We featured Bissinger’s in our Chocolate Manufacturers – Guide for Chocoholics.
The Story of Bissinger’s
In a small kitchen in St. Louis, there is a place where tradition and quality are still the most important ingredients in the making of the world’s finest chocolate confections. This special place is Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier, one of the last handcrafted chocolatiers in the world. Bissinger’s has been making fine confections for more than 350 years taking pride in the fact that it has not sacrificed quality ingredients, taste, or craftsmanship to produce more candy at a lower cost. Even today, in an age of high tech production and immediacy, Bissinger’s remains committed to the high standards, heritage and traditions that have made the company what it is today.
Bissinger’s History
The name Bissinger has been long linked to fine confections. In fact, in the early 1600’s, the Bissinger family was named Confiseur Imperial, or “Candy maker of the Empire” for excellence in the confectionery arts by Emperor Louis Napoleon.
Karl Frederick Bissinger left France in 1863, bringing his loyal candy maker and all of the Bissinger family making-secrets to the United States near Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1927 his son, also name Karl, opened the Bissinger’s candy-making kitchen and first Bissinger’s shop in St. Louis on McPherson Avenue. Today, the retail business has expanded to include three stores in St. Louis and one in Minneapolis. The Maryland Plaza store in St. Louis is a particularly fun place since it is a chocolate lounge where small plates of chocolates and chocolate desserts can be paired with special teas, coffees, wines and ports.
Handmade Confections
Bissinger’s chocolate confections are still made in the St. Louis kitchen, many using original recipes from the Bissinger family cookbook, dated 1899. Bissinger’s candy makers oversee every detail of each delectable treat. Hand-dipped and hand-decorated, Bissinger’s confections are made the old-fashioned way in copper kettles, on marble slabs with wooden ladles, and each box of chocolate is hand-packed and wrapped for delivery or sale. Bissinger’s only uses the finest ingredients in its family recipes, and continues to produce over 400 confections by hand. Bissinger’s is a company that always strives to provide its customers with unique and innovative confections. Seasonal specialties have been added to the Bissinger’s collection throughout the years, such as Chocolate-Covered Raspberries and Blackberries, both only available in July / August / September.
More recently, Bissinger’s has focused their energies on making all-natural contemporary products which taste great and are good for you. Bissinger’s Naturals (black sesame, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, almond, walnut), adult gummies (pomegranate white tea, blueberry acai, gogi guava camu camu, pink grapefruit with grapeseed extract), high antioxidant chocolate bars, olive oil truffles, porcini mushroom truffles, etc. are treats perfect for chocolate-lovers with a healthful eating plan.
Bissinger’s, based in St. Louis, is a leading confectioner of fine chocolate products, distributing to more than one million customers worldwide through retail, catalog and online sales. Bissinger’s products can also be found at upscale retail locations throughout the United States. For most chocolatiers, Valentine’s Day is the leading holiday. However, at Bissinger’s, the company has nine major seasons that require the company to be busy all year long: Valentine’s Day, Easter/Passover, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Chocolate-Covered Raspberry Season (July), Chocolate-Covered Blackberry Season (August/September), Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas/Hanukkah. This consistent seasonal demand allows them the opportunity to search the world for the finest packaging and gift ideas to marry with Bissinger’s fine chocolate.
Bissinger’s Corporate Gifts
Bissinger’s has a corporate gifts line designed to meet the needs of today’s busy executives. From the Business Card Folding Box to the Corporate Truffle Box to the Corporate Deluxe selections, Bissinger’s Master’s Reserve Corporate line has a gift for everyone on your customer list!
Bissinger’s Online
In 1999, Bissinger’s launched its full-service e-commerce Web site at www.bissingers.com . Today the site generates more than 20% of total revenues for the company and has over 25,000 visitors each month.
The Chocolate Catalogue
Bissinger’s distributes eight catalogs annually, with unique items including hand-crafted chocolates, hand-roasted nuts, fresh and glaceed chocolate covered fruits, decorated mints, edible table decorations, fabulous gift-giving ideas for children and adults, and great confections to complement a new wine or dinner as a delectable dessert. For more information on Bissinger’s exquisite chocolate confections, please visit Bissingers.com.
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