Off The Beaten Path

• May 6, 2008 4:41 pm US/Pacific
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  Off The Beaten Path: Thriving Chocolate Business

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Off The Beaten Path: Thriving Chocolate Business

ROCKLIN (CBS13) ― Some local businesses may be feeling the recession and closing, but there's one new store that's thriving in Placer County.

It's Tuesday and the latest selection of fine chocolates have just arrived at this new store in Rocklin. It's a good bet most Californians have neither seen nor tasted these creations before.

"We have the Mandrin Café which is white chocolate covered coffee butter cream. We have the truffle and the Cosco which is rum," said Tiffany Wadell, owner, Leonidas Chocolates.

Every two weeks, hundreds of pounds of these goodies are air freighted in from Brussels, Belgium. This store is the first franchise in northern California outside of San Francisco.

We asked customer Jackie Mashaw why these are so good.

"Ah, the richness," said Jackie.

So what makes chocolates from Europe different than a good old American Hershey bar?

"They are not as sweet, and it's not waxy. It's 100 percent buttercream, everyone that tastes it sees the difference," said Tiffany.

Tiffany sells about 40 flavors, and ships all over Northern California. Many Europeans who live around here are stopping by for their favorite.

"They get pounds of it. They just say 'fill up the box'. It's the coffee buttercream inside of the white chocolate and there's one with a whole hazelnut and one without," said Tiffany.

Amy Mortimer says first time customers usually come back fast.

"They say they loved it and shared it with family and friends and they had to come back and get some more," said Amy.

There are lots of ways you can buy these chocolates, by the bag, by the pound or buy a piece of chocolate alone. It runs about a buck.

Part of the fun is guessing what you are getting. But Winnie Saint Claire says some of these creations come with a warning.

"Those are cherries and they have the stem and they have the pit in them," said Winnie. "So I'm paying for a candy with a pit in the middle?"

"Yes," said Tifffany

So if you've heard we're in a recession, you won't be able to tell in this new shop where business is sweet indeed.

In fact, business is so good the owners plan to open more stores soon…recession or not!

Store Information:
Leonidas chocolates
3101 Sunset Blvd, Rocklin, Calif.
(916) 630-9120

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)