Chocolate Covered Items | Individually Wrapped Specialty Chocolates | Chocolate Bars |
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