DAVIS, Okla. – Bedré Fine Chocolate commemorated its 25th anniversary with a special celebration June 16, offering guests a glimpse of the chocolate making process and an opportunity to indulge in delectable treats.
Purchased by the Chickasaw Nation in 2000, Bedré Fine Chocolate blends ancient tradition with modern flavor to produce world-class premium gourmet chocolates. Bedré, a Norwegian word meaning “better,” has continued to expand its line as well as its production facility in the past quarter century.
Guests gleaned a better understanding of the origin of the key ingredient in Bedré’s signature chocolates, the cocoa bean, through “From Bean to Bar,” an educational experience detailing the sustainable methods used in Bedré’s cocoa farming.
Utilizing the Cacao Trace sustainable cocoa program, an organization dedicated to building a sustainable future for the cocoa chain and everyone involved, Bedré delivers the highest quality chocolate, from cocoa bean to chocolate bar. The chocolate is the result of sustainable farming methods, expertly processed cocoa beans and the highest manufacturing standards.
“It’s a very good sustainability program,” Bedré General Manager Kay Colbert said. “Because we know that when we are buying the chocolate it is also contributing back to the communities where these farmers live, to their families and the farms where they grow the cocoa beans.”
The Cacao Trace program helps build vital community institutions such as hospitals, water supplies and schools.
Bedré was established in the late 1980s on the outskirts of Ada, on the former Homer Elementary School property. In 2000, under the leadership of Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby, the Chickasaw Nation purchased the company as part of an initiative to diversify business interests and promote tourism.
Bedré relocated to a larger facility in Pauls Valley in 2003. The current state-of-the-art 34,600-square-foot production facility and retail store, situated along I-35 near Davis, opened in 2013, creating a one-of-a-kind attraction in Chickasaw Country. It is located adjacent to the Chickasaw Welcome Center.
To commemorate the silver anniversary, guests were given a special 25th anniversary candy bar made of white chocolate and Oklahoma native pecans. The sweet treat was also given to guests at the McSwain Theatre in Ada, Oklahoma, during a June screening of “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” as an homage to Bedré’s Ada beginnings.
During the June 16 event, baristas from Oklahoma City’s Not Your Average Joe Coffee served complimentary refreshments featuring Bedre’s Oka’ Losa’ line of specialty coffees.
The coffee line is just one addition in recent years to Bedré’s product line; milk and dark chocolate covered gummi bears are another. Meltaways in 16 flavors, chocolate-covered twists and potato chips, caramel pecan sensations, and peppermint bark remain fan favorites. Dark chocolate premium sauce and melting wafers create opportunities for endless recipes. The milk chocolate cowboy boot, cowboy hat and Oklahoma-shaped chocolates are popular choices among Bedré customers.
Bedré is a member of the “Made in Oklahoma” coalition, which assists companies in promoting agricultural products that are grown, produced or manufactured in Oklahoma, and was recently ranked in the top 10 best chocolate shops in USA Today’s 10Best reader poll. Readers voted Bedré Fine Chocolate No. 6 in the United States.
Bedré Fine Chocolate is conveniently located on the southwest corner of I-35 at Exit 55 at 37 N. Colbert Road in Davis. Hours are Monday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Visit BedreChocolates.com for more information or call (800) 367-5390.