Endangered Species Chocolate Company… gourmet chocolate, with a message

Talent, OR – Jon Stocking, founder of the Endangered Species Chocolate Company, dreams of saving the world – one chocolate bar at a time. Eight years ago, the Oregon-based entrepreneur decided to use premium-quality Belgian chocolate and eye-catching, colorful wrappers to bring attention to the plight of endangered animals and the worldwide loss of wildlife habitat. Today, his company offers 16 tempting gourmet chocolate bars, each one named for a particular animal or habitat. For example, the Dolphin bar is made of Belgian milk chocolate studded with dried cherries, the Elephant bar is a blend of chocolate and peanut brittle, and the Black Rhino bar is dark chocolate flecked with hazelnut toffee.

True to his mission of making a difference, Stocking contributed 10% of the company’s gross sales to conservation organizations last year, including Defenders of Wildlife, American Forests, Wildlife Conservation Society, and The Jane Goodall Institute. “I’m trying to open people’s eyes. Consider what we’ll lose if we don’t change right now,” Stocking urges. In 1993, a trip to the zoo with his 4-year-old daughter was Stocking’s catalyst to create a business that could help endangered species. “She asked why an elephant was chained and what I was going to do to help it.” Chocolate was the answer and soon became the medium for his message.

Affectionately known as “Chocolate Jon” in the industry, Stocking hosts factory tours and sessions for schools and other groups in his education center above the factory. His presentations focus on endangered animals, the environment, and cocoa. “After speaking to groups of children, and knowing that I make an impression on them,” Stocking comments, “I can’t imagine not doing what I do.” As testimony, his office bookshelves are stacked with pictures and letters from children who have attended his presentations or simply love his candy bars. Second-grader Jesse’s letter reads, “I think that people should not kill animals for their fur and tusks. I think they need it more than us.”

But, be sure that it’s the quality of the chocolate that allows ESCC to successfully communicate its environmental vision. “We use only the finest Belgian chocolate and all-natural ingredients. Our recipes are grounded in age-old European traditions for chocolate making,” Stocking says. ESCC chocolate is gently conched (rolled and blended) for hours on end to make it exceptionally smooth. “Our chocolate is sensory gratification. It satisfies the taste buds and the conscience in a single bite.”

Endangered Species Chocolate Company products are distributed nationwide in leading natural food stores and specialty outlets such as zoos, museum shops, bookstores, coffee shops, and outdoor camping stores. For information, call 541-535-2170, or visit the web site at www.chocolatebar.com







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