Mixing a pack of Swiss Miss or Nesquik with milk isn’t hot chocolate, according to the owners of Sipping Dreams. Since 2007, the local family-owned company in downtown Eugene has brought European-style hot chocolate to the Pacific Northwest.
“This is real hot chocolate,” Sipping Dreams president Clover Earl said.@@see link@@ “That means the primary ingredient is real chocolate instead of just sugar and cocoa powder.”
Earl, 52, and her husband, Tom Zell@@see link@@, 62, started the company soon after they met in 2006. Zell introduced Earl to a drinking chocolate recipe he created, and she jokingly suggested they start a business together. Five years later, Sipping Dreams now sells its product in 150 stores in the Pacific Northwest and Midwest.
“When we started, pretty much no one knew what drinking chocolate was,” Earl said. “That definitely has changed and is changing. More and more people are giving it a taste.”
The bars cost about $6 and are made to be melted in milk, which makes a thick drink that is similar to pudding. Zell, along with two other employees, makes and packages the chocolate at the company’s warehouse and sends it to various stores, including The Kiva, Market of Choice and Whole Foods Market.
Not only does the shop provide people with what Earl calls a “velvety and decadent” chocolate drink, but it donates a portion of its proceeds to local nonprofits. The company has given thousands of dollars — and donated chocolate — to Food for Lane County and Youth, Rights & Justice, a nonprofit in Portland@@http://youthrightsjustice.org/non-profit-information@@ that helps at-risk youth. This year, the company has partnered with Ophelia’s Place, a local nonprofit that offers after-school activities and classes to help girls make good choices.
“I’m very excited to have Sipping Dreams as a partner,” said Verna Wise, executive director of Ophelia’s Place.@@http://www.linkedin.com/pub/verna-wise/b/548/5b7@@ “They’re doing what they do because of their love of chocolate and because of their support in giving back to the community.”
Sipping Dreams has promoted its product at various events in the Pacific Northwest.Earl said they gave away more than 5,000 samples in January at the ChocolateFest in Portland.@@http://chocolatefest.org/@@ They will be in Ashland at the Oregon Chocolate Festival this weekend.@@http://www.ashlandspringshotel.com/12-oregon-chocolate-festival.php@@ Both Earl and Zell said interacting with customers at these events is one of the most rewarding parts of their job.
“It makes people smile,” Zell said. “It makes people happy.”
Earl said Made in Oregon@@http://www.madeinoregon.com/@@ will be the next store that sells their chocolate. She and Zell hope to expand to more stores regionally and eventually nationally.
“We’re really about wanting people to connect over drinking chocolate@@ugh@@,” Earl said. “We expect by this holiday season that we’re going to be in a much different position than we were in last year. It’s resonating with people.”