{{Short description|Chicago chocolate company since 1939}} {{promotional|date=December 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Use American English|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox company | logo = World's Finest Chocolate Logo.svg | foundation = {{start date and age|1939}} | founder = Edmond Opler Sr. | type = Private | location = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | products = Chocolate | homepage = {{official URL}} }} '''World's Finest Chocolate''' is a chocolate company based in Chicago, Illinois.<ref name="trib">{{cite news | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2006/02/07/chocolate-firm-breaks-mold/ | title=Chocolate firm breaks mold ; World's Finest expands into retail | newspaper=Chicago Tribune | date=February 7, 2006 | access-date=May 20, 2012 | author=Schmeltzer, John}} {{Subscription required}}</ref> The company, founded in 1939, has become a large fundraising organization in the United States which typically holds fundraisers for school districts.
==History== World's Finest Chocolate was founded under the name ''Cook Chocolate Company'' by Edmond Opler Sr. in 1939.
He started the division that produced chocolate bars for fundraising in 1949 and called it "World's Finest Chocolate".
In 1972, the company's name was changed to "World's Finest Chocolate". In 1985, the company moved into a 500,000-square-foot factory.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=School fundraising a billion-dollar business |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-back-to-school-fundraising-sales-0804-biz-20150803-story.html |access-date=2022-07-01 |website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> Opler's son, Edmond Jr., has run the company since Edmond Sr. retired in 1988.<ref>Teresa Jimenez, [https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1995-08-30-9508300044-story.html "Edmond Opler Sr., Candymaker"] (obituary), ''Chicago Tribune'', August 30, 1995.</ref>
In 2006, World's Finest Chocolate acquired the company Queen Anne, a brand of cordial cherries. In June 2015, the company acquired Market Day, a frozen food store.<ref name=":1" />
In 2021, World's Finest Chocolate started a monthly $2K Giveaway for teachers.<ref name="sandmountainreporter">{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Shannon J. |title='Outstanding educator' wins $2,000 |url=https://www.sandmountainreporter.com/free_share/article_a0af42b0-891d-11ec-9716-9b8dfe3883c1.html |access-date=2022-07-01 |website=sandmountainreporter.com |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307161744/https://www.sandmountainreporter.com/free_share/article_a0af42b0-891d-11ec-9716-9b8dfe3883c1.html |archive-date= Mar 7, 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Amanda Aguilar |date=2021-11-10 |title=Dinuba teacher wins $2,000 in national educator contest |url=https://abc30.com/dinuba-high-school-brittany-sumpter-teacher-wins-prize-worlds-finest-chocolate/11216449/ |access-date=2022-07-01 |website=ABC30 Fresno |language=en}}</ref> The company also donated around 10 million chocolate bars to COVID-19 doctors and nurses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=World's Finest Chocolate aims to donate 10M chocolate bars to COVID-19 frontliners |url=https://www.candyindustry.com/articles/89078-worlds-finest-chocolate-aims-to-donate-10m-chocolate-bars-to-covid-19-frontliners |access-date=2022-07-01 |website=www.candyindustry.com |language=en}}</ref>
== Corporate affairs == The company specializes in Fundraising events.<ref name=":0" /> It manufactures chocolate bars from a cocoa farm in St. Lucia.<ref name="Pluncket">{{cite book |author=Plunkett, Jack W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ckx-w7yuvTUC&q=%22world%27s+finest+chocolate%22&pg=PT568 |title=Plunkett's Food Industry Almanac |date=2008 |publisher=Pluncket Research, Ltd. |isbn=9781593921064 |access-date=May 20, 2012}} {{ISBN|1593924496}}</ref> and has a production site in South Chicago.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Hsu |first=Judy |date=2015-02-13 |title=Made in Chicago: World's Finest Chocolate |url=https://abc7chicago.com/worlds-finest-chocolate-chicago-fundraising/515061/ |access-date=2022-07-01 |website=ABC7 Chicago |language=en}}</ref>
== Products == The core of the company's business is selling chocolate bars in bulk for school fundraisers and corporate gifts.<ref name="trib" />
World's Finest Chocolate is one of the largest suppliers of the fundraising chocolate market. According to the company it has sold more than 6 billion chocolate bars, their best-known product,<ref name="trib" /><ref name="Pluncket" /> and helped their customers raise more than USD 4.4 billion since 1949.<ref name="sandmountainreporter"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==Further reading== * {{cite news|url=https://cdispatch.com/news/2011-09-15/broadcast-group-works-with-worlds-finest-chocolate-on-guinness-record-setting-campaign/|title=Broadcast group works with World's Finest Chocolate on Guinness record-setting campaign|newspaper=The Dispatch|date=September 15, 2011|access-date=May 20, 2012|author=Miller, David}} * {{cite web | url=http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/09/13/local-company-seeks-record-for-worlds-largest-chocolate-bar/ | title=Local Company Seeks Record For World's Largest Chocolate Bar | publisher= CBS News (Chicago) | date=September 13, 2011 | access-date=May 20, 2012}}
==External links== * {{official website}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:American chocolate companies Category:Food and drink companies based in Chicago Category:Manufacturing companies based in Chicago Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1939 Category:Food and drink companies established in 1939 Category:Fundraising
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