is a
Chocolate company based in
Chicago ,
Illinois . They are one of only 9 companies in the
United States that manufactures chocolate "from bean to bar". They also have a sales office located in
Campbellford, Ontario , Canada.
The company is most well known for its $1 Almond Bar
Chocolate Bar that is used for
Fundraising . The company's chocolates are most often used to help not-for-profits raise money, and the products are commonly sold by churches, schools, athletic organizations and social service organizations in the
United States and
Canada . The most unique aspect of the chocolate bars is that they can be labeled with a group's name and fundraising purpose, and a picture or a logo can be printed on the bar wrappers.
World's Finest Chocolate can be used for personal or business gifts. These products can be used as gifts for holidays or any special occasions. The majority of the gift products can be personalized free. They are sold through a catalog and online.
World's Finest products can be found in several large retail stores such as
Wal-Mart ,
Walgreen's , and
Target . The products sold include Continental® Almonds, Mint Meltaways®, and Caramel Whirls®.
1918 - Ed Opler, Sr. joins his brothers' cocoa business in New York.
1922 - Ed Opler, Sr. establishes E&A Opler Co., a cocoa packaging company.
1939 - Ed Opler, Sr. sells Siren Mills and starts Cook® Chocolate Company, Chicago.
1944 - Cook® Chocolate Company joins the Chocolate Manufacturers Association (CMA).
1949 - Chocolate product fund raising begins with the World's Finest® milk chocolate with almond bar.
1950 - World's Finest® becomes a sales division of Cook® Chocolate Co.
1951 - World's Finest® introduces Continental® Almonds.
1956 - Trademark, World's Finest® is registered in U.S. Patent Office.
1958 - World's Finest® begins manufacturing and sales operations in
Campbellford, Ontario , Canada.
1963 - World's Finest® introduces Imperial® Almonds.
1972 - World's Finest® Chocolate, Inc. becomes the corporate name of the company.
1973 - World's Finest® chocolate bar package design registered in Patent Office.
1975 - World's Finest® establishes its own experimental cocoa plantation on St. Lucia, West Indies.
1979 - World's Finest® introduces Mint Meltaways®.
1985 - World's Finest® moves into its 500,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art factory in
Chicago .
1994 - World's Finest® introduces its most complete line of gift products for fund raising and corporate gifts.
1999 - World's Finest® celebrates 50 years in Fund Raising with over five billion bars sold, and is proud to be one of only eleven chocolate manufacturers in the U.S.
2000 - World's Finest® partners with QSP®, the fundraising division of Readers Digest® to broaden the distribution of World's Finest Chocolate fundraising products. It also makes its entrance into the internet, retail, and food gift markets.
2002 - World's Finest® opens its second outlet store, located in
Orland Hills, IL .
2003 - World's Finest® introduces its first branded retail product line.
2005 - World's Finest® up-dates its corporate logo, launches a new holiday retail lineup, and new fundraising packaging.
2006 - World's Finest® purchases the Queen Anne brand and begins manufacturing
Cordial Cherries in its facilities.
The business was founded in
1949 . It is privately owned by the Opler family, and Eddie Opler is the CEO.
Company's website:
World's Finest Chocolate
